You don’t have to be a Punk to shave it…

4 CommentsFriday • February 5, 2010 • by Editor

The ‘BUZZ’ word for Spring/Summer 2010 is ‘Shaving’!
Whatever your personal style & hair-length preference, there is no getting around the ’short back & sides’ trends of S/S 2010. From Close-cropped quiffs to long-hair undercuts, the look is ‘fierce’. Anyone brave enough this season will inevitably be getting something shaved! Let’s investigate some of the more elegant interpretations of bravely-buzzed beauty.

The shorn starlet…
To be fair, the partially shaved look has been around since the 70’s. Inspired by Native American tradition and re-interpreted by brave fashionistas and anti-fashion subculture throughout the later 20th Century. Although there was a bit of a ‘buzz’ about undercuts in the mid-90’s it never really got off of the catwalk. The latest trend is thought to be a nod back to the 80’s and the New Romantic movement – So kind of a post-punk revival… How the wheels of fashion turn.

(Above) Session Stylist Christiaan buzzing model Bonnie Berman for French Marie Claire . Photographed by Arthur Elgort. Early 90’s.

One of the pioneers of the latest reincarnation of the partial-shave has to be Brazilian model Alice Dellal, who recently told Vogue that she has become ‘addicted to shaving’ her hair.

Dellal has most of the back & sides off, with just the top section left untouched. The key to keeping the remaining hair looking thick and full is in the careful sectioning of the crown area. As almost everyone’s hair tends to be thickest on the crown (several male politicians excluded of course!) the ‘bulk’ of the hair grows from this section. Imagine the Kippah or yarmulke cap worn by Jewish men. Yes, that’s your crown area. Keep a good portion of this section intact and most girls can happy buzz the sides and neck area without loosing too much volume. As the sides of the hair have the least hair density (per cm2) you won’t risk loosing much of your mane by taking those sections off. It’s not going to be every woman’s ‘cup of tea’, but it does provide an edgy look with the feminine elegance of long hair and the rebel spirit of super-short hair at the same time.

The best way to achieve the ultimate contrast between your buzzed bits and the rest of your locks is to set it on large rollers for voluptuous 1940’s inspired tumbling curls. Seen here at London Fashion Week Autumn / Winter 2009.

But what if I need to hide the shaved part for work… a funeral… the general meeting of the conservative party etc..?
The current queen of cover-up and the sexy flash of a buzzed section has to be Stockholm’s own disco diva and head of Utecompagniet nightclub, Rebecca Simonsson.

Here Simonsson’s undercut fits pretty well with this conservative-casual ‘Stureplan girl’ ensemble. Or if that is too much, just part your locks closer to the centre of your head and hide the undercut completely, as seen below. The look can be surprisingly versatile as it combines element of long and short and reduces the bulk that requires styling. Of course this look is not the best on very fine hair types. You’ll need some natural volume to start with. The last time I looked, Simonsson had only taken her sides super short – leaving the whole top and back of her hair untouched. This is a great option for finer hair types as you get the effect of the undercut while retaining the bulk of your hair for extra glamour & fullness.

Note: A good tip for achieving those Brigitte Bardot inspired bubbling blonde curls, is to pull your hair over your shoulders on both sides to create the effect of fullness and frame your face. Then you can shock the person next you on the bus, by flipping it all over to one side to show off your undercut. How cool is that!

Still afraid?
For those of you that are still afraid of the actual process, these shots of Rebecca Simonsson going for the chop might help to sooth your nerves. Either that or completely turn you off the idea for life, depending on how attached you are to those long locks.

How easy is it to maintain?
Your undercut will need trimming every 4 weeks to keep it looking brutally short. If you have a friend who can wield the clippers, you will save a lot of money on hair appointments. If not, it can be expensive to maintain. Ask your stylist for a discount on re-buzzing you short parts – This kind of thing should fall into the same category as getting your fringe trimmed, it’s essentially a 10min job with no shampooing required.

Will it be a nightmare to grow out?
Growing your undercut out is easy if you only have the sides buzzed. Some glossing serum and a couple of clips will get you through the first weeks with minimal fuss. Once you can tuck it behind your ears, the undercut can be blended in to just fade away. However, if you also plan on getting the back shaved, it will take a bit of extra work to hide your short parts until its long enough to respond to grips and hairspray, but only if you are planning to wear high-ponytails and other up-do’s. Low, loose ponytails and low messy buns tend to disguise the grow-out much more effectively.

Rather give it a go than never know?
If any of you are planning to try this or really can’t stand the look, why not register and leave a comment :)

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All images of Rebecca Simonsson used in this article are courtesy of her own blog. where you can find loads of images of her rocking her undercut in a multitude of different ways.

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