This quarantine is giving you the perfect time to try out the buzz cut

Photo from Canva

Guys, gals, and non-binary pals, I have good news. The buzz cut is finally back in style! In the realm of manes and tresses, this is not just haircut for convenient purposes but also a bold look that looks absolutely perfect on every face shape. With social distancing, we see a lower risk to try out this bold move. If it didn’t look good, the hair could grow back before the enhanced community quarantine ends. (Hear that, Ma?)

Photo from Quirky Brown Girl | “Getting a Buzz Cut as a South Asian Woman”

The buzz cut is finally back in style!

Where did the buzz cut originate?

The buzz cut originated in the army. The style remained common among military recruits who just started their training. This, then, introduced another nickname for the hairstyle: the induction cut. Its style remained clean and easy to maintain, preventing the spread of lice in the army and helped create a sense of unity and uniformity.

This haircut has been a symbol of rebellious aesthetics and empowerment. It remains a powerful and personal way to reclaim one’s self. When punk began to take over in the mid-1970s, the buzz cut promoted individual freedom and it introduced a contrary response to the hippie culture. Tie-dye dresses and flower crowns were out; leather jackets and saved heads are in.

Women started embracing the buzz cut look as an act of defiance.

The buzz cut remained popular throughout the 1980s. Unrelated to punk, women started to embrace the look as a stand against double standards, and gender norms. Great women defied heteronormative society’s idea of beauty. For example, Sinéad O’Connor shaved off her hair in defiance of record company executives who wanted her hair to have long hair.

Notable black women have also used the buzz cut as a comment to societal injustice. Supermodel Pat Evans cropped her hair short to defy the fashion industry’s pressure on black models to conform to white beauty standards which were straight and long hair. Grace Jones, on the other hand, used the buzz cut to express herself making her a symbol of androgynous prowess.

The buzz cut, then, remained alive in the 1990s and mid-2000s. Women continued to wear the haircut as a symbol of empowerment. Meanwhile, Hollywood used the haircut to fuel the quintessential tough woman image. At the same time, men paraded the cut through popular films and culture. Even with Britney Spears shaving her head, it still became a symbol — an act of defiance.

The return of the buzz cut.

After the style’s short hiatus, the buzz cut started appearing in 2016 with Kristen Stewart and Cara Delevingne. Another short hiatus has occurred and we now see women everywhere shaving their heads in search of convenience and at the same time, a radical look to match with the current pandemic. With social distancing, women saw a lower risk of this bold move. Again, if it didn’t look good, the hair could grow back before the enhanced community quarantine ends.

Why do we want this haircut?

Basically, I want to have a buzz cut because it’s hot in the Philippines and it would make me look like a badass. Aside from that, you wouldn’t have a bad hair day. Without the hair covering a woman’s face, putting on makeup would be a great look. It will be more visible and the femininity of the makeup would perfectly contrast to the masculinity of the buzz cut.

Will a buzz cut look good on me?

To be honest, it’s hard to say especially when you have no idea what the shape of your head is. Aside from the shape of your head, you will also have to look at your hairline. If it recedes at the front or too low at the back, it wouldn’t look that great. At the same time, you would want to take great care of your scalp — a flaky scalp is a huge no-no.

A buzz cut could look great in any face shape. If you gave hard features, the buzz cut will make them look even stronger and sharper. If you have soft features, the buzz cut will give you more definition. Basically, long hair shouldn’t be the standard for femininity. A close-crop cut is a way to rebrand your identity on your own terms and your own standard of beauty.