Layered Shag

A layered shag is a playful alternative to a traditional medium length hair style. Shags offer a variety of styling options and work great to add body and volume to fine, lifeless hair.

Opt for Meg Ryan's classic shag.

Made popular first with the 1970s shag hairstyle, layered looks have been reborn, with credit to celebrity stylist Sally Hershberger who implemented a varied shag style on actress Meg Ryan in the early 1990s. The layered, textured shag cut is a purposely "messy" style that works great on both men and women. If you want that perfect bed head, unkempt look that helps define the emo, punk, and Indie pop cultures, you may consider a layered cut to help accent your style.

There are various shag layered haircuts, but the most popular cuts are really just medium length styles with haphazard cuts and razor definition made within the interior.

• Layered Bob: A bob can go from traditional to artistic with the addition of a few well placed shaggy layers. If you have thick hair, adding layers to the interior will help control volume and remove weight. This cut is a great alternative for women who wish to keep their hair short, while adding some swing and interest to their style. A layered bob can be blown straight or left to air dry and tousle with texturizing pomades and waxes.
• Long and Shaggy: Some women love the look of a shag, but don’t want to part with their lovely long locks. If you want the best of both worlds, why not opt for a long and shaggy layered shag? Long layers can be snipped into your style to create lift and the coveted "messy" look. For an extreme variation, consider adding a short, edgy bang to your look. This style works best on women with full, thick hair, preferably with a bit of wave. You can modify and dress up your shag by setting hair in hot rollers or opting for sleek, straightened locks.
• Boy Meets Girl: Whether you're a guy wanting that perfect surfer or rocker look, or a gal who wants to go for the Indie look, a short, shaggy style is sure to add plenty of styling options while creating endless versatility. For this short, boy meets girl style, men should grow hair out and women should be ready to make a severe chop. Your stylist can chop in varied chunks of layers that can be worn forward and tousled, or spiked up and defined with pomade. This cut can be customized to your preferred length, but should be no longer than 3-4 inches for the best styling versatility. To add a punk charm to this style, consider adding fashion hair color, either allover or in a unique chunking pattern.
• Medium Shag: The medium shag style is the epitome of chic for women who want that playful, layered look that Meg Ryan made famous. This style works best on hair with natural wave patterns. If you struggle with keeping your unruly hair in place, a messy and short Meg Ryan hair style may be your saving grace. This style is feminine yet spunky and can be worn in a variety of styles, from messy and bed head to sleek and neat. Perfect for the city gal who wants a professional yet urban look, the medium layered shag cut is now considered a classic, timeless style.

While opting for a shag can be liberating if you crave a style change, consider the disadvantages of this look too prior to making the cut. Women who tend to opt for feminine styles may feel out of place with an edgy, linear cut. Men with longer hair may find the added weight of a longer style is too hot to wear comfortably. If you've worked hard to grow out your bangs, adding razored and chopped lines into your cut may make styling a bit harder at first.

While the bed head, layered shags appear easy to style, the cuts themselves require effort to look that way. You'll need to style hair daily, yet only shampoo several times per week rather than everyday to get that textured, disheveled look. Be sure to consult with your stylist prior to making the change to find out whether or not a layered style works with your hair type and lifestyle.

With many style options and lengths to choose from, a layered shag can be a great look for nearly any lifestyle or personality. Add some movement and edge to your locks today with shaggy layers!

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