The Chop: our most dramatic hair transformation yet

Image: Supplied.

If you’ve had long hair for years, this story could convince you to go under the scissors.

Jess Haggie, who juggles her Sydney-based modelling work with a casual job at home on the Sunshine Coast, has been growing her hair long since 2010 – when she had a short, dark style that turned out to be “a bit of a disaster”.

With the encouragement of her modelling agency, Jess decided she needed a new look that would make her stand out – and that’s exactly what she got. Renowned Sydney stylist Renya Xydis worked her magic, transforming Jess’ long, long hair into a short, chic bob not unlike the one Uma Thurman wore in Pulp Fiction. And it only took an hour.

Jess

What made you decide to make a big change?

“My hair can get extremely unruly, so I’ve never really wanted to do much with it that would draw attention, until I started seeing photos of these awesome cuts and found myself thinking, ‘hey, I could totally do that!’.”

What sorts of things were you looking at to get inspiration for your hair transformation? I’m a massive fan of Pinterest, so any time I was some aesthetic inspiration it’s usually my go-to.

What reference photo did you take to the hairdresser?

“There is a photo that I have always loved of Alexa Chung with her long shabby bob. I wasn’t not sure if it would work on me but hey, it’s worth a try!”

How did you describe what you wanted to the hair dresser?

“It was a collaboration between Renya, my agent (Priscillas), and myself, so we all got a bit of an input as to what the end product would be.”

Renya

What is it about this new style that’s exciting for you?

“I gave Jess a completely new hair style. The fringe and length of her hair suits her so well – she is really happy with the result!”

What sort of inspiration did you have in mind while you were doing Jess’ hair?

“My inspiration stemmed from Karlie Kloss, as she has a similar face shape to Jess. I looked at the texture of Jess’s hair and adapted the cut to suit her. She has a natural wave so I didn’t want to cut it too short – I didn’t want her to worry about styling too much.”

What did the transformation involve (eg: layering, a full head of foils)

“I first put Jess’ hair in a ponytail and chopped it straight off. Then I started to layer her hair and cut in a straight line, creating a defined short hair style.”

How many inches of hair did you cut off?

“About 5-6 inches.”

Have you ever had a major haircut? We’d love to hear about it!

For more stunning hair transformations, check out the rest of our The Chop series:

Bye bye, balayage

From Rapunzel to Rose Byrne

“I cut 35cms of my hair off – here’s what happened”

The change-my-look haircut for girls who are growing their hair

Diary of a Chop: Mia Freedman

Diary of a Chop: Paula Joye