With this summer being such a scorcher, it seems many people have been abandoning long locks for the shorter, angled bob-like silhouette of the A line haircut. This cut, especially with loose curls, has been popular this year to highlight complex color work such as ombre, multi-colored fades, balayage, and opals just to name a few. It’s also been popular among celebrities and in fashion as a jaw-defining antidote to all the long, glam hairstyles we saw in 2016 and 2017. Short is in for the moment but you’d better know what you’re asking for, or you could end up looking like Lisa Stansfield circa 1990.
What Is The A Line Haircut?
While the A line haircut is technically a bob, meaning it’s a short style that’s longer in the front and shorter in the back, this is not the slicked straight, blunt bangs and shaved short in the back style of the 1920s and 1990s. The A line is meant to be much softer, with long or tapered bangs in the front and a number of length options. Its most important feature is the angle of the back tapering towards the front and the silhouette that taper creates. It can be sharp and severe or softer and flowing, layered or jagged at the front with side swept bangs. This haircut has a lot of options, which is probably why it’s so hot right now.
If you’re considering going for an A line style, there really aren’t a whole lot of rules. You can go soft and simple like a long a line bob or sharp and daring with a heavy angle taper and lots of texture. It can be messy or sleek, jagged or blunt. The easiest way to pick an A line is to check out your face shape and personal style, look at lots of pictures and talk to your stylist with the length and level of layers you want. We’ve put together a quick guide of a few no-fail, classy A line haircuts to check out, as well as some way to style them.
How To Style?
Because of its diversity and also because it’s a short style but still has lots of hair to work with, this style really has no limit. The most popular style with the A line haircut at the moment is loose curls or beachy waves, which is a simple style that both highlights color work and gives almost any face shape a softened, ethereal look. Simple pinning back of the longer bangs or a messy pony at the nape of the neck is also a quite flattering, romantic and deceptively simple style for A line haircuts.
Depending on the length, a lot of A line haircuts are also featuring braids this season, either starting at the part and sweeping around the ear or a basket or halo braid. A line haircuts that are shoulder-length of longer can even be swept up into full halo braids or french braided along the center of the head. Shorter A line haircuts can be pinned in a number of ways, sweeping the bangs to the side or even up into a fauxhawk. Style versatility characterizes the A line which definitely adds to its popularity.
Of course, it depends on what style of a line cut you’ve gone with to determine how to style your new coif, as well as how much product and effort you’re willing to put into your hair. That said, the A line is probably one of the easiest styles to maintain without, as long as you pick the right one for your face and personal style.
5 Classy A Line Haircuts
So once you’ve decided to take the plunge and make the chop, how do you choose which a line is right for you, and how do you make sure your stylist knows what you want? We’ve come up with our five favorites, classy and flattering A line haircuts as we head into fall, and we’ll also explain which looks best with different face shapes so you can pick the right one for you. It is also easy to find pictures to show stylists to make sure they can manage the cut and style it perfectly. Consider it a guide for the A line uninitiated, so that picking an A line haircut is as easy as, well, styling an A line haircut!
1. Classic Long A Line With Beach Waves
For those making the transition from long to short hair either for the first time or since a long stint with long locks, a long a line haircut is a no-fail. It generally still has the same silhouette as long hair, so the change in how the wearer’s face appears is not as drastic as in some other a line looks. It’s also pretty safe for any face shape, though if you’re a square or a round shape, you may want some texturing or more of a taper at the front to draw the line of the face longer. The waves provide a soft frame for the face as well as ensuring the cut doesn’t look too blunt.
2. A Line Bob With Deep Taper Angle
A lot of hair publications are warning against a taper of more than one inch, but if it’s done right, we think this a line haircut can still work if it’s done right. The world may be a bit shellshocked by the more severe form of this cut, popularized by Kate Gosling in the early 00s and maligned as the “angry soccer mom cut” well into the 2010s. Especially if you have a round, heart-shaped or square face, however, this cut can be a fresh take on the A line, especially with curly hair or a deep part. The key is not over-texturing it and allowing it to be the classy, fab a line haircut that it is!
3. Sideswept A Line With Bangs
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It is possible to have bangs and still achieve a soft A line silhouette. Rather than a straight across blunt bang, a tapered, side swept A line with bangs to match flatters a lot of face shapes and helps hide a big forehead. A side swept fringe can also add a new shape dimension to the face, and the cut but the longer bangs leave the cut open to more elaborate styles. It can also be done simply in combination with the above-mentioned beachy wave look or even more blunt edges for a bit of throwback style.
4. Messy Textured A Line Bob
If you like a lot of volume to your hair and don’t mind flyaways, a textured a line haircut a fun choice that’s both classy and edgy. It works well with heart-shaped, long and square faces as it can add balance while also softening hard lines. If you have naturally wavy or curly hair, this cut is a breeze but it can also be straightened to look even edgier. If you have straight or fine hair, make sure to tell your stylist to watch the cuts in the layers because they can look blunt and weird if you decided to wear this cut straight. All that said, this daring bed head a line is probably one of the most popular of the upcoming fall season.
5. Razor Cut Pixie A Line
This A line haircut is a great alternative to the messy textured bob above for people with straight or fine hair. A good razor cut can add volume and dimension to a cut with no extra product needed. An A line pixie may sound a bit deceiving but just think of it as a longer style with a pixie shape. This style works with a lot of face shapes, but especially for a long face, because the chin-or-jaw-length bangs and blunt edges will help shorten longer lines and draw attention to the eyes. Just don’t get too snippy with the razor; too much texture can distract from anyone’s best features. Just ask Kate Gosling!
Conclusion
With the demand for shorter styles definitely extending from summer into fall this year, there are so many ways to create and style the perfect A line haircut for any face shape and personal style with lots of different color schemes. We’ve highlighted a few classic and classy styles to try, but there are so many more and so many styles to play with as well!
If you’re thinking of getting an A line haircut, we also highly suggest trying some fun colors to go with all your new hair dimensions. Pastels and vivid are still very fashionable this season, especially fall-inspired reds like a cranberry, but even a simple balayage or dark-to-light ombre will help show off the textures, tapers, and dimensions of your new a line haircut. Add a halo or crown braid or even some funky barrettes, and you’ve got the most up-to-date A line style for the fall! There are so many cut and style ideas, have a fun fall with the A line haircut!
Mia is our junior copywriter and professional hair stylist. She is now working as a hairdresser in West Hollywood and dreams of opening her own salon. Mia is an Economics graduate who has found her true career path by developing a natural passion for men hairstyles and experimenting with vibrant colors. In her free time, Mia chooses to bond with her pets and share her work experience with our readers.
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