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The Undercut: The Perfect Hair for Playful Rebels

redheaded model with undercut pink background

The undercut trend was started in the 1980s. Sections of the hair are cut razor-short while the hair on top remains long. You can easily explain it to your hair stylist: "Everything off on the side and nothing off the top, please!"

Only a few years ago, undercuts and sidecuts were associated with the punk, metal and gothic underground scene. Today, undercut hairstyles are almost part of the mainstream; well, the former rebel haircut is at least clubbable now. In an undercut, a lane of hair several inches wide is shaved above the ears and around the head like in an extreme military haircut. Only the top hair remains standing. For a sidecut, only a patch of side hair above the ear is shaved. The model Alice Dellal was one of the trailblazers for undercuts.

Shaved patches of hair add a pronounced accent to hairstyles, especially when the hair is long. Sidecuts also give short shrift to hairstyle conventions. Surprisingly, the unusual style elements only emphasize the feminine appeal.

Please note: Even though undercuts and sidecuts look simple, you should only trust a hair stylist with them who is well-versed in the technique. You can then maintain the haircut yourself at home using a hair trimmer every two weeks. Asking a friend with a good pair of hands for assistance may be a good and pleasant alternative. 

By the way, undercut hairstyles look particularly good on women with soft oblong faces rather than hard chiseled features. If your hair is very fine or thin, it may not be such a good idea to shave even a small section of it for an undercut or sidecut. There may be days when you no longer like to look at your partially shaved head. On those days, simply part your hair in the middle to hide the bare section. Then there is also the old standby, the hat. Luckily, women don't have to take their hat off for a greeting.

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