There's a New Shag Cut Taking Over—And Here Are Amazing Ways to Style It

By Kaitlyn Yarborough
Instagram/@salsalhair

There’s a new haircut on the block—and it turns out it’s not new at all. While the classic bob and blunt lob have seen their fair share of the attention recently, it’s the new shag that’s taking over salons everywhere. Before you lose yourself flashing back to Stevie Nicks, Jane Fonda, David Cassidy, and Mick Jagger with their choppy shag cuts, we want you to instead envision a new, more flattering shag everyone is going to be rocking this fall. This modern nod to the shag cut that reigned supreme in the 1970s is just as mussed and layer-heavy, but a little softer in approach. And it’s so flattering.

While getting a layer-packed cut like this can be intimidating once out from under the wings of a professional stylist, the new shag is approachable, softer, and not one-size-fits-all. An old-school shag cut hits traditionally between the collarbone and chest, but face shape and hair texture should dictate your most flattering length instead. The bangs are still eyebrow-grazing and longer on the sides, and oodles of layers give the midsection major volume and body (but ask for softer layers that aren’t choppy!). The best way to get started styling this look is to use a great mousse while the hair is wet to encourage texture, but apply a smoothing oil or serum once almost dry for a slightly sleeker look. We’re telling you—there are so many ways to style a modern shag that we know you’ll be feeling adventurous on your next trip to the salon.

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Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Looks:

Give this new cut a try. 

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The New Shag

Pinterest

So, the new shag is all about using softer layers to create a less choppy, more feminine cut that still maintains the shape and feel of a classic shag with bangs, waves, and plenty of layers. You can vary the length to whatever you want, and this style is a great example.

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Shaggy Bob

Getty Images/Ilya Savenok

This French-inspired bob is ultra short on the length and bangs, which gives it that choppier shag look. This style flatters oval faces better than round or heart.

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Sleeker Shag

Getty Images

We love this modern approach to the shag cut with less messiness and sleeker locks, while keeping the tousles and bangs. This is definitely wear a smoothing serum or oil comes in handy after the hair is dry.

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Shaggy Crop

Instagram/@mrdanielmartinez

We love this modern crop cut that gives the choppy layers and bangs of a shag cut, but in a slightly stacked, longer crop length. It’s easy to style, but makes a statement.

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Old School

Pinterest

This is the closest we think anyone should get to the retro shag, and it’s a pretty good resemblance with the slightest modern edge (which we might just chock up to way better hair products!).

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Cropped Top

WireImage/Steve Granitz

We’re giving a nod to an original shag expert here, especially with this particular shag style that keeps the top half of layers very short to get that volume and shape (helmut-esque!). It still works! 

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Side-Parted Shag

Pinterest/Oh Lollas

This side-parted shaggy bob with thick bangs looks classy and chic and is perfect for those that don't want to dive into a center part. The length frames the face perfectly, and the short layers give major body.

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Subdued Shag

Getty Images/Jemal Countess

If you want to give a quieter nod to this cool cut, then go for a subdued style that still emphasizes the characteristic center-part bangs and layers of the shag cut in a softer, sleeker way and with a longer length.

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Balayage Highlights

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This is definitely a more modern cut that gets its characteristics from the shag cut, such as the bangs, wavy layers, and effortless look. The balayage highlights give so much movement and definition to this style and make it ultra-trendy and fresh!

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Curly Girl Shag

Pinterest/Byrdie

We’re loving this natural curly-hair approach to a shag cut. With the layers creating major volume at the midsections of the hair, it’s giving the classic shape. Get some major curling mousse in this hair to enhance that curl! 

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Blunt Shag

Pinterest

We know the whole thing about a classic shag was its mountains of layers and choppy look, but we like the rebellious bluntness of this style that somehow still veers shag-like in shape and cut. Ask for blunt ends, rather than all the layers.

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Shag-Inspired Long Locks

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The shag is typically no longer than the just below the collarbones, but this style doesn’t sacrifice length for the layer-packed, tousled shag look. The bangs sweep away from the face, and we love the subtle highlights that add definition. 

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Fullest Bangs

Pinterest

If you’re more into blunt bangs than center-parted bangs, then go for a full bang on a shag cut to make it look a little more classic and elegant. You still get the eyebrow-grazing length bangs, but just more!

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Lob-Length

Instagram/@salsalhair

This shag-esque take on the trendy lob-length cut makes for one stylish head of hair. There are plenty of layers and body, but the bangs are a little more subdued than a traditional shag.

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