A kitchen cut gone viral—that's what hairstylist Chris McMillan jokingly said when asked about one of his recent celebrity transformations. Nina Dobrev, known for her roles on "The Vampire Diaries" and "Degrassi" stole hairdresser hearts earlier this week when her simple, yet incredibly flattering shag cut went Instagram viral, and McMillan was the man behind the magic.
Nina Dobrev with celebrity stylist Chris McMillan
Dobrev proved she can rock just about any hairstyle when she went from long, glamorous waves to a blunt bob with fringe early last year. And, until last week, she's worn the heck out of that bob. But, as everyone knows, no one is satisfied with the same cut for too long, and the in-between phase after a dramatic chop is almost comparable to a braces phase, or a whole slew of awkward middle school years jammed into a few months.
That's where the shag came in, and McMillan says it's the perfect way to grow out a bob. Drawing inspiration from a recent trip to Paris and a run in with a familiar store clerk who rocked the shag, McMillan brought the style back to the United States and put it to work on Dobrev—bringing the wash and wear, cool-girl style to life.
Because it seems a bit asinine to get a haircut while trying to gain length, McMillian gave Dobrev a cut without actually giving her a cut. Working with long, face-framing layers and soft fringe, McMillian maintained Dobrev's length while giving her a fresh and versatile 'do.
"There's a whole new vibe of hair going on these days," McMillian says. "Girls want to let their hair dry naturally and walk out the door, and the shag allows you to do that." The best part? The cut works on all textures and hair types, and there's no "one size fits all" version.
Even though models like Alexa Chung, Freja Baha and Mica Arganaraz have long set the standard for effortless shags, and the style itself has been around for decades, McMillian expects the shag to make a major comeback in 2018. Move over bob, there's a new cut in town.