We’ve all wanted to rock a short hairstyle at one time or another. Sometimes, we take the plunge and everything works out, but sometimes the latest short hair trend is not your friend. For all of us who wish short hair was our thing, what if we told you there was a way to cheat a shorter haircut without fully committing to the chop? Turns out, there is! Meet the butterfly haircut, the latest TikTok haircut trend for long hair. Coined by celebrity hairstylist Sunnie Brook, this haircut gives the illusion of a short hairstyle without you having to cut your tresses off. Read on to learn more about this style and see some butterfly haircut images to use as inspiration for your next salon visit.
What Is the Butterfly Haircut?
As previously mentioned, celebrity stylist and Biolage ambassador Sunnie Brook was the one to coin the phrase for this haircut. Of the cut, she tells PopSugar that “This is a very layered haircut on the hair below the shoulders that’s cut in a way that the top layer can be separated from the bottom and easily pinned under to look like a short haircut. The shortest top layer falls about two to three inches below your chin.”
Essentially, it’s a heavily layered look with lots of face-framing that appears to be short when it isn’t. The layers are somewhat feathery yet dramatic but are also easily styled to accomplish whatever aesthetic you’re feeling that day. We’re getting major ’70s vibes from this haircut and we love it.
The best part? This haircut works on almost any hair type and hair texture. Those with thick hair will love the weight it removes while those with thin hair will adore the body and texture this chop brings. Curly hair, wavy hair, graying hair, and super-long or mid-length locks can all benefit from a butterfly haircut. On days when you want a shorter look, simply pin up the bottom layers, leaving the short ones out at the top to look like a completely different hairstyle. Now you can fake that short haircut you’ve always wanted without losing your length.
Butterfly Haircut Inspiration
Ready to try this chop out yourself? We rounded up our favorite butterfly haircut images from Instagram for you to use as inspiration for your cut.
Butterfly Haircut With Bangs
Whether you love curtain bangs or a full fringe, adding bangs to a butterfly cut is a great way to personalize the look.
Butterfly Haircut for Thick Hair
A butterfly crop is a great choice for those with thicker manes. Heavy layering, texturizing, and face-framing layers are the holy trinity of a good thick hair crop.
Butterfly Haircut for Curly Hair
The best part about this hair trend is that it does not discriminate. The butterfly haircut can be tailored to nearly any hair type and texture. On curly hair, the butterfly crop can aid in avoiding the dreaded “bell” or “triangle head,” add volume and body at the roots, and allow weighed-down curls to spring back to life.
Butterfly Haircut for Straight Hair
Many examples of the butterfly crop include a bombshell blow dry or flat iron wave. And while these finishing techniques do look fantastic with this haircut, straighter, smoother textures also complement this look. Feel free to air-dry, flat iron, or smooth out your ends with a blow dryer to make the precision of the shorter layers and longer layers stand out.
Bombshell Butterfly Haircut
Speaking of bombshell blowouts, the butterfly cut looks truly incredible with a big, bouncy round brush blow-dry. This look can easily be recreated at home with a full set of hot rollers, a hair dryer or flat iron, and a set of velcro rollers. Spend a little time setting your hair, add some texturizing spray or hairspray, and voila!