Is The Undercut Over Or Just Getting Started?

Say you’re digging partially shaved ’dos on Miley, Rihanna, and Cassie. And after feverishly bobby-pinning your hair back to try to replicate the look, are finally ready to take the plunge. Maybe. How do you broach the subject with your stylist? Or perhaps you already got an undercut, and are now, well, over it. How do you grow it out without looking like a Skrillex wannabe? We asked the pros! Johnny Rackleff from  New York’s Marie Robinson Salon and Christopher Naselli of Exclusive Artists Management and Naselli & Co. give us the lowdown on everything undercut.

Is the undercut trend still exploding, or have you noticed it slowing down?

Rackleff: I think there are new variations of the undercut. Instead of having a lot of shaved surface on the sides, the shaving is now often a bit more discreet, at the nape of the neck to soften the bulk of a bob.

Naselli: It’s becoming more popular and mainstream, but at the same time it’s not so new anymore. It’s not a trend with a long lifespan, especially the edgy look that’s just shaved on one side. That won’t stick around.

Which celebs do you think have rocked this look particularly well?

Rackleff: Michelle Williams and Coco Rocha. Some other favorites, past and present, include Cassie, Rihanna, and Ellie Goulding. 

Naselli: Miley, Rihanna, Tilda Swinton, and Chloë Sevigny all wear it well. Tilda’s and Miley’s looks are actually perfect examples of an undercut with a clean shave on the side paired with volume and length on top.

On average, how long will an undercut take to grow out?

Rackleff: Hair grows about 1/2-inch per month. Depending on how long your hair is to begin with, it can take several months or more to catch up with the rest of your hair.

Naselli: It depends on the desired length of hair you want to grow out. [In some cases] it can take six months to actually feel like your hair is growing back. If you want to cover it up with extensions before that, you’ll still have to wait about three months to have enough hair.

What are your top tips for keeping hair presentable during the grow-out phase?

Rackleff:

1. As your undercut grows in, instead of high ponytails, try brushing the longer hair from the crown towards the nape. Use gel and bind it with an elastic.

2. Brush hair from the fuller side directed towards the undercut, and start braiding it from behind the ear toward the face.

3. If you have an undercut on the left, try a deep side part on your right side, focusing the majority of the hair to the left. Do the opposite if your undercut is on the right.

4. As it grows in, wear your hair in a textured mess (try a product like Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray). This will put the focus on your texture, rather than on the regrowth.

Naselli:

1. Ask your stylist to cut interior layers into the hair to create more texture once it grows to the middle of the ear. The texture makes the difference in length less noticeable, so the transition back is not so drastic. It also makes a ponytail or messy updo look better.

2. Create dimension in your hair with color. If you have dark hair, add in a light shade, or vice versa, to redirect focus away from the growout.

3. Play with your part as locks grow longer. If you move your part, your hair looks more voluminous. and you may be able to mask the short section.

4. Cut your hair short into a bob or Karlie Kloss-esque chop. This way, the two lengths won’t look so dramatic during the growout, and your hair will grow to reach its base length much more quickly.

What can you do with hair to mimic this look without shaving?

Rackleff: On one side of the head, create a single cornrow and braid all the way to the end of your hair. It’s similar to the hair from Y-3’s SS14 show from Fashion Week, which I helped with. It's simple to do and instantly gives you a faux undercut.

Naselli: Styling your hair asymmetrically with a deep side part. Either flip one side back, down, and under the rest of hair, or pull it back into a tight braid on one side like Cara Delevingne. Let the top section fall over, so it looks completely short on one side.

What hair trend is coming next?

Rackleff: Super textured, messy hair is chic at the moment, and I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon.

Naselli: Super-androgynous cuts for women. Think Erika Linder with that very masculine cut. It’s reminiscent of Linda Evangelista in the late ’80s, early ’90s, with monochromatic, striking color like severe black, severe red, and severe brown, which somehow softens the look.

Have you tried the undercut? Thinking about it? Show us in the comments!

Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images