Pixie cuts & short hair, shaped with precision.
Sassoon-trained short cutting in Downtown Gainesville — pixies, bobs, bixies, and shags built for your features and your mornings, not just for the photo you brought in.
4.5 on Google · 110 reviews · family-run since 2002
Short hair shows everything
On long hair, a wobbly line disappears into the lengths. On a pixie or a short bob there's nowhere to hide — every line, every angle, and every growth pattern shows. That's why short hair is where training matters most.
Michele Anzivino learned precision cutting at London's Sassoon Academy under Filippo Russo and later trained with Toni&Guy in New York — the two schools that defined modern short cutting. He has spent over 30 years putting that structure into pixies, bobs, and everything between.
A precision haircut is cut to hold its shape as it grows, which is what makes short hair genuinely low-maintenance: it dries into place, wash-and-wear, without a fight at the mirror every morning.
Find your short shape
The pixie
Cropped, confident, and quicker to style than anything else you've worn. From a very short classic pixie to a long pixie cut with a soft fringe — and curly pixies, cut for the curl.
The bob
Chin-length and precise, the shape that made Sassoon famous. A blunt French bob, a tucked-under Italian bob, or a classic one-length bob with clean lines that do the styling for you.
The bixie
Between bob and pixie — shorter and more layered than a bob, softer than a crop. The most forgiving first step into short hair, and it grows out gracefully if you change your mind.
The shag
Layered, lived-in, and low-effort. A short shag brings movement and volume to fine or thin hair, and suits guests who want wash-and-wear texture over polish.
Thinking about the big chop?
Most guests sit in the chair with years of length and one question: will it suit me? This guest went from past-the-shoulders to a soft short bob in a single appointment — and her ponytails went to hair donation.
What happens at your appointment?
The consultation
We look at your face shape, your hair's density and growth patterns, and — honestly — how many minutes you'll give it in the morning. Then we agree on a shape and a price before anything begins.
The cut
Precision sectioning and clean lines, the Sassoon way, checked against how your hair actually falls. Cowlicks and crowns are worked with, not fought.
The finish
A blowdry finish, a product recommendation only if you need one, and a realistic trim schedule so the shape stays sharp between visits.
The Hybrid Cut, invented here
The Hybrid Cut is a haircut technique created by Michele Anzivino at Ciao Bella Salon in Gainesville, Florida. It combines dry cutting and wet cutting in one appointment: the hair is dry cut first to take the weight out, then shampooed, shaped wet, styled, and texturized one final time on the finished style.
Taking the weight out dry means every decision is made on hair that falls the way it does in real life — no water flattening the truth out of it. And because the last texturizing pass happens on the styled result, the shape you leave with is the shape that was refined, not a guess made at the shampoo bowl.
Michele reaches for the Hybrid Cut on restyles, pixies and short cuts, and hair that needs texture — and after every regular haircut, he checks the dry, styled result the same way. It's a method he developed himself across 30 years of Sassoon-trained precision cutting.
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Cut dry
Dry cut
The weight comes out first, while your hair is dry — so the shape is decided on hair behaving the way it really does.
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Reset & shape wet
Shampoo
A proper shampoo and condition at the basin — the reset between the two halves of the cut.
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Shape
The cut is shaped wet with precision sectioning, the Sassoon way — structure built to grow out well.
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Finish dry
Style
A full blowdry and style, finished exactly how you'll wear it out the door.
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Texturize
One final texturizing pass over the styled hair, refining the finished shape — the step that makes it a Hybrid Cut.
Short cuts from Michele's chair
Short haircut pricing
Starting prices, updated July 2026. Your exact quote comes with your consultation.
4.5 on Google · 110 reviews · cutting short hair since 2002
Free, no-obligation consultation — we agree on the shape and price before anything begins. See how new-guest visits work →
Short hair questions, answered
What is the Hybrid Cut?
The Hybrid Cut is a haircut technique created by Michele Anzivino at Ciao Bella Salon in Gainesville, Florida. The hair is dry cut first to take the weight out, then shampooed, shaped wet, styled, and texturized one final time on the finished style. It's a cutting method, not a trending style — no relation to “hybrid” looks like the wolf cut — and any pixie, bob, or restyle can be cut this way. Read how it works.
What makes a haircut a precision cut?
A precision cut is built on exact sectioning and cutting lines, so the shape holds its structure as it grows instead of collapsing after two weeks. It's the technique the Sassoon Academy is famous for. Michele Anzivino trained at Sassoon in London and with Toni&Guy in New York, and has cut short hair this way for over 30 years.
Will a pixie cut suit my face?
Most people can wear a pixie — the shape just has to be adapted to you. In your consultation we look at your face shape, your hair's growth patterns and cowlicks, and how much styling you'll actually do, then adjust the length, fringe, and weight to flatter your features. That's the part a photo from the internet can't do. Book a consultation.
What is a bixie haircut?
A bixie sits between a bob and a pixie: shorter and more layered than a bob, softer and less cropped than a pixie. It's a forgiving first step into short hair, and it grows out gracefully into a bob if you change your mind.
I want a low-maintenance, wash-and-wear cut. Is short hair right for me?
That's exactly what a well-cut short shape is for. When the structure is cut correctly, a pixie or short bob dries into place with minimal styling — a true wash-and-wear haircut. Tell us how many minutes you'll give your hair in the morning and we'll build the cut around that, not the other way round.
How often does a pixie cut need a trim?
Every four to six weeks keeps a pixie crisp; a bob or bixie can stretch to six to eight. A bang trim between visits is $15 and takes a few minutes.
Can I get a pixie cut with curly hair?
Yes — curly pixies are beautiful when they're cut for the curl. Our stylists are DevaCurl certified, so a curly pixie is shaped curl by curl to control volume and keep definition. See our curly hair page for how those appointments work.
How much does a short haircut cost in Gainesville?
At Ciao Bella, a women's precision haircut with blowdry starts at $55, and a bang trim between visits is $15. Your stylist confirms your exact quote at your consultation before starting. Book an appointment.
What's the best way to grow out a pixie cut?
With a plan, not patience alone. We shape the grow-out in stages — pixie to bixie to bob — so you're never stuck in a shapeless in-between. Regular small trims keep the neckline and sides tidy while the top catches up.
Does short hair work on fine or thin hair?
Short cuts are usually the most flattering choice for fine hair. Taking out length removes the weight that pulls fine hair flat, and a precision bob or pixie creates the appearance of density with clean, blunt lines. A gloss adds shine and body on top.
Ready to go short, properly?
Book online in a few minutes, or call and we'll get you scheduled.
4.5 on Google · 110 reviews · family-run since 2002