Plenty of women have shaved their heads and have been notoriously recognized for drastically altering their look, but for far too long, a buzzed cut was never considered a traditional hairstyle for women. Shaved heads are often met with extreme response, socially categorized as rebellious and nonconformist. But in recent years, the narrative has changed. The buzz cut is a symbol of strength and confidence—one we've seen quantified most visibly in Hollywood.
Demi Moore, Natalie Portman, and Cate Blanchett have traded longer locks for buzz cuts for film roles. But even off the silver screen, we've seen stars like Amanda Stenberg, Adwoa Aboah, and Kristen Stewart following suit as a personal choice. Long hair shouldn't be the standard for femininity—all hair, no matter the length, is beautiful. Simply put, a close-crop cut is a way to rebrand your identity on your own terms.
Below, a list of 23 ladies relishing in their unique beauty, no strings or strands attached.
Adwoa Aboah
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Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
British model Adwoa Aboah took a stand against hair insecurity when she made the choice to lob off her locks as an antithesis to always trying to fit in.
Alyson Stoner
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Amy Sussman/Getty Images
We almost didn't recognize this child star without her signature pigtails and bangs when she took the stage during Missy Elliot performance at this year's MTV Video Music Awards. Alyson Stoner's buzz cut is further proof that she's still making noteworthy moves.
Halsey
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Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Halsey is a hair chameleon. We've seen her change her cut and color more times than we can count, and this pastel pink crop is one of our favorites.
Rosamund Pike
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David Livingston/Getty Images
A common reason for shaving the bottom half of the head is to eliminate excess weight and keep things light. We love the way Rosamund Pike is wearing her hair in a sleek bun as her bottom buzz grows out, looking almost like a pixie'd half-up, half-down style.
Rosario Dawson
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George Pimentel/WireImage
This angularly cut side part adds grit to counterbalance the soft, long strands Rosario Dawson decidedly kept.
Next up: The biggest hair trends of fall 2019.