New hairstyle trends can be hard to picture in your day-to-day life, especially when they’re a little out there. Model Joan Smalls showed off her more understated take on the “jellyfish” haircut that’s been going viral.
What Is The ‘Jellyfish’ Haircut?
The jellyfish haircut is a new spin on the mullet. The hair is cut in two distinct layers—the first one is a 360-degree chin-length bob, while the second layer is extremely straight and much longer. The two layers look like the sea creature the hairstyle is named after.
The second layer is typically worn straight, but some have curled their hair to create their own version of the style. Others dye each layer of the jellyfish hairstyle a different color to make the difference in the layers more distinct.
“This look is trending because it’s a gender-neutral style and it’s very edgy, artistic, and creative,” hairstylist Raven Hurtado told Glamour. “It’s like having short and long hair at the same time.”
She explained that the jellyfish haircut is perfect for people who are thinking about cutting their hair, but aren’t ready to commit to a shorter style yet.“This cut is also perfect if you want to experiment with color for an extra bold playful style and show off your personality,” Hurtado said.
Nicole Kidman’s Take On The Style
The hair trend was primarily seen on social media or runways, but it was taken into the mainstream when Nicole Kidman sported a slightly different version of the style for a Perfect Magazine photoshoot.
Her version’s layers were both straight, making it look a little less like a jellyfish and more like a hairstyle you could rock everyday. It looks like Smalls took some inspiration from Kidman’s take on the hairstyle for her appearance at this year’s American Music Awards.
How Joan Smalls Rocked The Jellyfish Haircut
Both Smalls’ layers were smooth and straight, like Kidman’s more casual take on the style. The model also put her own spin on the jellyfish hairstyle. Her top, shorter layer didn’t go all the way around her head. Instead, two shorter pieces framed her face, while the rest went past her shoulders.
Smalls paired the distinctive hairstyle with a glamorous sparkly gold gown. The long-sleeved dress had cutouts at the hips and a slit up the front. She accessorized with small dangly earrings and two large gold cuffs on each wrist.
The jellyfish hairstyle isn’t for everyone, but social media stars and famous figures like Kidman and Smalls have shown that there are many different ways to rock this distinctive haircut.