The shag hairstyle was born in the 1960s, but celebrities like Mick Jagger and Jane Fonda made it famous in the 1970s. The edgy cut became a symbol for style icons to wear through the 1970s and ’80s, and the look is popular even today. The shag style has evolved for today’s fashionistas, and now is a great time to give this fringed, sexy look a try.
Must-Have
Today’s shag style is a lot softer and a whole lot fuller than the fringed looks of earlier decades. When shag first became popular, the layers in their hair would start close to the root and go down from there. Some shag styles even had the lower layer of hair grow long past their shoulders. From the super-short to the medium-long, shag is in, but those layers are a whole lot longer.
Main Features
Want to get a shag ‘do of your own? Talk to your stylist about how to best use this look to complement your natural beauty. In order to properly wear a shag, you’ll want a fringe of bangs or long wispy bangs, and lots of layers and framing around your face. You can wear the look really short or a little bit longer. If you’re not sure about the length, have your stylist pause during the cut so you can work out the right length together. You may decide to go a little shorter once you get a look at yourself rocking this versatile cut.
How to Style a Shag
One of the best features of the shag haircut is that it’s super easy to style. Use a blow dryer to add a little bit of lift, and apply mousse to the roots of your hair to add volume to your layers and bounce to your hair. If your hair is naturally curly, straighten just the ends to give it that edgy look. If your hair is naturally straight, give it a little bounce by waving it with a curling wand and avoiding the ends of your hair. This look is meant to be a little bit messy, so you don’t need to focus on making it smooth and perfect. The shag style is easy to maintain if you get regular layering haircuts. Once your layers start to grow out, styling the look gets more difficult.
Play with Parts
You can wear a shag with any style of part you want, from a deep side part to one that goes straight down the middle. Bang placement is also optional. Wear them as a blunt fringe across the forehead, or go for a sweeping style that crosses your forehead in a diagonal direction.
Add Highs and Lows
Make the most out of your shag by adding highlights and lowlights to your hair. This will create lots of color and give your hair the appearance of texture, depth and fullness.
Dress It Up
Need to be a little bit extra? You can always dress up a shag hairstyle with hair jewelry, like pins and clips. Pin back a little section here or there, and you’ve got a quick, elegant look. Add a little braid and pin it in place to add some extra texture.
Get Glamorous
Try wearing a chic shag hairstyle this year, and get the glamorous, easy beauty look. Let your inner Jane Fonda loose with a shag cut, and try this quick-to-style, low-maintenance ‘do to see how great the trend looks on you.