Short shags are trending as a slightly edgy variation of a short haircut. My team and I scoured Instagram and found pictures showing the best ways to get this layered cut. I’ll also help you choose one that works best for your hair type, age, and lifestyle.
I’ve cut a lot of shags for women over the years. So I’ve put together the most important things I tell my clients considering a shaggy crop. I know these will be helpful for you too!
💡 Key Things to Know First
- Pros: Shags are great if you have thick or thin hair. When done correctly, all of the texturizing and layering can make your fine hair appear thick and for thick hair to appear less bulk. Shags are a modern cut that not everyone is willing to try, resulting in more people noticing your hair.
- Cons: Many shags require more time to style and products. It’s not your wash-and-go haircut.
- Face Shape: Shorter shags compliment most face shapes. If you have a rounder face, the more you want to avoid bangs, the shorter your hair gets. If you have a narrower face, it will pair well with a textured fringe.
- Styling: One of my top tips for styling short shags is investing in a high-quality texturizing sea salt spray. It will enhance your hair’s natural texture and give you that shaggy surfer look you see all over Pinterest and Instagram.
- Ask Your Hairstylist About:
- Styling products for your hair type or desired look.
- Whether or not you’re face shape will benefit from some face-framing or bangs.
- If you should have more blunt ends for your hair type.
Before your next hair appointment, check out these photos of the best short shag haircuts and hairstyles for women!
#1: Razored Shaggy Pixie Cut for Women Over 60
A very short shaggy pixie cut is a popular short haircut for women in the 60s. This is short in length, and so it’s a low-maintenance cut that’s still stylish. This spiky pixie shag can be recreated at home with ease and minimal blow-drying.
#2: Shaggy Pixie Mullet
The shaggy pixie mullet is the ultimate edgy-chic cut, especially when paired with creative colored hair. You can use a haircut like this to help transition during a pixie grow-out or if you’ve always had a short hairdo and want to try a new shape. The advantages of a shaggy pixie are piece-y texture, wispy bangs, shorter hair on top, and longer in the back, giving you endless styling versatility.
#3: Short Shag with Tendrils
This short shaggy haircut has lots of choppy layers that result in a messy modern hairstyle. The beauty of it is that your stylist can add unique elements and various lengths, like tendrils.
#4: Shag with Bangs and Longer In the Back
One of my top styling tips for short shags is that you should work with your natural hair texture. Many women have a hair texture that falls somewhere between straight and curly. There’s no more straightforward and quick way to style your tresses than by finding a shaggy haircut and hairstyle that works with your texture rather than against it.
#5: Shaggy Haircut with Short Fringe
Choose a very textured, short shagged haircut with a short fringe that is very customizable to each woman. This short shag hairstyle is for ladies who are a little more adventurous, out-of-the-box, eclectic and do not have pin-straight hair.
How to Style a Shaggy Cut with Fringe:
– Dry with a diffuser using Aquage Sea Salt Spray for that messy, lived-in look.
– After that, use a Hot Tools Curl Bar to wand any curls you don’t like into a direction you go like.
– Finish it with Dry Texture spray from L’anza to define the texture and put in some hold.
#6: Short 70s Shag with Choppy Ends
A short shag haircut looks like this short 70’s shag with choppy ends. This tousled style can give you a fresh look! It frames the face beautifully and gives an effortless texture to the hair.
#7: Short Shag for Wavy Hair
If your waves are unruly and unforgiving, opt for a short shag for wavy hair. This low-maintenance hairdo could be the change you need this year. Apply a dab of Redken Aerate all over to give your hair this fantastic texture.
#8: Edgy Shaggy Mullet
The edgy shaggy mullet is now one of the most popular short shag hairstyles! Try this for a trendy blast from the past. This length is easy to style and requires less maintenance than a pixie cut.
#9: Short Shag for Ladies Over 40
If you’re over 40, you can also pull off a short shag. This length and style are incredibly flattering and low-maintenance. Talk to your stylist about styling tips to get these messy but cute waves.
#10: The Modified Shag
Modified short shag haircuts are making a solid comeback for their easy maintenance and relaxed style and appearance. Also known as a modern mullet, a modified shag can be a great way to test shorter layers without committing to a pixie cut. Suppose you have small facial features and want to make your face appear more prominent or proportional. In that case, a modified cut is a fantastic option because it focuses on short textured layers around the face, which enlarges face shapes and facial features.
#11: Shaggy Pixie Bob
Try rocking a shaggy pixie bob if you’re looking for something edgy, feminine, and easy to style. Make sure to ask your stylist if they think this short shag haircut will work for you before taking the plunge. Spritz your hair with Kenra Silkening Mist to get this fantastic shine after styling.
#12: The Mini Shag
If you’re looking to rock something different this year, try the mini shag. This edgy and feminine style could be the perfect trend to try before the season ends. Ask your hairstylist what products they think you should use to achieve this textured look.
#13: One-Length Shag
Try a one-length short shag haircut for a low-maintenance and trendy style. The bluntness of the ends of this hairstyle makes it unique. The length of this cut is perfect for face-framing and leaves enough length to pull up your hair.
#14: Trendy Shag for Women Over 70
Some women in their 70s with sassy personalities love this spiky short, shag hairstyle. This style is forgiving and youthful and will make you feel rejuvenated. Use a dime-sized dab of Schwarzkopf Osis Thrill and rub it all over after styling for this textured look.
#15: Short Shag for Fine Hair
Shag cuts have a lot of short, light, and wispy layering. However, a short shag for fine hair must have slightly longer layering to maintain a strong perimeter. One drawback is that too many layers or too short can make the hair appear thinner.
#16: Flattering for Grey Hair
Grey hair can often be coarse and heavy for older ladies. A flattering hairdo for grey hair is a shaggy haircut with many layers that helps keep volume present instead of weighing the hair down.
#17: The Rocker Shag
Finding a style that shows off your personality can be tricky. So try adding short choppy baby bangs to a short shag for a rocker look. This haircut is cute and edgy and shows off your unique style.
#18: Shaggy Pixie Cut
If you want an ever shorter short shag haircut, ask your hairdresser for a shaggy pixie. Adding extra texture gives height to the look, offering more volume and a flattering style.
#19: Tousled Shag
Use a texture spray after adding messy waves to your hair for a more tousled short shag hairdo. This product will lock in heat styling to last all day while adding volume. You can use clay or pomade when styling textured bangs to ensure they stay forward and in place.
#20: Pixie with Bangs
Most pixies with bangs require higher maintenance and more salon visits. These cuts always seem to grow faster in the nape of the head, causing a mullet hairstyle. Switching to a shorter mullet or shag fixes that problem by making the grown-out look seem intentional and fresh.
#21: Short Shaggy Layers
A bob shape with short shaggy layers puts a modern twist on this timeless classic style. Wispy layers add a flattering shape to the haircut and provide a youthful look.
#22: Short and Messy Shag
Short and messy shags are made complete with a heavy curtain bang. Ask your stylist to cut your fringe with a razor for a textured shape. Not only will this give you the messy hairstyle you want, but it will be less maintenance and grow out easier than a blunt cut.
#23: Ear-Length Shag
Get ready to flaunt your natural curls like never before with a shorter, ear-length shag haircut! Not only does this cropped style add extra texture to your locks, but it also helps to keep the weight off your ends. This haircut results in a more voluminous and shiny look. Embrace your curls and try this haircut for a truly beautiful and unique style.
#24: Short Shag for Round Face Shapes
Avoid heavy and blunt lines because they tend to close off the face shape instead of complimenting it. A great choice is this cut for round face shapes because the shorter layers with extra texture open the haircut and frame the face in a more flattering way.
#25: Wispy Shag
One of the more fun and youthful shags is a wispy one. I recommend styling the textured layers to flip out while keeping a solid perimeter, creating a unique silhouette.
#26: Short Bob Shag with a Side Part
If you’re looking for a modern twist on a short bob with a side part, I suggest keeping some structure in its form. A side-parted shag works great on squarer faces, as the regular full-on bangs shorten the face even more. This haircut is also perfect for those who prefer a side part. Be aware due to the side part style; you won’t want the layers too short. Allowing for lots of movement to form around the perimeter brings flow and texture to your bob.
#27: Black Shag Bob with Pink Highlights
A black bob with pink highlights can add brightness and light to your style. The short shag adds a lighter feel to the hair from the layering techniques. Your color pops even more with increased flow and movement to the hair. Try to add pink highlights to your black shag to enhance the depth, with the bright pink sitting against black tones that blend into the layers.
#28: Short Shaggy Bob with Middle Part
Short shaggy bob hairstyles can be catered to any woman’s hair texture and face shape with face-framing layers. If you are considering a short bob haircut like this, just know it’s so low-maintenance! Shagged short bobs are a wash-and-go haircut. To style, get a curl cream like Davines Love Curl Controller for wash days, and Davines Sea Salt Spray is perfect for a refresher on non-wash days to keep that fun texture.
#29: Short Dirty Blonde Shag Style
A short dirty blonde style is a textured cut, ideal for medium to semi-fine hair. This short-cut with curtain bangs will be a good look on you for a prominent forehead or receding hairline. Shorter shag haircuts help ladies with less hair get more body and volume. Hair cut short with texture can create a cute messy look.
#30: Short Shag Cut with Short Layers
This short shaggy hair style is so sassy and sporty. One of the beautiful things about a cropped shag cut is that you can get so much diversity out of this look, from sleek and straight to wavy messy, and edgy. Shaggy short haircuts benefit girls who don’t mind taking some time to get their style right every day.
#31: Neck-Length Wavy Shag with Bangs
Shag hairstyles for short hair that are a little fuller on the ends instead of carving it looks amazing. The fullness created by the wavy hair and shaggy layers pictured here gives the crown more volume, and the bangs and bits create such a flattering frame for the face. This short shag haircut is effortless to wear. It works just as well air-dried and tousled as it does blow out or curled.
#32: Chin Length Choppy Shag for Thick Hair
A chin-length choppy shag cut is a modern take on the classic shag for short hair. The best short shag haircuts for thick hair are razor-cut and textured to remove bulk and heaviness.
👉 See more chin-length hairstyles.
#33: Super Short Balayage Shag
This popular short shag is low-maintenance blonde hair. Super short shaggy haircuts are great for women with strong jawlines.
#34: Short French Crop Layered Shag
A French short shag style is relaxed with an effortless aesthetic that moves between the French girl vibe and 70s rock and roll vibe. The internal layers of this short cut and transitions give it a fresh textured shag style. Now you can wear a short shaggy hairstyle that will help you showcase your personality.
#35: Short and Chic Shaggy Lob
This picture is the cutest idea of a short shag haircut for women. A chic shaggy lob haircut is a modern twist on a retro style. An important thing to know is that shaggy short styles should have layering and de-bulking. This way, it becomes a great way to style a shaggy, short-length haircut in big, loose waves.
#36: Shaggy Long Pixie Cut
Look for a short shag haircut, like a long pixie cut, easily worn in a few different shag hair styles. Take this shaggy pixie, for example. Keep in mind that the woman pictured has relatively fine hair. If you plan to wear short shaggy styles and have thick and/or coarse hair, you may work a little harder to style your hair without it looking poofy.
#37: Shorter Shaggy Angled Bob
An angled shaggy bob on short hair is trending because it is a relatively easy hairstyle to achieve at home with little effort. This shag hairstyle with short layers works best on ladies with fine to medium hair. You will need to be ready to use some sort of product like mousse or texturizing spray to give it that shaggy hairstyle and the hold it needs.
#38: Feathered Short Chopped Shag
This photo is one of the best shag haircut ideas for a wash-and-go hairstyle that is great for women with thin hair. The short length works best for women with a heart or oval face shape. A textured bob shag on short hair that has feathered layers as opposed to sitting on top of each other makes for a versatile shag. Short shaggy hairstyles are great for women that don’t have a lot of natural texture to fight with. This is why it’s good to add shaggy layering to the cut.
#39: Short Razored Shaggy Hair
A short razored shag cut is full of texture and carved-out pieces that make it youthful and fun to wear. Layered haircuts for short hair often look undone or lived-in, so it works well for a low-maintenance woman who is not looking to shampoo and style their hair often.
#40: Modern Short A-Line Shag
A modern A-line shag haircut for short hair is still a feminine cut. This short cut is great for women with fine to medium-texture hair. It gives the appearance of a thicker, sexier and can help you pull off the shaggy trend for short hair.
#41: Short and Shaggy Undercut
A really short shaggy bob with an undercut is one of the trendiest haircuts for bold girls. Edgy short cuts are great for any woman who is shy about committing to a full short pixie bob cut. You have the shortness in the back but the safety net of some length in the front. This short hairstyle is an excellent way for thin, fine hair to appear thicker and fuller.
#42: Prettiest Jaw-Length Shaggy Cut
The prettiest jaw-length shaggy cut works well on fine textures and a heart-shaped face. Taking away any underneath bulk with an undercut and texture the ends. Shorter layers in the back crown give a lot of lift working around any cowlicks and mid-length layers around the face. Showing off the jaw creates a fun short shag haircut.
#43: Short to Medium Shaggy Asymmetrical Bob
Adding texture with an asymmetrical razor cut and a ton of layers makes for noticeable shaggy short hair. Ask your stylist to use the razor cut technique to create texture in shaggy bob haircuts and then texturize it with shears when it’s dry. Doing this will create an effortless short hairstyle with the shag feel you’re probably looking for. This shorter cut is excellent for all hair types, from straight to wavy to curly. It just depends on what hairstyle you are going for, which determines how to style it.
#44 Short Blonde Shag with Bangs for Women Over 50
A short shag haircut is perfect for older women who still have thick hair. Adding some champagne blonde balayage color is a great way to hide your naturally gray hair and add a youthful look if you go short.
#45: Cute Shaggy Cut with Curls for Short Curly Hair
Short shag haircuts are super trendy right now. This short cut is very diffused, rounded at the top, squared on the sides, and open around the face. A short curly shag can fit any woman with naturally curly hair. It can enhance natural hair texture, remove weight, or add body to your hair. It’s effortless to maintain if you’re willing to use a little product. This haircut really opens the face and looks great with fringe too. For women with strong cheekbones, you can open it up. For women with a round face, you will still look great, and you can even narrow the look of your face with a slightly longer face frame.
#46: Short Textured Shag with Side-Swept Bangs
A short textured shag with a side-swept bang is a sassy and cute style. A shag differs from a bob because the sides are shorter than the back.
#47: Cute Short Blunt Shag with Bangs
This short shag with bangs is a razored haircut with graduation along the length showing disconnected ends. The cute short blunt shag and bangs stand out with a super stripped, messy finish.
#48: Short Brown Shag Haircut with Highlights
Add some toffee highlights to dark brown hair for a fun and fresh short to medium shag. Each highlighted stand will show off all the dimensions of your new shag, and the darker hair color is sure to match any skin tone.
#49: The Cutest Short Layered Shag
Try a short shag with curtain bangs, which gives short hairstyles a vintage and punk feel. The best thing about this short haircut is that it is versatile, depending on how you style it. Waves give it a soft ‘lived-in’ look while straightening this gives an edgier vibe. If you have straight hair, the key to making a short layered shag look effortless is to create a ‘bend’ with the flat iron vs. a curl. Tousle your hair with a texture spray to finish your new short shaggy hairstyle!
#50: Short Shag With Middle-Part Curtain Bangs
A shag with middle-part curtain bangs is a perfect cut if you want to add fullness to their hair. Curtain bangs are great for framing the eyes and softening square face shapes.
#51: Modern Textured Shag with Full Curtain Fringe
A modern textured shag with a full curtain fringe is the “it” hairdo of the moment. Great for various face shapes and hair textures, you can tailor this to your needs and lifestyle. Consult your stylist about what version of this hairstyle would work for you.
#52: Colorful Shaggy Short Mullet
A mullet cut is becoming one of the more popular ways to get a shaggy haircut right now. A colorful short mullet cut that’s styled as a shag is something spunky to try. Strawberry blonde ombré tips and whispy styled ends give this cut and style a whimsical feel. Ask your color specialist which color combo is best for you.
#53: Short and Choppy Shaggy Bangs
Short and choppy shaggy bangs are a fantastic way to add texture, movement, and fullness to thin or fine hair. Shaggy bangs with choppy texture and layering perfectly complement a textured pixie cut. It also opens your face without removing from the overall face-framing effects of bangs. Choppy bangs require minimal styling time and are meant to look messy or disheveled. Like any other bangs, these will need a bit more frequent maintenance appointments.
#54: Flattering Shag for Square Face Shapes
Try a short shag for a flattering look that pairs well with square face shapes. Short shag haircuts are a perfect way to soften the harsh horizontal lines of square faces while adding roundness to balance the face shape. Use a shag to draw attention to the features you love about your face while diminishing the features you may not want as much attention brought to.
#55: Fluffy Shag
This fluffy short shag haircut is neck-long and extremely voluminous and textured. The length is slightly brushing the shoulder and fringe softly falling below the eyebrows. To achieve this shag hairstyle, use rollers to create the curls, then spray with hairspray and leave to cool down and brush out.