Hime cut

Where the hime cut comes from

The blocky sidelocks trace back to a Heian-period court custom called binsogi, a coming-of-age ritual in which the hair at the sides of the face was trimmed shorter than the rest. Combined with very long straight hair, it became a mark of aristocratic women. Chinese fandom files the look under 黑长直, long straight black hair, an archetype of graceful, composed beauty.

In modern character design the hime cut signals poise, old-fashioned manners or a wealthy, sheltered background. Because the look is so controlled, it is also used for quiet, mysterious characters, and the contrast between a neat hime cut and a dark personality is a well-worn trope.

Variations of the hime cut

• Classic: black hair to the waist, eyebrow-length bangs, sidelocks level with the jaw.
• Short sidelocks: sidelocks stop at the cheekbone for a crisper, more graphic frame.
• Hime bob: the back is cut to shoulder length while the bangs and sidelocks stay blunt.
• Layered or wolf hime: shaggy layers at the back with blunt front pieces, a popular modern salon version.
• Coloured hime cut: the same geometry in pastel or two-tone hair, often seen in alternative fashion.

How to draw a hime cut

Think in three blocks. The bangs are one horizontal edge across the forehead, the sidelocks are two vertical panels in front of the ears, and the back is a long curtain that falls behind the shoulders.

Keep every cut edge straight and the hair itself sleek, with long uninterrupted strand lines and one or two clean highlight bands. Put the sidelocks slightly in front of the ears so they overlap the cheeks; drawing them behind the ears loses the effect.

In motion, the long back sways as a single sheet while the short sidelocks barely move. That difference in weight helps the cut look intentional rather than messy.

Wearing and photographing it

The cut depends on straight, smooth hair, so flat-ironing and a little shine product make the edges read. Cosplayers usually buy a long straight wig and trim the bangs and sidelocks themselves, cutting a little at a time with the wig on a head form.

Straight-on and three-quarter angles show the frame best. A still, upright pose with hands folded or holding a fan suits the look, and a side profile shows off the step between sidelock and back length.