The Secret to a Red Carpet-Ready Pixie Cut, Courtesy of Zoë Kravitz’s Hairstylist

The pixie cut continued its reign as hairstyle of the moment on Sunday night at the 2017 Emmy Awards, thanks to Zoë Kravitz who paired her short, feathered hairstyle with a fantastic Dior dress. The Big Little Lies star was one of the best looks of the night.

So, what’s the secret to a flawless pixie? Hairstylist Nikki Nelms, who works with stars like Janelle Monáe, Beyoncé, and Kravitz, explains that it all starts with a great cut. “No matter how the wind blows, the texture is there because you already started with a really textured cut,” she says. Here, Nelms talks about the trend, and offers her best tips and tricks on styling a pixie cut for a night out.

Pixies seem to be taking over the red carpet again, why do you think that is?

Hair, to me, is no different than clothes and fashion – there’s nothing new under the sun. Sometimes it’s all about who the style is on and who we are bringing this style back on. Are they hot enough to make the world notice it again and want to recreate it? And is it customized to them or does it look like they are imitating something that came before them? I think with my clients who wear pixies like Zoë Kravitz and Janelle Monáe, they are so pretty and so cute, so it definitely draws attention to the pixie, which definitely makes my job a lot easier.

What are your favorite ways to style a pixie?

I love to style a pixie with my hands instead of using a comb. It helps add a more personalized level of texture to the look.

From where and whom do you pull inspiration from?

I pull my inspiration from my clients’ personal style. There’s so many different ways to do pixies. Some clients have more of a sweet personality, image or style. Others are a little more edgy.

What is your go-to look?

My go-to look is usually the “junky look” – that’s what I like to call it. When in doubt, mess it up. If there is an error and something happens to the hair or I’m not able to be on the carpet, or I’m not able to be in a particular shot for a touch up, it’s okay. If it messes up, then no one will notice because it already started with so much texture, so much junkiness and so much messiness, but in a very stylized way.

How do you add texture into short hair?

My favorite way to add texture is through the cut. You won’t have to fake it because it’s already there. No matter how the wind blows, the texture is there because you already started with a really textured cut.

What are your go-to products for styling?

My go-to products have always been products that are interchangeable. I don’t like to have the most massive kit with everything in it. I like to have items in my kit that are multi-purpose and can be used in different ways. Right now my favorite go-to product is Dove Style + Care Curls Defining Mousse ($5, ulta.com) because it acts as a shine on dry hair but still works to define curls.

Does it differ by length, color or texture?

The product that I choose to use does sometimes depend on the color, length, etc, but not as much as the style that I’m trying to achieve.

When styling for a red carpet, how do you approach short hair as opposed to long hair? Are there challenges working with short hair?

Sometimes I’m a little more attentive to short hair. I pay more attention to the face frame and face shape because with short styles, you really don’t have much length to work with. Any little imperfection can be more visible because the focal point is the hair and you don’t have as many distractions with length and volume as you would with longer hair, so you could say I’m a lot more meticulous.

Watch: 10 Famous Actresses Who Drastically Cut Their Hair Short For Movie Roles