The secret to a good shag? Meeting your match. When it comes to shag haircuts, it's worth experimenting until you find one that fits. That's why the pretty shag should be on your radar if you like the chop in principal, but prefer a softer take on all those short layers.
After all, a full-on shag cut is a baller move. It traditionally incorporates extremely choppy layers around the crown, and while it looks cool and rebellious, it's a fairly brave commitment. And, since our hair is as much a statement of our personality as the clothes we wear, they have to align. "A much more ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ girl is going to suit something different from a ‘sweet’ girl," explains Luke Hersheson, Kérastase Consultant and CEO of Hershesons salon. A shag is tougher than most standard chops so "you’ve got to have the confidence to wear this look," he explains. "As a hairdresser, it's about who you decide to put that on. If you put the style on the wrong person, it just doesn’t work."
The thing is, speaking from the “sweet girl” camp, I want in on the action (but only a little bit). Where a couple of years ago, I was on the fence about shag haircuts, I'm leaning into the shaggy vibe much more these days. Maybe it's all the incredible inspo being served up by the likes of LA stylist Sal Sal and cool-girls models Mica Arganaz and Suki Waterhouse; or maybe it's all that phwoar volume.
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Luke's right, though. As smokin' as a "full-on shag" may look on some, it's not for everyone. "Someone who likes a more traditional look is a different tribe," says Luke. But that doesn't mean you can't adapt the elements of a cut that you like – the volume, the breeziness, the attitude – and combine it with your own style.
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That's where the "pretty shag" comes in, it combines the rebellious spirit of a shag but the structure is more laid-back, with a beachier texture. "The key thing that makes a shag a shag is layers around the front, the sides and the crown to get that volume towards the roots," says Luke. "The shorter those layers are, the more extreme the look is. The longer they are, the less extreme it is," he adds. "So if you want to adapt it to make it feel softer, keep the layers a little longer." It's a balancing act though. "If you don’t go short enough, it won’t feel like a shag, but going in with less layers and making them slightly less drastic will still give you that rock ‘n roll vibe," says Luke.
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The same rule goes for your fringe, too. The shorter it is, the tougher it will feel, so play around with the balance. "You could mix the two and do a shorter fringe, with longer layers," says Luke, or vice versa.
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And, if you're still not ready for the chop, clever styling can help give the illusion of layers and create that signature rounded shape around the crown. The trick is to create a bend in your hair high-up where a choppy layer should fall.
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My advice? Baby steps. Go for a version of the shag with longer layers, then step it up by going gradually shorter each time you go back to the salon.
Read more stories about hair trends:
- The Scandi bob is taking over Instagram because it requires basically no styling
- Megan Fox just brought back this controversial millennial hairstyle
- Fenty Hair is going to be bigger and better than we originally thought – here's what we know so far...
For more from GLAMOUR's Beauty Editor, Elle Turner follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk.
