Straight hair
Hair that falls flat without a wave. 36 hairstyles on EveryHairstyle so far.
Straight hair grows without a wave or curl and falls flat from root to tip. It is the most common hair type in East Asia and is widespread in many other regions. Because light reflects off its smooth surface it tends to look shiny, and because it shows every cutting line it suits precise, graphic cuts. It can be slippery, so braids and updos may need extra grip.
What suits straight hair
Blunt cuts look sharp on straight hair, which is why the bob, the pageboy and the hime cut are so closely tied to it. Long, one-length straight hair is admired in many cultures, from Japan and Korea to the long plaits of South India. Straight hair holds a sleek ponytail and a smooth chignon well, though fine straight hair can lie flat, so stylists use layers or a blow-dry for lift.
Adding texture
Straight hair can be given waves and curls with heated tongs, rollers, braid-outs or a perm. The digital perm, developed in Japan, is popular in East Asia for adding soft curls. Without some texture, braids and buns can slip, so stylists may backcomb a little, use dry shampoo or texture spray, or braid slightly damp hair. Straight hair also shows oil sooner, because scalp oil travels down it easily.
Famous straight hair hairstyles
Further reading
🇺🇸 United StatesCrew cut
A short, graduated men's haircut with upright top hair.Cut · Thick hair · 1920
🇬🇧 United KingdomPageboy
Straight hair hanging below the ear with an inward turn.Cut · Straight hair · 1950
🇯🇵 JapanHime cut
A Japanese style with straight cheek-length sidelocks and long back hair.Cut · Straight hair · 1970
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreDucktail
A 1950s men's cut with a central rear parting.Cut · Straight hair · 1950
🇺🇸 United StatesThe Rachel
Voluminous layered cut popularised by FriendsCut · Straight hair · 1995
WorldLayered hair
A cut using varied lengths for volume and shapeCut · Straight hair
WorldTellum
A haircut featuring long front sections and a short, buzzed back.Cut · Straight hair · 1970
WorldWings
A layered cut where side hair flips out like wings.Cut · Wavy hair · 1830
🇯🇵 JapanSeiko-chan cut
A feathered Japanese idol hairstyle from the 1980s.Cut · Straight hair · 1980
WorldFeathered hair
Layered style brushed back to resemble bird feathersCut · Straight hair · 1970
🇰🇷 South KoreaOctopus haircut
A layered cut with short top sections and long, fanning bottom sections.Cut · Straight hair · 2022
🇰🇷 South KoreaTwo-block haircut
Long textured top with short tapered sidesCut · Straight hair
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreMop-top
A bowl-shaped cut with a straight fringe, popularised by the Beatles.Cut · Straight hair · 1963
WorldJellyfish haircut
A two-tiered style with a short top layer and long lower sections resembling tentacles.Cut · Straight hair · 2023
🇫🇷 France and 1 moreFrench crop
Short men's cut with faded sides and a blunt fringe.Cut · Straight hair · 1920
🇰🇷 South KoreaHush cut
A soft, layered haircut from South Korea designed for natural movement and easy styling.Cut · Straight hair · 2023
🇫🇷 France and 1 moreShingle bob
A short haircut with a tapered nape and curled sides.Cut · Straight hair · 1920
🇺🇸 United StatesMohawk
A haircut with shaved sides and a central strip of upright hair.Cut · Straight hair · 1970
🇺🇸 United States and 1 moreDucktail
A 1950s men's cut with a central rear parting.Cut · Straight hair · 1950
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tellum: The original uploader was Steevven1 at English Wikipedia . Later versi, CC BY 2.5, source
- Hime cut: kxz Chen, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Seiko-chan cut: HouseGecko, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- The Rachel: ABC Television, Public domain, source
- Queue: Lai Afong, Public domain, source
- Crew cut: greginhollywood, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pageboy: Jacometto Veneziano, Public domain, source
- Lob: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Ducktail: Rockbillyboogie, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Layered hair: Rganesh72, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Wings: Sepideh (Sepi), CC BY 2.0, source
- Shingle bob: Evolvingthinker, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mohawk: Godmodeking, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ducktail: Oceanaris, CC BY 2.0, source