Shag haircuts have always been a go-to style for women in Hollywood and music. You know the style: choppy bangs, tons of layers and an effortlessly cool vibe. Ever since the '70s, when it was worn by Janis Joplin and Farrah Fawcett, it's been a style synonymous with individuality. One of the more alluring aspects of the style is that it requires messiness, making it easier to style and maintain. If you’ve been thinking of going for a shag cut, check out some of our favorites from beauty icons past and present below. If you’re not interested in the style now, you certainly will be after seeing these looks.
Ciara
Ciara demonstrates how the cut can still look great with a longer length. Lots of layers will add body and fullness to any cut.
Camila Cabello
Camila Cabello's haircut is soft and sweet, but definitely still has body and bounce.
Zendaya
Zendaya proves a shag cut is even better when you've got texture like her big, big curls.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has always experimented with length and layers, but we like the piece-y, full bangs and layered long bob the most.
Alexa Chung
This fashion icon’s shag haircut perfectly demonstrates how the look can also work without bangs. Chung still has texturized layers that add lots of volume to her look.
Halle Berry
No one knows how to make a shag haircut look sultry quite like Halle Berry. She also has the perfect lowlights that make her hair appear thicker.
Bella Hadid
Bella Hadid's version of the shag cut is fluffed to perfection to accentuate the messy look.
Natasha Lyonne
Natasha Lyonne's added waves and texture always give her hair a super voluminous finish that makes for the perfect amount of messy.
Kilo Kish
Model Kilo Kish rocks a signature shag haircut with short fringe.
Florence Welch
The sing'ers shag bangs and flowing waves look as light as she does when she floats around on stage.
Kerry Washington
For Kerry Washington's sleek version of the shag cut, her hairstylist used a texturizing spray at the root, and a mini flat iron to smooth out specific strands.
Maisie Williams
Maisie Williams took her signature super layered shag cut up a notch by dying her locks a bright rose gold hue.
Tamron Hall
Tamron Hall is the queen of a shag bob. While she sometimes styles her cut in a sleek way, she knows how to rock the shag in various flattering styles, like this pixie.
Julianne Hough
You can never go wrong with curtain bangs and varying waves like Julianne Hough's.
Gabrielle Union
We're fans of Gabrielle Union’s short, textured bob. She also has choppy side-swept bangs that perfectly frame her face.
Viola Davis
Viola Davis wore her shag hairdo in a straightened, sleek style that falls into a beautiful frame for her face.
Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama's textured bangs, shoulder length, and layers throughout look sleek.
Anna Faris
Anna Faris's tousled shag catches all the color dimension in her hair perfectly.
Jessica Williams
Jessica Williams wore a longer shag cut with side bangs—they hit right at her cheek to emphasize her coral blush.
Michelle Pfeiffer
The actress' messy shag and darker roots is just the right amount of effortless.
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