Party season is officially here which means it’s the time of year when our calendars get a whole lot busier. From indulgent dinners and festive cocktails with friends to work parties and pub lunches at the weekend, whatever your diary currently looks like we bet there’s at least a handful of opportunities to go all out when it comes to your outfits and makeup looks. And as for your hair? Well that’s just the star on top of the Christmas tree.
However, there’s no denying that short hairstyles can feel trickier to style at home. And with 2024 seeing a huge surge in the popularity of bobs, pixie cuts and short layers, we reckon that there’s a fair few of you out there trying to style your new shorter lengths for the first time. Worry not. Ahead, we caught up with hair experts Zoe Irwin, Creative Director at John Frieda Salons, and Tom Smith, expert hair stylist and trend forecaster, to get their steer on the best short party hairstyle ideas for the season ahead.
The 9 Best Short Party Hairstyle Ideas, According to Experts:
1. Ultra Gloss
"I’m massively into gloss in hair—it looks chic and modern and makes for a fantastic party look," says Irwin. "To get the look, blow dry hair back off the face, perhaps with a deep side parting, and a high level of shine to the hair by with a gloss or pomade."
Get the Look:
Irwin recommends this pomade for adding shine and volume to the hair. "However, if you prefer a stronger wet back look then use a gel that will give a little more definition and gives a polished look," she explains.
2. La Dolce Vita Crop
This tousled yet high-fashion style, coined by Smith himself as La Dolce Vita Crop, is set to be one of the biggest short hairstyle trends for winter 2024—and it's perfect for party season. "It's a soft, short shape which combines a strong and powerful silhouette with a feminine softness," describes Smith.
Get the Look:
Although it looks effortless, Smith points out that this party style needs "a foundation of product to keep the hair looking effortlessly swept off the face". This blow dry spray is one of his favourites for adding volume at the roots to a parting-free style.
3. Grown Out Crop
Irwin is a huge fan of pixie cuts as the perfect short party haircut, but it's this more textured grown-out version that she thinks will be huge this year. "The grown out pixie is very popular right now," says Irwin. "It's very layered and '90s-inspired." Charithra Chandran's slick, shiny, wet-look take on the trend feels perfect for a special occasion look.
Get the Look:
This hydrating and lightweight gel enhances your natural hair texture, whether it's straight, curly or wavy, and leaves your style looking smooth and shiny.
4. Deep Side Part
Simple but surprisingly effective, a deep side parting is one of Smith's go-to special occasion looks for short hair. "A deep parting with hair styled either off the face or gently sweeping across the forehead, and combined with a statement pair of earrings, is easy to do but super effective at looking thought out and carefully curated," explains Smith.
Get the Look:
Smith's top for longevity is to think about what kind of style you want before switching your parting. "If you want a sleek and controlled look then style the parting while your hair is still damp or, for maximum volume, flip the parting over once it's dry and styled," he explains.
5. Flipped Ends
"A short bob with flipped out ends will be popular for party season this year," says Irwin. It's simple yet with the right products to boost shine and add gloss it can look so expensive and elegant.
Get the Look:
These mini hair straighteners are perfect for shorter styles thanks to their petite size. Use them at the ends of your hair to get that flicked-up effect and to add a soft wave like Carey Mulligan's effortless style.
6. Bell Bottom Bob
Not dissimilar to the flipped ends we just saw, Smith coined the "bell bottom bob" as having more of a "playful and bouncy nature" than its predecessor—which makes it perfect if you want something with even more personality for your party season look. Kelly Rowland's style is so glam with its dramatic side parting and curved contours.
Get the Look:
Add a mousse to damp hair to make sure that you get the volume and hold that this glamorous short hairstyle requires.
7. Soft Pixie
"This party season it is all about the French aesthetic," says Irwin. And what's more French than a pixie cut? "It's becoming more popular in the salon and we've been doing more of them in the salon as we head towards the end of the year." While the cut itself is quite sharp, Greta Lee's slicked-back style still feels soft and pretty.
Get the Look:
Add shine to your party style without the grease with this lightweight spray from Zara.
8. Shimmering Touches
"Using a festive hair accessory or minimal metallic hair clips can really add detail and design to a short party hairstyle," says Smith. His top tip? "Just make sure to use an odd number of accessories—1, 3 or 5 work best depending on the style and size of your accessories." Janelle Monáe agrees with her silver threaded cornrow style shining on the red carpet.
Get the Look:
These sleek silver hair accessories can be worn together or separately to add a chic finishing touch to short styles.
9. Sleek Bun
"This party season it really is all about super shiny, luxe hair kept simple with a parting or drawn back into a sleek twisted bun," says Irwin. "This look is refined yet modern." And even better? It's so easy to do yourself at home.
Get the Look:
This deeply moisturising oil can be used as a hair mask, pre-styling or as a finishing product, but for a sleek bun it's best used last to keep flyaways at bay and boost shine.
