How To: Create 3 Shag-Inspired Haircuts

Shag cuts have come roaring back from the 70s with a vengeance, topping the hair trend charts for editorial, runway, and red carpet.

“Shags are timeless yet constantly evolving,” says Teresa Romero, the Creative Director for Sam Villa. “Whether you call them shags, shixies, or shullets, they feature strategically placed, playful layers that complement the head shape and facial features, as well as add volume, movement, and texture.”  

Here are step-by-steps to create three of today’s hottest shag-inspired looks, broken down by Sam Villa educators.

CLASSIC SHAG

Cut with shorter layers and a bold fringe to build volume around the face, the shag is worn either straight or curly, but always organically undone.

Cut by Teresa Romero:

Step by Step

1. Make a horseshoe section at the round of the head to separate the top from the sides and back. Follow with a vertical section behind the ears to separate the sides from the back.
2. In the crown, elevate a horizontal section straight up and cut the desired length. Continue with horizontal sections in the back and blend all remaining hair to the guideline established in the crown.
3. Comb hair into natural fall. Place a razor horizontally on the surface of the hair just below the occipital bone and gently skim away the bulk.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on the sides.
5. Section out the fringe area. First section, cut a blunt line to desired length. Remaining sections, alternate cutting with a razor and point-cutting to established fringe length. This creates shifting texture that sits on top of a solid foundation.
6. For the top, create texture and free-floating movement by elevating hair straight up and slide-cutting deep “V” shape slices into the hair.
7. Freehand point-cut to remove any unwanted additional length. 

SHIXIE

The shixie combines the precision of a pixie with the looseness of a shag.

Cut by Adrian Sandoval:

Step by Step

1. Sides: Starting behind the ear, take diagonal forward sections. Pull hair straight out and cut while maintaining finger angle parallel to head shape. Cross-check using diagonal back section and same method. Always take time to visually assess for balance and symmetry while working on each side to side.
2. Back: Using original guide from behind the ear, take vertical sections and overdirect to guide cutline and cut square. Take vertical section center back and cut square. Continue taking vertical sections, overdirecting to center back cut following the original guide.
3. Top: Using center back guide, cut center profile at 90° following the round of the head. Cut the remainder of top by overdirecting straight up and cut square, using center profile guide. Detail fringe.

SHULLET

A mullet/ shag hybrid, it has elements of a shag, yet is disconnected and slightly softer than a mullet.

Cut by Sami Skinner:

Step by Step

1. Decipher length of the overall cut, as well as how short the top, bangs and the face-framing layers should be. The length is right at collarbone, disconnected from the top, and the bangs and face-framing is around the eyebrow to the jaw.
2. Section out top horseshoe section at the parietal ridge from the bottom. This unveils the face frame. Section that away from top and bottom for a total of three sections.
3. Using a razor, start in the bang area cutting length at the eyebrow. Trace face into the cheekbone, adding short textured layers around ears to connect the length to underneath.
4. Use that as a guide for the length and disconnection underneath. Take vertical sections under the parietal ridge and overdirect the first section by the ear forward to the face frame to connect layers and length. Use that as a traveling guide to the middle of the back of the head.  
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. There should now be a face frame, collarbone length and flippy layers disconnecting from the length up top.  Split the top into two sections from ear to ear for a half-moon at the crown with everything else falling behind the bang.
7. Use a radial pie section through the crown and the shortest layer from underneath as a guide to cut upwards to allow the crown to fall over the back, accenting the shape of the head. Continue until the crown is falling over the back of the head creating an “S” shape with the silhouette.
8. Overdirect the section up in front of the ears to the bangs, and use the face frame as a guide while pulling those sections horizontally forward.
9. Dry with a diffuser for an air-dried look. Once dry, use shears to add texture and blend any obvious leftover pieces created from disconnections.