The most popular red carpet hairstyles are usually defined by glamorous waves or polished updos, but at the 2026 Oscars, short hair stole the show. Celebrities with a variety of hair textures sported everything from super-cropped pixie cuts to chin-length bobs at last night’s Academy Awards, and I personally found them to be the most impactful hair looks. There’s just something about short hair that makes a statement without overpowering (or hiding) a gown’s neckline or any statement jewelry.

Keep scrolling for the seven best short hairstyles to copy from the 2026 Oscars, starting with…

1. Zendaya’s Trixie Cut

98th Annual Oscars

John Shearer/98th Oscars//Getty Images

Hair by Ursula Stephen using Tangle Teezer

2. Emma Stone’s Flippy Bob

98th Oscars - Arrivals

Kevin Mazur//Getty Images

Hairstyle by Mara Roszak using RŌZ. Hair color by Tracey Cunningham forSchwarzkopf

3. Marsai Martin’s Wavy Bob

98th Annual Oscars - Arrivals

JC Olivera//Getty Images

4. Jessie Buckley’s Slicked-Back Pixie

US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-AWARD-OSCARS-ARRIVALS

ANGELA WEISS//Getty Images

Hair by Bryce Scarlett using Nexxus

5. Gracie Abrams’s Airy Bob

US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-AWARD-OSCARS-ARRIVALS

ANGELA WEISS//Getty Images

Hair by Bobby Elliot using Kristin Ess Hair

6. Isabela Merced’s Bob With Midi Bangs

98th Oscars - Arrivals

Frazer Harrison//Getty Images

Hair by Ricky Fraser using L’Oréal Paris

7. Teyana Taylor’s Tousled Pixie

98th Oscars - Arrivals

John Shearer//Getty Images

Hair by Nikki Nelms using Dyson Beauty

Lauren Balsamo

Beauty Director

Lauren Balsamo is the beauty director at Cosmopolitan where she writes, edits, and produces all types of beauty content—from product reviews to personal essays and trend reports. She has covered beauty for more than a decade at Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.

Love Cosmo’s beauty content? Check out our Substack for more recs and reviews delivered straight to your inbox.

_________________________________________________________________________

SWOW SWAG

___________________________________________________________________________________