The Best Short Haircuts For Curly Hair, According to the Pros

Bobs are simple, but they're also versatile and look different on every person, and they're perfect for short curly hair. If you have a short curly bob, hairstylist Devin Toth recommends wearing it down, with your curls defined. "You can scrunch it or twist sections of hair into smoother and thicker coils," he says.

We never thought we'd be saying this, but the short curly mullet haircut is back and bigger than ever — although it's been given a bit of an upgrade since it first became popular in the late '80s. It's one of our favorite short curly haircuts of the season.

"The definition of a mullet is short at the front and sides and long in the back," hairstylist Riawna Capri says. "This haircut is for someone who is confident, who steps outside the box, and whose style is on the edgier side."

One of our favorite short curly haircuts is the pixie. Pixie cuts are pretty drastic, but they're worth the change if you want a style that's chic and easy to manage. "The pixie cut is totally chic and no-fuss when it comes to styling," celebrity hairstylist Graham Nation previously told PS. "While wet, apply a detangling spray and rough dry into place. Once dry, add a small amount of pomade for a light hold that will last all day."

While any hair type can rock one, the pixie is one of the best short curly hairstyles Black hair, as it really shows off the curl pattern.

The "shift" haircut has gained popularity as a short curly haircut because of its raw, choppy look, which looks amazing on curly or textured hair.

"The 'shift' [has] versatile styling options — from something edgy and raw to extremely polished and sophisticated," hairstylist Adam Federico says. "The haircut can be finished to suit the individual's personality and meet them for who they are within that day."

The shag haircut has made a well-deserved comeback over the past year, and we've seen it in a handful of variations, including the curly shag. "The two popular shag styles are the ultra curly, ultra layered, and then straight, with long curtain bangs that sweep," Toth says. "The curly shag is very round, with a pure release of texture. It will be a seamless transition from bangs, to short layers, to long layers, to bottom length."

If you've never heard of this short curly hair trend, don't worry — it's not as scary as it sounds. We first began seeing "disconnected" haircuts pop up this past winter, and it's essentially a haircut that isn't all one length.

"A cut we'll begin to see as we move into the spring and summer months is layered and disconnected short haircuts," hairstylist Edward Tricomi says. "Disconnected short haircuts are when the underneaths are cut out and the tops are much longer."

Danielle Jackson was a former assistant editor for PS Beauty.

Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.