The Modern Shag Haircut

The newest hair trend is not color but an edgy cut that looks good on both men and women. The shag cut was popular in the ‘70s. Today we encounter the rebirth of the modern shag haircut in salons every day. We spoke with National Salon Education Director, Mayra Rodriguez to get the scoop on the shag haircut and why it’s so trendy!

The ’70s Shag

In the 1970’s celebrity barber Paul McGregor created the shag haircut for Jane Fonda. At this time, Fonda was going through a liberation period where she was finding her style and voice. Fonda mentioned in her book, “Cutting my hair into a shag was the first volley in my move for independence.” The shag hairstyle was a bold statement back then and still holds it’s grip today.

The Modern Shag Haircut

One of the reasons people in salon keep asking for the shag cut is because it’s versatile for all hair types, says Rodriguez. It is one of the most wearable looks for all hair textures, lengths, and face shapes. A long version shag makes it possible for someone with long hair to achieve fullness around the crown, without compromising their length. If you opt for the long shag, you can decide to have a short wispy fringe or go for a soft variation like the “curtain fringe” that will help give you a stellar look.

For mid to short length hair, adding surface layers with a long fringe above the eyelash area transforms any “lob” into a tousled shag. If your hair is finer than most, have your stylist texturize the perimeter edge and add seamless layers throughout the crown and face to give it more of a shag feel. If your face is round, don’t fret, adding a wispy fringe will eliminate that issue any concerns.

How to Keep Up With The Shag

The best part about the shag haircut is that the day to day upkeep and styling is minimal. With products like TIGI Copyright Split In Repair Cream and Sea Salt Texture Spray, you can practically let your hair air dry and go about your day. Making this look appear effortlessly rad.

The sky is truly the limit with the shag! Check out the Megan video on our YouTube channel for a step-by step overcut haircut from the Desert Project below. For more trendy hair, check out our other blogs on our News and Media site and follow us on Instagram at @toniguyusa!