Zara Tindall's golden pixie cut from 2001 is the super short style we want her to bring back in 2024

Zara Tindall’s golden pixie cut from 2001 is a fashion-forward hairstyle we can’t help hoping she’ll bring back this year.

Short bob hairstyles couldn’t be more on-trend for 2024, but shorter hair looks in general have always been popular with many people and if you’re looking for a bit of royal inspiration look no further than Zara Tindall. The King’s niece is perhaps best known for her light blonde bob in recent years, though she hasn’t been afraid to switch things up in the past. The pixie haircut is a glamorous short hairstyle that Zara has favoured before in the early 2000s. This super cut hairstyle is one she had in August 2001 and she styled it beautifully when she attended her late great-grandmother the Queen Mother’s 101st birthday party.

She stepped out in London wearing a fabulous lilac longline blazer over a matching skirt with a pair of contrasting black heels. The royal added some extra glamour with a single grey pearl earring in each ear that echoed the darker hue of her shoes, as well as a grey and cream pearl choker. Zara’s blonde pixie cut was a warm golden hue that was perfect for summer with a blend of highlights and subtle lowlights.

She went for an imprecise side-parting - one of the biggest 2024 hair trends - which looked beautiful and casual at the same time. The slight texture to her straight pixie cut, with longer layered on top swept back behind her ears gave it a more relaxed feel that was a lovely way to balance the formality of her outfit.

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Side-swept hair is something that Edward James, Celebrity Hairstylist and Co-Founder of The Hair Consult previously told womanandhome.com is very “timeless”.

"I am seeing more clients embracing the side-swept parting and it's easy to see why. This timeless look has been popping up everywhere, from Instagram feeds to the red carpet, and it's being rocked by some of the most stylish celebs around,” James said, before going on to explain how much it suits all hair lengths, including a pixie cut like Zara’s.

The hair expert added, "The side-sweep is such a great universal style as it literally suits all hair lengths and is flattering on all hair textures. It works on shorter pixie cuts for a more dramatic look, which looks great when wet styled or when some texture spray is added.”

Zara Tindall’s golden pixie cut certainly had some lovely texture to it in 2001 and this was something also seen a month before the Queen Mother’s birthday. The 20-year-old royal took part in a polo match in aid of the charity, Inspire. Practicality was likely key for her and her pixie cut meant that she didn’t have to worry about securing her hair up under her helmet. 

Opting for a fuss-free approach, Zara was pictured with the longer sections of her hair tucked behind her ears as she prepared for the match. In the early 2000s she showcased how this super short hairstyle was not only easy to style in a chic and elegant way for special occasions, but also looked great day-to-day.

We can’t help hoping Zara’s pixie cut might be brought back at some point - especially with shorter hairstyles being particularly on trend right now. She certainly seems to prefer shorter cuts to longer ones but has remained loyal to her blonde bob look for many years, often highlighting gorgeous ways to create an up-do with short hair when she wears hats for formal occasions like Royal Ascot.