24 Medium Shag Haircuts for Effortless, Textured Volume

The shag is back in a big way, and the medium length is its sweet spot. Sitting anywhere from the shoulders to the collarbone, it gives you all the choppy layers, crown volume, and piecey texture the cut is loved for, without going as extreme as a full mullet or as short as a crop. It works on every hair type, from fine and straight to thick and curly, and it only gets cooler as it grows out. Whether you want a soft, wearable version or a bold wolf cut, here are the medium shag haircuts below to take to your stylist.

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Classic 70s Shag

The original, with choppy all-over layers, crown volume, and a heavily textured, undone finish. It has that lived-in 70s attitude that never really goes out of style.

The razor-cut layers and the piecey texture are what give this its wild, undone shape, and they suit fine and thick hair alike.

Scrunch a texturizing cream through it and add a volume powder at the roots. It looks its best a little messy, so there is no fussing for perfection here.

Wolf Cut Shag

A mix of a shag and a mullet, with chunky layers up top and wispier, wavy ends toward the back. It is edgy, bold, and full of carefree, undone attitude.

The chunky layers and the crown volume are what give this its slightly wild shape, so it makes a statement without much effort.

Style with a round brush for lift and a texturizing cream for that messy finish. It suits any texture and only gets cooler as it grows out.

Butterfly Shag

A shag crossed with a butterfly cut, pairing longer layers that look like wings from the back with wispier face-framing layers at the front. It is pretty and full of movement.

The airy face-framing layers and the shag texture throughout are what give this its soft, voluminous, and genuinely wearable everyday shape.

Round-brush the layers for lift and a soft bend at the ends. It works on almost every hair type and face shape, which is exactly why it is so popular.

Soft Blended Shag

The softer, more wearable shag for the year, with blended layers rather than sharp disconnected ones. It keeps the texture and volume but feels easy for everyday.

Blending the layers rather than chopping them hard is what makes this so wearable, giving all the cool factor without ever looking too extreme.

Enhance the layers with a texturizing spray and let them fall naturally into place. It looks great blown out, since the layers create so much natural lift.

Shag With Curtain Bangs

A medium shag paired with curtain bangs that part in the middle and sweep out to frame the face. The soft bangs blend seamlessly into the choppy layered length.

The curtain bangs are what add softness around the eyes and the cheekbones, melting right into the shag so the whole thing flows together.

Round-brush the bangs out and away from the face. It looks especially pretty worn with loose waves, and it grows out beautifully with no awkward stage.

Shag With a Thick Fringe

A medium shag with a full, thick fringe cut straight across the brow for a bold, statement finish. The heavy blunt fringe balances out the choppy layers below it.

The thick fringe is what makes this a real statement, framing the eyes boldly while the shag adds all the texture and movement below.

Keep the fringe trimmed to sit just above the brows. A little texture worked through it stops the heavy fringe from going flat against the forehead.

Shag With Wispy Bangs

A medium-length shag finished with light, wispy bangs that sit softly on the forehead. The airy, see-through fringe keeps the whole look feeling soft rather than heavy or blunt.

The wispy bangs are what add a delicate, feathered touch up top, blending into the layers for a soft, cohesive, seamless finish.

Keep the bangs light and piecey, and work a little texture through them each day. They suit fine and medium hair and most face shapes especially well.

Shaggy Fringe Shag

A medium shag with a matching shaggy, piecey fringe rather than a blunt one straight across. The two textures play off each other for a cohesive, undone finish.

The piecey fringe and the choppy layers together are what give this its cool, lived-in edge, with no hard lines anywhere in the cut.

A little matte paste separates the fringe and the piecey ends. It works on most hair types and stays genuinely low on daily styling once it is cut.

Wavy Shag

A medium shag worn with soft, natural waves running through the layers. The waves and the choppy texture together give plenty of movement and body.

The waves are what make the choppy layers really come alive, so it works especially well on hair with a bit of natural bend already.

Scrunch in a sea salt spray and let it air dry, or add a few loose bends with a wand. A texture spray keeps the waves piecey, separated, and undone.

Curly Shag

A medium shag shaped for natural curls, a real 70s dream of a cut. The layers give the curls shape and stop them from sitting like a heavy triangle.

Cutting the shag into the curls is what defines the whole shape and lets the layers spring up with real volume and movement.

For finer curls, dry it with a salt spray. For coarser, thicker textures, use a styling cream and scrunch it with your hands to define the curls.

Straight Shag

A medium shag worn sleek and straight, which shows off the choppy layers and the piecey separated ends. It is a sharper, more graphic take on the classic shag.

Worn straight, the razor-cut layers and the separated ends stand out clearly, giving a cool, sharp, defined finish rather than a soft one.

Flat iron the length smooth and define the piecey ends with a little wax. A texture spray keeps the layers from ever looking too flat or heavy.

Razor-Cut Shag

A medium-length shag cut with a razor for piecey, feathered, and heavily textured ends. The razoring is what gives the shag its signature undone, separated finish.

Razoring the layers is really what creates that piecey, lived-in texture that clippers or plain scissors alone simply cannot quite match on their own.

Note that razored ends can dry out over time, so keep them well conditioned and trimmed. A little wax or texture spray defines the piecey separated ends nicely.

Feathered Shag

A medium-length shag with soft, feathered layers throughout for an airy, light, undone finish. The feathering makes fine hair look fuller and keeps thick hair lighter.

The soft feathered layers are what give this its light, undone movement, a much gentler take than a sharply choppy, disconnected shag.

Round-brush the soft feathered layers out and away from the face. A volume powder at the roots adds lift, and a light spray holds the soft, airy shape all day.

Crown-Volume Shag

A medium shag with the choppy layers concentrated around the crown to build height and fullness. It is the answer if your single biggest hair goal is volume.

Concentrating the layers at the crown is what creates lift exactly where hair tends to fall flat, giving real height and plenty of body.

Backcomb the crown gently and set it with a volume powder first. A round brush blow-dry lifts the roots for maximum fullness and height up top.

Face-Framing Shag

A medium shag with soft layers cut around the front to frame and flatter the face. The soft framing pieces draw attention to your features.

The soft face-framing layers are what soften the whole look here, sitting neatly around the cheekbones to flatter and open up the face nicely.

Round-brush the front pieces out and away from the face for a soft flick at the ends. It suits most face shapes and adds a flattering, framing finish overall.

Collarbone Shag

A shag cut to the collarbone, the sweet-spot medium length that gives you plenty of shape without much weight. The layers keep it light and full of movement.

The collarbone length is what makes this so versatile, just long enough to tie back but short enough to really show off the layers.

Scrunch in a texture spray and let it air dry undone. A round brush adds lift at the roots if you want a little more volume.

Mullet-Leaning Shag

A medium shag that leans toward a mullet, with a bit more length and disconnected layering left at the back. It is bolder and edgier than a standard shag.

Keeping more length and disconnection at the back is what pushes this toward mullet territory, which suits anyone wanting a real, bold statement.

Texturize the back layers and keep the top nice and choppy up top. A styling cream defines the whole shape and keeps it looking deliberately undone.

Shag With Highlights

A medium-length shag brightened with subtle highlights woven right through the choppy layers. The colour catches the light beautifully as the piecey layers move and shift.

Placing the highlights through the choppy layers is really what adds dimension and makes the whole texture look even more defined, full, and rich.

Ask for highlights that follow the choppy layers rather than a full head of foils. A gloss treatment keeps the tone fresh and bright between your salon visits.

Copper Shag

A medium shag in a warm copper shade, which really brings out the texture and the movement of the layers. The fiery tone glows as the shag catches the light.

The warm copper tone is what gives this its warmth and richness, making the choppy, piecey layers look even more dimensional and full.

Reds and coppers fade fastest, so use colour-safe products and a regular gloss treatment. Style with a texture spray to show off the piecey layers.

Purple Shag

A medium-length shag done in a bold, juicy purple shade for a fun, high-impact statement. The vivid colour turns the whole layered cut into a real showpiece.

The bright, juicy purple is really the whole draw here, and the choppy shag layers show the colour off from every single angle.

Deep condition often to keep the colour vibrant, since bright shades fade fast on hair. Style with a round brush and a texturizing cream for that messy shape.

Red Shag

A medium shag in a rich, warm red, often paired with a thick fringe for extra impact. The warm red suits and lightens up thick, heavy hair especially well.

The warm red tone is what makes this so bold and eye-catching, and the shag layers keep it from ever looking heavy or flat.

Reds fade fast, so a colour-safe routine and a regular gloss help hold it. Texturize the layers to show off both the cut and the rich colour.

Shag for Fine Hair

A medium shag cut to fake volume and fullness on fine hair. The choppy layers and crown volume make thin hair look far thicker than it is.

The concentrated layers and the texture are what create the illusion of density, giving fine hair body it does not naturally have on its own.

Use a volume powder at the roots and a light texture spray through the ends. Avoid heavy products that would only weigh the fine layers down.

Shag for Thick Hair

A medium shag cut specifically to take the weight out of thick, dense hair. The heavy layering removes the bulk so the hair moves rather than sitting like a block.

Removing weight through the heavy layers is what makes thick hair so much easier to manage, letting the shag move and breathe freely.

A little styling cream defines the layers without adding any weight to them. Scrunch it in and let the natural texture do most of the work for you.

Modern Blended Shag

The most current take on the whole trend, with dimensional, blended layers, feathered ends, and soft face-framing. It suits every hair type and grows out beautifully.

The blended layers and the feathered ends together are what make this feel modern and wearable rather than sharply retro or dated.

Enhance the natural texture with a light cream, since the layers always want to be seen. A round brush adds soft lift and plenty of movement to the whole thing.