'Shag bangs' are the cool-girl shortcut to volume and texture

We love a fringe when autumn rolls around. Alongside providing an extra layer of insulation for your forehead, it can add serious personality. Our favourite rendition for 2022? Shag bangs.

The name is appropriate on two counts. First, it blends two of the biggest hair trends for fall: the fringe, with the mussiness of the shag haircut (which remains just as popular, a couple of years since the cut started exploding on social. In fact, new renditions continue to pull through: see also, The Sachel).

Second, it has that between-the-sheets (wink) ruffled texture that lends itself to effortless air-drying and easy styling.

The beauty, is that it offers some edginess, movement and volume to hair without having to commit all the way to a full-blown shag cut which can take a long time to grow out. So if you’re bored and want a cool-girl update, shag bangs offer an interesting update on a smaller scale (although, you can always pair them with another rebel cut).

So, what makes a shag bang a shag bang? For starters, the shape is much less “polished” than some of its sister styles. “Unlike curtain bangs, shag bangs have less of a continuous curve,” explains Luke Hersheson, CEO of top London salon, Hershesons. “It’s more feather and piecey,” he adds. Rather than a stark blunt bob that feels detached from the rest of the cut, “this fringe softly disappears into the rest of your hair,” says Luke.

As for the texture, “it’s more rock ‘n’ roll,” Luke confirms. In general, the shape sees “shorter sections at the bridge of the nose,” he explains, alongside a choppy, staggered graduation into longer lengths at the edges.

That said, we’ve seen the cut personalised with some opting for a heavier, shaggier take on curtain bangs, and others opting for a lightweight, shaggy, wispy fringe. So there’s lots of ways you can make it your own and tailor it to your personal style.

Here’s 13 of our favourite ways to wear shag bangs…