The shag haircut is back in a big way, with celebs like Miley Cyrus bringing back the iconic 70’s style.
Characterized by lots of choppy layers, a fringe, and textured ends, the modern shag is a fabulous and versatile haircut that flatters all face shapes.
The Classic Shag
The classic shag haircut features medium to long choppy layers cut throughout to create loads of movement and texture.
Layers are slightly longer in the front and cascade down the sides, often with side-swept bangs grazing the eyelashes for a flirty touch.
The back is tapered a bit shorter to create lift all over.
The key to perfecting this shag is all in the layered ends.
Ask your stylist to point cut vertical sections instead of blunt cutting, which creates softness in the ends rather than harsh lines.
Razoring the ends imparts airy texture that gets better with time.
Blowdry a classic shag with volumizing mousse and a diffuser attachment, encouraging texture to form in the layers naturally.
Define the ends by scrunching in some sea salt spray once dry. Style with a part off to one side, letting longer fringe pieces delicately frame the face.
This works well on oval, heart and long face shapes. Embrace the natural texture and movement by getting a trim every 8-10 weeks.
The Curly Shag
Maximize natural curl pattern and volume with a curly shag haircut featuring shorter layers cut throughout to encourage springs and coils.
Ask your stylist for longer pieces left at the crown to allow height on top. Layers are softened around the face and cut to various lengths in back to impart movement.
Prep damp curls with curl cream or mousse before diffusing or air drying hair, scrunching gently to boost texture. Let curls mingle and clump together naturally.
Once dry, separate any pieces stuck together and fluff curls up to the roots. Finish with hair oil to tame frizz and flyaways.
The curly shag can be worn with a side part to create asymmetry or with a middle part for a more balanced frame. This lively, bouncy shag is perfect for oval, round and heart shaped faces.
Help curls pop by removing split ends with regular trims every 8 weeks.
The Wolf Cut
Channel your inner rockstar with an edgy, shaggy wolf cut featuring short choppy layers blended with longer lengths. The sides are cropped close to the head at the ear tapered down to two to three inches at the nape.
Layers on top are cut longer, left to drape across the forehead and cheeks for a dramatic effect.
Create definition in a wolf cut by applying mousse at the roots before scrunching lengths with a diffuser on low heat.
Once dry, work some styling paste, clay or gel between palms and rake hands through the ends, lifting and twisting pieces for texture.
Let the soft spikes and waves mingle.
For evening, try smoothing and blow drying the top layers straight while letting the cropped underside texture fall naturally for ethereal appeal.
The wolf cut is perfect for heart, oval and round face shapes. Schedule regular trims every 6-8 weeks to maintain the bold choppy texture.
The Piecey Pixie Shag
Go short and sassy with a piecey pixie shag featuring shattered layers cut to mimic natural texture.
Ask your stylist for a tapered cut one to three inches in length overall, leaving pieces longer through the top and sides for dramatic asymmetry.
Lighten up the back with slicing and point cutting.
Rough dry a pixie shag with mousse using your hands for volume.
Then work a dime-sized amount of pomade, wax or clay between your palms and rake it through the ends, twisting and lifting pieces as you go. Allow the uneven layers to fall naturally.
Create a more put-together look for evenings out by blow drying the top sections smooth using a paddle brush. Let pixie layers underneath fall in an arranged mess.
This cut pairs well with diamond, oval and heart shaped faces. See your stylist every 4-6 weeks to maintain the layers.
The Bardot Shag
Channel 60’s-era Brigitte Bardot with a collarbone-grazing shag featuring retro waves and a full fringe.
Ask your stylist for sliced layers to encourage movement, shorter in the back and left longer towards the front.
Pieces artfully frame the cheeks and shoulders for feminine flair.
Add bend to a Bardot shag by applying a curl cream and scrunching lengths gently while air drying.
Define waves using a large barrel curling iron by wrapping mid-shaft sections away from the face and leaving ends unfurled. Or try braiding damp hair to dry for an undone look.
Smooth out waves for evening with the help of some styling cream and a blow dry using a paddle brush.
Part hair off to one side and sweep fringe dramatically across forehead.
This romantic shag works beautifully with oval, long, and heart shaped faces. Schedule regular trims every 8 weeks to prevent ends from dragging.
The Textured Lob Shag
Remove excess bulk from thick hair with a textured shag cut to jaw or collarbone-length.
Ask your stylist to incorporate short choppy layers throughout, keeping ends slightly longer in front.
Take out weight by point cutting vertical sections and razoring ends for airy softness.
Add volume and texture to a lob shag by applying volumizing mousse at the roots while hair is still damp. Diffuse upside down until completely dry, lifting hair at the crown.
Scrunch in salt spray or texture spray for added grit and definition. Let the shattered ends fall naturally.
Smooth out your lob shag for date night with the help of some styling cream to air or blow dry hair straight using a paddle brush. The wispy ends create beautiful movement and frame the collarbone area nicely.
This cut flatters oval, diamond, round and heart face shapes. Trim ever 8-10 weeks to retain layers.
The Angled Shag
Make a dramatic chopped statement with an angled shag haircut.
Ask your stylist to leave length long and piecey through the front, angle sides shorter to the jawline, and taper the back just short of the neck for lift all over.
Layers should be razor cut to remove bulk and weight.
Get artistic with your angled shag by playing up the shattered texture. Apply volumizing foam at the roots and diffuse layers until dry, flipping hair side to side for volume.
Once cooled, add some paste and lift pieces at the crown, twisting and pinching ends lightly to form airy spikes and waves.
Flat iron pieces smooth for date night, keeping ends soft and natural for contrast. Create a side part and sweep longer fringe pieces across the forehead to frame the eyes.
The angled shag pairs beautifully with oval, round, diamond and heart shaped faces. Schedule regular trims every 6-8 weeks to retain the angle.
The Wavy Shag
Embrace easy texture and movement with a shoulder-length wavy shag cut featuring lots of layers.
Ask your stylist to incorporate long layers through the top and sides, shortening up gradually from the nape of the neck. Point cut or razor ends to increase softness and bounce.
Enhance waves in a wavy shag by prepping damp hair with salt spray before scrunching in some curl cream. Air dry or diffuse until completely dry, encouraging texture and volume.
Once cooled, break up waves by raking fingers loosely through the ends.
Create a sleeker style by blow drying hair straight back from the face using a paddle brush. Touch up ends as needed with a flat iron to smooth any frizz.
The wavy shag is extremely versatile, suiting oval, round, heart and long face shapes equally. Help define texture by trimming every 8-10 weeks.
The Curtain Bang Shag
Add a chic finish to your shag haircut with swooping curtain bangs that frame the eyes and cheekbones.
Ask your stylist for face-framing fringe angled from the arch of one brow down to the cheek on the opposite side.
Layers in back are tapered short to allow length up front.
Prep curtain bangs by misting damp fringe pieces with a blow dry primer or serum to protect from heat. Rough dry hair using hands and a diffuser attachment.
Once dry, smooth fringe pieces using a round brush, sweeping across the forehead on an angle. Alternate direction of the part for versatile styling.
When a more polished look is desired, blow dry curtain bangs sleek and straight using a paddle brush and biasing fringe dramatically to one side.
This frame is ideal for diamond, oval and heart face shapes. Be diligent about trims every 4-6 weeks to maintain the angle of curtain bangs as they grow out.
The Short Shag
Go bold and edgy with a short shag haircut featuring layers cropped near the nape with longer lengths on top styled messily forward. The back is tapered short for lift while the sides angle slightly longer to frame the jawline.
Top layers should drape playfully over the forehead for mystery.
Work a good texturizing mousse through damp short shag layers before blow drying forward using hands and a diffuser on low speed. Scrunch in dry texture spray once cool for extra grit and body.
Finish with a light hairspray just at the roots to hold the height all day.
For evening allure, try smoothing out top layers with styling cream before gently blow drying back off the face using a paddle brush.
Create a side part and tuck one side behind the ear while allowing the other to sweep across the forehead. The short shag complements oval, heart, diamond and long face shapes beautifully.
Schedule precise trims every 4 weeks to retain cropped lengths.
The Choppy Bowl Cut Shag
Make a bold statement and showcase gorgeous facial structure with a choppy bowl cut shag featuring shattered texture. Ask your stylist to cut sides short and blunt to accentuate the jawline.
Crown layers should be slightly longer with heavily texturized ends.
Rough up texture in a choppy bowl shag by scrunching in salt spray before air drying.
For added grit, try backcombing damp pieces at the crown before drying for extra height that falls into place.
Once cool, define ends by working styling cream or wax between fingertips and hands and lightly tousling ends.
Create a sleek low-key look by applying a smoothing serum before blow drying hair straight back from the face using a paddle brush. Tuck one side behind the ear to show off gorgeous bone structure.
The choppy bowl shag pairs best with oval, heart, diamond and round face shapes. Schedule regular 4 week trims for upkeep.
The Mullet Shag
Business in the front, party in the back! Embrace the mullet trend with a modern shag take featuring shorter layers tapered at the nape with longer sleek lengths left long through the top and sides.
The contrast of textures is bold yet chic.
Add polish to the longer layers by applying a styling cream before blow drying smooth using a paddle brush. Create a deep side part and sweep sections across the forehead for mystery.
Allow textured layers in back to fall naturally without fussing.
For added cachet, curl mid-lengths of longer sections with a medium barrel iron, leaving ends straight. Backcomb short layers at the crown before tousling the ends with your fingers for an undone finish.
This mullet shag allows you to change up your style from sleek to edgy and back again. It complements oval, diamond and heart face shapes best.
See your stylist every 8 weeks to maintain the layered lengths.
Ask your stylist to incorporate short and long layers cut to remove bulk and weight for gravity-defying lift.
Razoring the ends imparts desirable piecey texture that gets better over time.
With the right products and styling techniques, embrace your inner rockstar confidence with a trendy, head-turning shag haircut in a length and shape that suits your style and face shape perfectly.
