Short Hair Dominated the Oscars 2026 Red Carpet
From Zendaya’s vintage bixie to Emma Stone’s airy bob, short hair defined the Oscars 2026 red carpet.
Long, flowing waves took a backseat at the 98th Academy Awards. This year’s Oscars red carpet made a clear case for short hair, with stars embracing cropped silhouettes that felt deeply aligned with their fashion choices. From bixie cuts to sculpted pixies, the looks proved that less length doesn’t mean less impact.
Zendaya
Zendaya made a surprise appearance at the 98th Academy Awards, presenting Best Directing alongside her The Drama co-star Robert Pattinson. She debuted a sharp yet soft bixie cut, side-parted with a side-swept bang, styled into a vintage-inspired silhouette by Ursula Stephen.
The vintage cropped cut complemented her custom chocolate Louis Vuitton gown, while her beauty look leaned into a “monochromatic palette of warm browns,” according to her makeup artist, Ernesto Castillas, who used all Prada Beauty products for the look.
Gracie Abrams
Another take on the bixie cut came courtesy of Gracie Abrams, who arrived with Paul Mescal in a black two-piece Celine ensemble emblazoned in sequin embroidery. Her hair, styled by Bobby Eliot, featured a deep side sweep, tousled texture, and flipped ends that added movement and ease.
Eliot used Kristin Ess Hair products to achieve the look, including Blow Dry Mist for heat protection and shine, Styling Cream to smooth before blow-drying, Texture Spray for added depth, a Flyaway Wand to refine details, and Workable Hairspray to lock everything in place. The result was relaxed yet intentional, short hair styled to feel lived-in, not rigid.
Emma Stone
Staying true to her signature copper hue, Emma Stone stepped out with a deep side-parted bob finished with loose, airy waves at the ends. The shape was soft and buoyant, designed to move naturally and complement her custom metallic white Louis Vuitton gown, which shimmered under the lights.
The look was described as a “90’s voluminous blow out with touchable texture,” created using tools from ghd by hairstylist Mara Rozsak.
Teyana Taylor
Teyana Taylor leaned into her signature pixie curls, styled by Nikki Nelms, pairing the look with a dramatic Chanel gown featuring a feather-embellished skirt and a sheer black bodice. The look was styled using the Dyson Supersonic r Professional hair dryer alongside OGX products, including the OGX Coconut Oil Weightless Mist. Nelms also shared that Chanel N°5 The Hair Mist was the perfect final touch for the hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 98th Academy Awards red carpet featured bixie cuts worn by Zendaya and Gracie Abrams, a voluminous copper bob by Emma Stone, and Teyana Taylor’s signature pixie curls. The trend marked a notable shift away from long waves as the dominant Oscars hair silhouette.
Zendaya debuted a sharp bixie cut — side-parted with a side-swept bang — styled into a vintage-inspired silhouette by Ursula Stephen. The look complemented her custom chocolate Louis Vuitton gown and was paired with a monochromatic warm-brown makeup look using all Prada Beauty products.
Emma Stone’s hair at the 2026 Oscars was styled by Mara Rozsak using ghd tools. The look was a deep side-parted copper bob with loose, airy waves — described as a 1990s voluminous blow-out with touchable texture — designed to complement her custom metallic white Louis Vuitton gown.
Bobby Eliot styled Gracie Abrams’ tousled bixie cut using Kristin Ess Hair products, including Blow Dry Mist for heat protection, Styling Cream applied before blow-drying, Texture Spray for depth, a Flyaway Wand for detail work, and Workable Hairspray to set the finished look.
A bixie cut is a hybrid hairstyle that sits between a bob and a pixie — shorter than a bob but with more length and texture than a traditional pixie. At the 2026 Oscars, the style appeared on both Zendaya and Gracie Abrams, styled to suit contrasting aesthetics: vintage-polished for the former, tousled and lived-in for the latter.
