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Rarely does an in-between hairstyle — you know, the ones that you’re relegated to when you’re trying to grow your hair out — get a legitimate moment in the spotlight, but such is the case with the “velvet crop.”
As seen on celebrities like Florence Pugh, Lupita Nyong’o, and Emma Corrin, a velvet crop is a fancy name for a grown-out buzz cut. The hairstyle puts a spotlight on the gorgeous natural texture of your hair that starts to show itself in the months post-chop. “It’s the mid-stage between a buzz cut and a short pixie,” Devin Toth, a hairstylist at Salon SCK, tells POPSUGAR. “The hair becomes just long enough to allow the beginning stages of your texture to emerge.”
Ahead, Toth answers all of our most burning questions about this fuzzy yet super chic hairstyle, including how to style it and what products work best.
What Is a Velvet Crop Hairstyle?
Whether you intentionally leave behind a few inches when getting a buzz cut or are in the process of getting your length back, the velvet crop typically requires about two to three inches of hair on the head. This is because you need enough length to parse out your natural texture, such as your curl pattern. This gives your short haircut a bit of personality and creates that fun, velvety feel that we all love to run our fingers through.
“Bleaching your hair when it’s buzzed is great for this trend because as it grows out, your velvet crop will have tons of dimension with its dark roots and lighter ends,” Toth says. Additionally, the haircut allows you to rock a short style without sacrificing all of your length. “You want to be careful when doing this if the overall goal is to grow your hair,” Toth says. “You wouldn’t want to cut too short.”
To make sure your texture is emphasized, Toth recommends buying a pomade for styling. “This cut looks really great when styled with a matte clay like the Shu Uemura Nendo Definer ($46),” he says. We also recommend the Ouai Matte Pommade ($36) for finer hair textures or the Pattern Curl Custard ($28) if you have more coily hair.
The look has been seen on many Hollywood stars — if you need some inspiration for your own velvet crop hairstyle, keep scrolling.
