51 Ways to Wear The Shag Haircut for 2023 (2024)

It’s official: Shag haircuts are back—and from the looks of it, are here to stay. This once-iconic hairstyle has seen quite the fashion resurgence in recent seasons. For better or worse, designers and stylists alike have recycled this look from the ’80s in all its punk-rock glory, and have updated it to feature more wearable details, such as a softer, more luscious curl, fuller bangs, and subtler layers.

What we love about this vintage hairstyle is that you can easily give it a modern spin. You don’t really have to cut your hair into a shag to get the look; you can even try the style out on a layered lob haircut.

The shag haircut works well on all face shapes, and the styling technique is equivalent to the curly gals’ wash and go hairstyle—wash, add some product, dry, and go! These days, the perfect short shag hairstyles have the right amount of volume, lots of movement, and a nicely defined wave.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the hairstyle, how to style a shag haircut, and get inspiration for myriad ways to wear this look.

How to Style a Shag Haircut

Short, shaggy hairstyles got their name due to their relaxed, layered, textured appearance. They reached the height of their popularity during the ’60s and ’70s. This look can be easily identified by its signature short to medium length, long fringe, and choppy layers. Basically, an overall rock ‘n roll vibe.

Step 1: Use a texturizing agent.

First things first, the shag hairstyle is all about texture. After washing your hair, give ita little bit of time to naturally air-dry. This will help to cut down on styling time.

Apply TRESemmé One Step 5-in-1 Texture Mistto dampen your hair to create some natural-looking bounce and movement to your hair.

Step 2: Twist hair while it’s still damp.

Create a medium-sized twist all over your hair while your hair is still damp to help set the pattern of your waves. Bonus points for allowing this look to air dry if you have the time! If not, don’t stress it; check out the next step.

Step 3: Blow-dry your twists.

Spritz your twist with TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray to protect hair before blow-drying.

Set your blow-dryer to a low or medium setting (depending on the thickness of your hair), then blow-dry your twist until completely dry.

Step 4: Tousle your shaggy style and set with hairspray.

Why do so many women love the shag hairstyle? We are pretty sure it’s due to the wild and effortlessly fab look. To achieve this, tousle your hair with your hands until you get the messy effect that suits you.

Finish off your hairstyle with Suave Dry Texture Finishing Spray for flexible control.

51 Ways to Wear a Shag Cut

From perfectly straight hair to a curly look with bangs, there are many ways to style the shag haircut. Keep scrolling to get inspo for a look you will love.

1. The Poker Straight Shag Haircut

When we think of a classic shag, we usually picture a wavy or curly style. This stick-straight iteration is a little something different, and we love how edgy and unexpected it is. Edgy enough for all of life’s coolest events yet sleek enough for everyday wear.

2. Cropped Bob Shag

Take a bit of the edge off the classic shag by opting for a cropped variety. We love this sweet yet edgy style and how well it pairs with soft feathered bangs. The key to rocking this look is to crop it and shape it into your own personal frame.

3. Caramel Curls

Pair your natural curls with subtle highlights for a truly eye-catching look! One truly can not go wrong with this all-around versatile look and hair color. The curly shag haircut is not only perfect for all seasons but also compliments a large variety of skin tones.

4. Shaggy Cut for Wavy Hair

It’s the perfect style to try on naturally wavy hair. Don’t have natural waves? Create some movement in your shag haircut with a straightener. By using a straightener to “crimp” your hair, you can create a loose bend to movement and texture.

5. The Classic Shag

Sometimes a mess is best! This classic messy shag will help you wear this trend exactly as it was intended. Boho, chic, and effortless! This style can be dressed up or down in many ways, depending on your hair texture.

6. Blonde Ombré Shag

Looking for ways to make your shag stand out from the crowd? Try a vibrant hue like this blonde to orange ombré hue.

When sporting bright colors, make sure to keep your color protected by washing with a set like Nexxus Color Assure Shampoo and Conditioner.

7. The Shag Hairstyle on Curly Hair

Wearing a shag haircut is very flattering on curly hair because it adds extra bounce and movement to your hair. The shag is also a great hairstyle for natualistas who are big chopping their hair. Keep scrolling for more curly shag inspiration!

8. Medium-Length Shag Haircut

Shaggy hair can be worn in so many ways. It doesn’t need to be drastic, either. Try out a subtle shag style on medium hair. This style also looks great on bobs that are slightly grown out.

9. Shag Hairstyle on Natural Hair

Shag hairstyles aren’t just for one hair type. Try out the style on curly natural hair for a voluminous look. For extra volume, we recommend a braid-out on natural hair overnight for curls that scream wow.

10. Shaggy Lob

Adding a bit of shag to a trendy lob hairstyle is a great way to add more movement and interest to the look. This is a great style to wear for those with medium or shoulder-length hair.

11. Bob Shag Haircut

Go for that full-grunge look with your bob by adding shaggy layers and bangs. This is a great style to wear for anyone who wants to test out the look of a bob without fully committing to the classic look of a bob.

12. Shag Haircut with Bangs

Go for a full shag haircut by adding fringe bangs to the look. This hairstyle is the perfect look for anyone trying to achieve an edgy look in a subtle yet striking way especially when transitioning in between hairstyles.

13. Long Shag Haircut with Baby Bangs

Looking for an eclectic look? Opt for the ultimate baby bangs with your shag. This is a great way to modernize the vintage style. The perfect look for anyone who isn’t afraid to make bold statements with their hair.

14. Shag Haircut on Fine Hair

Wearing a shag haircut on fine hair can help add more body and volume through the top and mid-shaft of the hair. Cutting layers with this look is the perfect way to create the illusion of a voluminous hairstyle.

15. Shag Hairstyle with Curtain Bangs

Make the shag style 100% on-trend by adding curtain bangs to the look. What a beautiful way to frame your face and its gorgeous features while staying on trend! The layered shag haircut looks especially great during summertime with bright colors.

16. Side-Parted Shag Hairstyle

We know that curly strands love a good shag haircut – whether you have ringlets or loose curls. This style gives you an instant wash-and-go look. Talk about easy styling! The perfect look for low-maintenance fashionistas who still desire a refined look.

17. Pixie Shag for Short Hair

You read that right. Even a pixie cut can be a shag cut. If you’re a fan of short-shag hairstyles, this look is especially flattering on curly-haired ladies!

18. Mid-Length Curly Shag with Bangs

A mid-length is the perfect length to have curly hair where you’re able to show off your texture with your hair still being manageable. The layers in a shag haircut bring even more shape and body to your look, which are two qualities you want in a curly cut. It’s safe to say that shag hairstyles and curly strands go hand-in-hand.

19. ’90s Shag

Take inspiration from the ’90s with a middle-parted shag look. This shag isn’t quite as drastic as other styles, but the curtain bangs and curves in layers give the style that ’90s flair.

20. Grungy Pony

A flippy bang and lengths long enough to tie back into a careless ponytail give this interpretation a bad-girl feel.

21. Classic Shag with Curls

Blessed with curls? Ask your stylist for a softly rounded shape. Wear with a diffused middle part for more devil-may-care authenticity. Shag hairstyles work extremely well on naturally curly strands.

22. See-Through Bangs

Back in the day, we all had a pretty laid-back attitude about our bangs. Emulate this chill vibe with a loose, wavy shag haircut with a light bang hitting right at the eye.

23. Sleek Bob

On the flip side, amp up fine hair with a brow-hitting fringe and soft jaw-hugging layers at the ends. A style like this is great if you have hair on the thinner side, but still want to try out short shag haircuts.

24. Short and Flippy

Can you say trés cool? This quietly confident look features a bobbed length and shaggy layers cut throughout the silhouette for more swing and body.

25. Blown Out Shag Haircut

A straight-haired version of the see-through bang, this cut includes some beveled layering at the sides and back, with a long fringe. Style by blow-drying with a paddle brush for a smooth, non-puffy effect.

Get the perfect blowout style by prepping with . This balm is formulated to speed up the blow-dry process and leave you with silky smooth strands and lots of body.

26. Blunt Bang Shag Hairstyle

Air-drying can look really chic on a good haircut. Loosely textured layers keep the striking fringe from looking over the top. A bold fringe like this makes a statement that draws attention to your shag haircut but isn’t too out there.

27. Helmet Shag Haircut

The iconic shag shape can still work today—with a few upgrades, of course. A shorter step between layers, as well as a natural texture that can work either as a feathered or curled look, ensures you’re not veering into backwater territories.

28. Shag Haircut with Thick Waves

A true wash-and-wear look if we’ve ever seen one, this haircut is ideal for those whose routines consist of showering and not much else. The hair’s natural texture is left to shine on its own, with little other than a center part providing the sex appeal.

Curly Shag Haircuts and Styles

Maybe it’s the fact that these looks remind us of a modern femme fatale, but there’s certainly a French ingénue vibe going on here that we can’t dismiss. Curly shaggy hairstyles see the grunge in the equation and raise it to a level of insouciance.

29. Crimped Curls

This longish, precisely cut look is one that works impeccably with its texture. The diffused curls seem light and manageable, and the fringe area is understated yet unique.

30. Cherubic Shag Cut

Good girl with a past? Perhaps. There’s no way to tell, so we’re just assuming this invitingly springy, innocently sultry shag cut belongs to an equally complex individual. Tip: We’d totally wear this with winged liner and whisper-thin hoops this season.

31. Air-Dried Curly Shag

Naturally dried texture elevates a soft, medium-length shag, not to mention giving this full fringe some dimension.

Pump up the curls with some Suave Luscious Curls Curl Defining Cream. Work this product into damp or dry hair to reveal bounce and definition in your curls.

32. Moist Finish

Blow-drying with a diffuser—who on earth has time for that? Embrace the shower-fresh dampness (with a bit of mousse, of course) for a youthful, squeaky-clean feel.

33. Rougher and Rounded Shag

If you’re big on coily textures, this very ’90s version might work for you. A sea salt spray helps give your curls a matte finish, as well as provide a bit of chunkiness to the overall rounded cut.

34. Full and Imprecise Shag

This shag features an almost imperceptible transition from the bang to layer area, which is great for those with sparser curls who wish to emulate some fullness and roundness.

35. Curly Lob

We love this wearable shag that takes its cues from the long bob, particularly when paired with a sweet little bang for more interest.

Punk Shag Hairstyles

Short shag haircuts come into their unapologetic own under this category, where high-contrast, high-octane details reign supreme.The trick to keeping things still decidedly on-trend is to go full throttle with color.

Platinum and jet black get top honors in rocker-chic, especially with the fashion hardware to match, while alternative shades and chunky ombrés prove that you can merge today’s cutesy viral trends with some razor-sharp—and refreshingly directional—edge.

36. Micro Fringed

How to make today’s mullet seem like you didn’t just give up on life? Update it with a baby bang. A choppy micro fringe, together with wispy side layers, is best worn with a shorter length, textured as much as you can take it.

37. Short Shaggy Mullet

This short shaggy mullet, an indisputable early ’80s throwback, gets an A for detail: Everything from the buzzed cowlick area to the two-toned wisps is spot-on Hair Rocker uniform.

38. Wet-Look Short Shag Haircuts

Show off a true jet-black shade with a wet finish. Apply gel product in a downward motion from your crown, and mat any leftovers onto the ends, finger-styling for more shaggy separation.

39. Rounded Mullet

Not all mullets have to have a biker aesthetic. This crisper version features a clean, blown-out crown and loosely swingy ends that you can tie up or leave down as the occasion sees fit.

40. Pure Platinum

Make a statement while still keeping a more manageable silhouette with a pure white blonde. Disclaimer: A shag will have your ends on display, so go for regular trims to make sure constant bleaching doesn’t get the best of your locks.

41. Beachy Texture

Subtle crimping and a slightly damp finish give this bleached blonde shag haircut a surf-to-turf appeal.

Amp up the beachy texture with a few spritzes of Suave Dry Texture Finishing Spray.

42. Choppy Bangs

A full crown area gets broken up with some point-cutting at the fringe and temples. Points for a multi-tonal blonde shade!

43. Dual-Textured

No need for loud color to get the point across—that point being you’re clearly a rule-breaker, wearing a wet-and-dry look not many can get away with. Moistened, stringy curls are even more emphasized with a full, puffy bang.

44. Color-Block Crown

Fans of the ombré look can get behind this understatedly edgy version of the shag haircut, which features a distinct two-toned crown in natural brown hues.

Soft Shag Hairstyles

These pretty, more feminized varieties keep the shag’s inherent moxie while smoothing out its rough edges for a look that’s still within the realm of fashionably daring, without ever veering into campy territories.

Sophisticated and even somewhat uptown—that middle-parted bang, quintessential—these short, shaggy hairstyles are sleek and quietly layered, echoing the chic, jet-setting refinement of the wearer.

45. Curtained Bob

Mimic the fresh swing and bounce of a freshly washed bob by lightly blow-drying hair and splitting your fringe in two. Leave those subtle layers product-free to maintain that airy vibe.

46. Bronde Ombré

Given the right level of smudging near the break, ombré can definitely look natural on shorter lengths, just like with this shiny ash-brown version.

47. Silver Lob

A glossy silver-white blonde gives personality to a simpler shag haircut while providing fans of the granny hair trend with a sleeker color option.

48. Platinum and Curtained

This crisp, impeccably cut shag can be recreated by asking for long, cheekbone-length bangs, and layers that brush the collarbone. The pristine blonde also ups the style quotient of this hairstyle.

Give your color the occasional revival and shine boost by washing with TRESemmé Gloss Clear High Shine Deep Conditioner.This deep conditioner is perfect for giving colored strands an extra pop of shine, so put it into your wash routine when you see fit.

49. Shoulder-Length with Light Bangs

Another style with a definite air-dried quality (but on straight hair), this look utilizes the see-through fringe trend to give this playful look an easygoing charm.

50. Simple Shaggy Lob

This clean-cut version has an almost ecclesiastical, Old World bent, whilethe rumple on the bang area givesit a more modern touch.

51. Stringy and Highlighted

Uptown meets downtown in this more texturized version, which relies on a tag team of strategic lowlights and some products to provide added oomph. Finish the look by tucking the sides behind your ears, but leaving the sideburns loose.

As the shag continues to make its great comeback, now is the perfect time to choose a shag style and rock the look before it goes totally mainstream.

Just remember: the shag haircut is all about grittiness and a carefree finish, so don’t overthink styling too much; it’s a naturally cool cut!