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The "Wixie" Haircut Trend Is a Summer Staple

If you haven't yet realized, pixie cuts are one of the most versatile short hairstyles that you can get. The look is a standout all on its own, but it's also become the foundation for other trends like the bixie and mixie, so the next hairstyle to heavily feature a pixie should come as no surprise. Allow us to introduce: the "wixie."

Yes, that does, in fact, sound like the name of an early '00s cartoon, but "wixies" have been trending over the last few weeks because they are a pixie style at heart, with a few extra touches to really take it up a notch. "This cut is a refashioned pixie haircut with longer lengths on the sides and back that wing out, creating soft pieces," Amy Abramite, creative director and stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, tells POPSUGAR. "It recently became popular because it's short hair with a hassle-free grow-out." You'll likely be seeing this style on runways and all over your social media page shortly. To help you get ahead of the curve, Abramite explains everything you should know about the trend, including how it differentiates from its pixie-inspired predecessors.

Why Are Wixie Haircuts Popular?

The fact that the "wixie" is gaining traction right now feels particularly timely, given that the official start to summer is right around the corner. "Lots want to wear short hair, but chicken out from fear of commitment or being too exposed," Abramite says. "Leaving longer lengths on the sides and nape offers confidence for more styling options without feeling like you totally chopped your hair off."

As for how "wixies" are different from any other shaggy pixie, well, it's all in the angles. "The differences are subtle, but they are there," Abramite says. "The bixie, for example, has a bob outline, so the length remains the same from the chin area to the nape, whereas the mixie has a classic mullet outline with the hair cut out around the ear and a longer length in the back." The wixie, on the other hand, has longer hair over the ear that angles back to a longer nape, and therein lies the key difference between the styles.

"Wixie" Hairstyle Inspiration

As with any trend, "wixies" have been spotted on a few celebrities and are only expected to get more popular. Abramite's favorite version so far? Emma Corrin's. "The top layers are notably shorter with a micro bang, and the sides and back are longer, allowing the hair to flare and wing out for a true 'wixie' effect," she says. To help you brainstorm your version of the look, we went ahead and rounded up some of our favorite "wixie" styles for your easy pinning pleasure.