12 Least Flattering Haircuts for Women (and 7 Much Better Options)

Need inspiration for a new haircut? You’ve come to the right place. Every single style out there has the potential to either frame the face beautifully or leave you looking a bit disheveled. In this article, we’re sharing the looks you should absolutely avoid and what you should go for instead.

Blunt Bob Without Layers

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A blunt bob, especially one without layers, can emphasize thinning hair in women, particularly at the crown. This cut can also make the face appear wider or rounder, which, let’s be honest, most of us want to avoid. To make matters worse, this look offers little versatility when it comes to styling.

Center-Parted Bob

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If you’re going to go for a bob, the last thing you want is a center parting. Why? Because it can draw attention to thinning parts of the hair, which can be aging and doesn’t look the best. A center parting and bob combo can also cause a lack of movement and can make your hair appear flat.

Heavy Bangs

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The sad reality is, “People keep cutting thick shelves of hair over their eyes and instantly regretting it,” as per Vice. If you don’t want to feel this same regret, we suggest skipping this unflattering haircut. It can really overwhelm the face, hiding your natural features, and requires near-constant maintenance to avoid looking unkempt.

Severe Pixie Cut

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Depending on your face shape and features, this can either look great or very unflattering. The latter is unfortunately more common. Very short, harsh lines can accentuate aging features and the look can be too bold for those with softer features. With a severe pixie, you’ve also got limited styling options.

Long, Unlayered Styles

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Long hair does suit most people, but not when it’s unlayered. This style can actually drag the face down, making it look longer, and it often lacks volume—especially at the roots. Not only is it not the most flattering, but it’s also hard to maintain and keep looking lively.

Bowl Cut

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If you’re considering this risky haircut, please take our one word of advice: don’t. This cut went out of style for a reason—it tends to emphasize roundness of the face, creating a less balanced look. It also appears pretty outdated and is difficult to style in a modern way.

Chin-Length Bob

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A bob of this length can accentuate the roundness of the face and highlight the jawline in an unflattering way. According to Glamour Magazine, “The most universally flattering bobs will be the slightly longer ones that sit below the jawline,” so be sure to opt for a bob longer than your chin.

High-Volume Top

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A haircut that leaves you with a high-volume top can create an unbalanced look on some face shapes and is generally unflattering. On top of this, it can be a little tricky to style daily if you’re after a professional or put-together look.

Overly Layered Look

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While no layers are a big no-no, too many layers are also not a good idea. There’s a real art to the perfect amount of layers, and too many can leave your hair looking dated and messy. When you consider that all the different lengths are going to be hard to grow out evenly, you’ll see why this is off-putting.

Short, Choppy Layers

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Back in the day, a short haircut with plenty of rough layers was very on-trend. In 2024… Not so much! This unflattering style can look disjointed on many women, especially on those with curly or coarse hair. It can also be difficult to style without looking too edgy.

Straight Cut with Thick Bangs

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Not only can thick bangs overwhelm the face, make the face appear shorter, and look unflattering, but they can actually cause you problems! Allure says, “Depending how thick your bangs are, the blunt ends of your hair rubbing up against sensitive eyelid skin can cause irritation.”

Boxy, Short Cut

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Unfortunately, this cut can highlight angular features in an unflattering way. It really limits the ability to soften the face with hair styling and often looks too structured and stiff. The overall effect tends to be too rigid, lacking the softness that other styles might provide.

Side-Parted Asymmetrical Bob

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A haircut that suits most women is the side-parted asymmetrical bob, which adds movement to your locks and can be tailored to your specific face shape. It creates a more voluminous look at the crown and frames the face attractively without overwhelming your features.

Long Layers

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We mentioned earlier that long hair without layers isn’t the most flattering, but add in a few long layers and you’ve got yourself a winner. This cut provides movement and versatility in styling and tends to be customized to enhance your facial features. Luckily, it’s suitable for most hair types and lengths.

Graduated Bob

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This cut features stacked layers at the back that gradually lengthen towards the front, which creates a flattering shape that can enhance the neckline and jawline. It works well for adding volume to fine hair and is adaptable for various face shapes, meaning it looks good on almost anyone!

Textured Shag with Light Bangs

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If you’re not sure what a shag is, Byrdie is here to help: “Typically featuring choppy ends, layers around the crown, and plenty of texture, shags work on almost every hair texture and length.” This haircut is both modern and stylish, adding a youthful vibe to anyone who sports it.

Side-Swept Pixie

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If you’re looking to highlight your cheekbones and facial structure, then why not go for a side-swept pixie? This look is easy to style with minimal product and doesn’t require too much upkeep to keep it looking cute. It’s also a very versatile cut for various occasions and looks.

Wavy Lob

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Ideal for softening wide cheekbones and large foreheads, the wavy lob is an easy-to-maintain style with a simple wave and texture. It’s especially flattering for those with round and heart-shaped faces but almost anyone can rock it. Give it a try!

Layered Pixie

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The layered pixie is ideal for anyone with thin hair, as it creates the illusion of thickness and volume. That said, it’s a flattering style for almost every woman and can be styled sleek or tousled, depending on what look you’re going for.

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18 Items at Walmart that Aren’t Worth Your Hard-Earned Money

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