What Is a Karen Haircut & Where Did It Come From?

Identifying a Karen Haircut

There are 3 main styles that are called “Karen haircuts.” The original Karen haircut is very distinctive with short spiky hair in the back and long, straight bangs that are pushed to the side. However, both longer and shorter styles are now considered Karen haircuts. While some people identify almost any shorter women’s hairstyle as a Karen cut, these styles are usually shorter and possibly spiky in the back and longer in the front. The Classic Karen is a choppy inverted bob that has long side-swept bangs and chunky highlights. The back is very short and styled with spikes that stick up. The Long Karen is a lob that’s shorter in the front and longer in the back with heavy teasing at the crown to make it look extremely puffy and oversized. The Short Karen is a platinum blond textured pixie cut most famously worn by Ellen Degeneres.

Karen Haircut Origins

The Classic Karen haircut is usually associated with Kate Gosselin. Star of the reality TV show John & Kate + 8, Kate Gosselin popularized the Classic Karen haircut when she got it in 2009. At the time, it was so popular that people called it “The Gosselin.” Many viewers of the show perceived Gosselin’s personality as demanding or challenging, which may have contributed to her hair being connected to the Karen stereotype. The Karen haircut is also called a tellum or reverse mullet because the hair is long in the front and short in the back, which is the opposite of a traditional mullet.

Karen vs. Other “Mom” Hairstyles

There’s an overlap between the Karen and other “Mom” hairstyles. Pixies, bobs, and lobs are often associated with both Karen and “Mom” hair. The Karen is actually a subset of “Mom” hair. Typically, a “Mom” hairstyle is one you get after giving birth because it’s thought that shorter hair is easier to manage while caring for children. Some define a “Mom” haircut as a bob that’s longer in the back and slightly shorter in the front. The longer back is often flipped out into while the top is smooth and full. It’s even been made fun of in a Saturday Night Live sketch called “Baby Shower.”

Alternatives to the Karen Haircut

Choose a bob, lob, or pixie cut with soft layers and natural highlights. It might seem like any style that isn’t long is getting labeled as a Karen hairstyle, but there are many women wearing stylish bobs, lobs, and pixie cuts that aren’t as spiky or brassy as the Karen style. However, if you really like a style that some refer to as a Karen cut, that’s perfectly all right! Many feel the Karen hairstyle is more about attitude than a specific style. Here are a few examples of non-Karen haircuts to consider if you would still rather avoid the look: French Bob: Instead of the overly layered and spiky look of the Classic Karen haircut, try the casual, slightly messy French bob. The cheekbone-length style is blunt at the ends instead of inverted and is often worn with messy, undone bangs. Italian Bob: The Italian bob is a little more “done up” than the French bob, but instead of Karen-like layers and spikes, it features soft curls and voluminous waves. The ends are blunt-cut at chin length with a slight inward curl to frame your face. Shaggy Lob: The shaggy lob lacks the longer front, teased-up crown, and inverted style of the Karen lob. Intead, it features texturized layers that are easy to style and maintain. It’s worn parted in the middle with short, center-parted bangs. Lob with Curtain Bangs: A lob with curtain bangs features a middle part, face-framing curtain bangs, and a breezy wash-and-go look that is the opposite of the teased-and-sprayed look of the Karen cut. This cut features light layering for movement and bangs that are cut to emphasize your eyes and cheekbones. Smooth, Rounded Pixie: Instead of the platinum blond ultra-textured look of the short Karen cut, try a classic pixie inspired by Audrey Hepburn. It’s softer and more rounded with short bangs that are gently swept to the side in a light fringe. Curly Pixie:Embrace your hair’s natural texture instead of forcing it into a straighter texture. Curls or waves bring a more romantic and sophisticated look to the pixie cut. The softer texture gives you a softer appearance that says, “I’m fun and friendly!” instead of “I’d like to speak to your manager.”

“Can I Speak to the Manager” Meme

The “Can I Speak to the Manager” meme started in 2014. The Facebook user Crush Rush posted a side picture of a woman with an inverted bob hairstyle that was captioned, “The ‘Can I Speak to a Manager’ Haircut”. Later that year, the image was uploaded by Redditor johnnylogic to the /r/funny Reddit forum where it gained 3,100 points and 370 comments before being archived. After that, the image spread to other Reddit forums, Twitter, and Facebook.

What is a Karen?

“Karen” is slang for entitled white women who act overly demanding. She’s viewed as the type of person who often demands to speak to the manager to belittle people who work in the service industry. She has also become associated with the anti-vaccination movement and making racist micro-aggressions. Stereotypical Karens are also seen as weaponizing their privilege against people of color by making police complaints in response to minor or fake infractions. Karen is the most recent name used by Black men and women to refer to privileged white women who weaponize their privilege. During the Jim Crow Era of the late 1800s through the 1960s, Black people used “Miss Ann.” By the 1990s, “Becky” took the place of “Miss Ann.” If someone calls you a Karen, the best reaction is to stay calm and think about your behavior. Be aware of your privilege and practice empathy towards others.