Salons report a surge in requests for the curtain crop, which is reshaping fall’s short-hair landscape by offering an easy-to-style, androgynous alternative to last year’s softer pixie shapes. The haircut, described as a grown-out bob with a floppy middle part or face-framing curtains, has moved from neighborhood queer bars into mainstream rotation and now ranks among the most requested looks at London’s Rooibos salon.
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Sam Rubinstein, founder of Rooibos, says the cut is one of their "most requested haircuts," and that clients struggle to settle on a single name for it, offering labels such as shaggy bob, face-framing bob, soft ’90s bob, or a grown-out mullet-phase bob. Rubinstein calls it low-maintenance androgynous styling, and says it immediately signals a relaxed, nonchalant coolness. The article’s author, Daisy Jones, notes she first noticed the floppy haircut in queer bars before it began to spread to straight and cis friends.
Stylist Luke Hersheson frames the shift as more than aesthetics, saying, "Hair is often used as a massive safety blanket," and that letting go of it can be a sign of confidence. That framing helps explain why the curtain crop is appealing across ages: it can modernize older wearers with curtain bangs and suits many hair types while remaining intentionally effortless.
Practical styling advice in the piece favours creams and gels for a wet-look finish, which smooth the roots and define choppy ends, or a texturizing spray for lift without weight. Practitioners recommend a small amount of product for fine hair and experimentation to hone a quick wash-and-go routine. The cut’s versatility and minimal styling requirements are presented as part of its mainstream appeal for the new season.
Expect the curtain crop to remain visible across urban neighbourhoods and salon appointment books as the season progresses, with more wearers asking for floppy, face-framing curtains and stylists tailoring the cut to different ages and textures. For those considering the change, the haircut’s promise is simple: an easy, lived-in look that trades fuss for a deliberately unbothered polish.
