Garçon haircut

Garçon is a short haircut in which the hair is roughly the same length all over the head. The shape softly follows the line of the head, the outline opens the ears and the neck, and the bangs are usually short or medium length. Garçon can easily be mistaken for a pixie, but it lacks the strong contrast between the temples and the top — the silhouette is more unified.

The name comes from French: "garçon" means "boy". In the 1960s the shape was made famous by actress Mireille Darc, and since then it has been coming in and out of fashion — but always remains in the stylist's toolkit as a clean, almost graphic shape.

Modern garçon is usually done not strictly to the classics but with soft details: a slightly choppy fringe, a light texture, a little extra length around the face. This lets the shape look more natural and not require daily styling.

Who suits garçon

Garçon looks good on straight and slightly wavy hair: the outline holds its shape better on it. On curly hair the shape is also possible but requires a different cutting technique and, most likely, more frequent trims — it's worth discussing this with the stylist in advance.

Garçon is an open-face shape, so it works especially well for people with neat features, expressive eyes and an open forehead. On a round or very long face the stylist may suggest an adapted version: an elongated fringe, asymmetry or slightly longer strands around the face.

If you're considering a very short cut but aren't ready for fully exposed temples, garçon is a good compromise. You can keep medium-length bangs here, and make the shape itself a bit softer than in a classic version.

How the haircut is done at the salon

First the stylist discusses the length of the bangs and the overall outline with you: garçon can be almost boyish or quite feminine. Then they assess hair density and growth direction — this affects how solid the shape will look.

The cut usually takes 40–60 minutes. The stylist builds the overall silhouette around the head, works on the bangs and ends so the shape looks whole and doesn't "fall apart". Separate attention goes to the edge line around the face and at the nape.

Garçon is short, so regrown hair quickly changes the shape. The ideal interval between trims is about 4–5 weeks. If you want to keep the outline neat longer, you can come in for an interim touch-up of just the bangs and the edge line.

Care and styling at home

Short hair gets oily at the roots faster, so you'll need to wash it more often than longer hair. Use a gentle shampoo and apply conditioner only to the ends or as needed. After washing, pat the hair with a towel and blow-dry, shaping it with your fingers or a round brush.

Styling garçon usually takes 5–7 minutes. To emphasise the texture, a small amount of matte wax or paste is enough — apply it to damp hair, moving from roots to ends. For a sleeker look a light cream or mousse works well.

A straightener or curling iron is rarely needed with garçon. If you want to add volume or, on the contrary, slightly straighten individual strands, do it at minimum temperature and with heat protection — short hair dries out more easily.