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26 Shoulder-Length Haircuts to Show Your Stylist

 

Don’t shrug off these hairstyles.

If you’re thinking about making a chop, but don’t want to go full pixie cut or bob, shoulder-length haircuts are a versatile length that can still be put up into a topknot or styled with cute curls. We love this length not only because it’s pretty low maintenance, but also because it looks great on all hair types and textures. Below, we’ve asked two stylists for their favorite

For Straight Hair: Blunt Cut

For those with straight hair, Andrew Fitzsimons, celebrity stylist and founder of Andrew Fitzsimons Hair, recommends a blunt haircut. “Adding layers to strictly straight hair will cause the hair to look thinner, so a blunt cut will help to aid in a thicker look,” explains Fitzsimons. “Karlie Kloss has been known to rock this straight blunt cut.”

For Straight Hair: The Rachel

The Rachel haircut, made famous by Jennifer Aniston, is a haircut that has longer layers and creates bounce, volume, and lots of movement. “You can add even more dramatic glamour with a side part blowout, emphasizing the face-framing layers,” says celebrity hairstylist Valery Joseph of Valery Joseph Salons. “This haircut is great for all hair types and any age.”   

For Straight Hair: A-Line Bob

This bob haircut is shorter in the back and gradually gets longer in the front. This style would be best suited for someone with straight hair as it would help elongate and accentuate the variance in length of the haircut, according to Joseph.

For Straight Hair: Layered

Shoulder-length hair with layers gives life and movement with volume. “You can also add curtain bangs for a more playful and youthful look,” suggests Raven Hurtado, a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. “When you curl the hair, you’ll be able to see the contrast within the layers.” 

For Straight Hair: Adding Volume

For folks with thick, straight hair, Fitzsimons always recommends adding volume to the hair with the addition of layers. “It’s important to incorporate them throughout the hair to prevent the hair from looking too heavy,” he says. 

For Straight Hair: Italian Bob

The Italian Bob is a chin-length haircut emphasizing shape, texture, and volume. The style is good for any hair type and age, and adds an elegant flirtiness, according to Joseph. “I add lots of texture—longer layers for thick hair and softer layers near the crown for thinner hair. You can style it naturally or add some dimension with a wavy blowout or slight curl with a hot tool.”

For Straight Hair: Razor Shaggy Haircut

This razor cut offers bold, face-framing layers and a shaggy, edgy texture, perfect for those wanting a more daring look. “The razor-cut layers create sharp, choppy definition, giving the style a striking, modern vibe that’s easy to maintain but full of attitude,” says Marie Nino, an NYC-based hairstylist.  

For Straight Hair: Angled Long Bob with Heavy Bangs

For thick, naturally straight hair, achieving a sleek, polished blowout is effortless. “To elevate the look, focus on adding a subtle bend to the bangs and ends, giving your style that extra diva flair,” says Jennifer Thomas, educator of SH-RD Haircare. “Use a boar bristle brush for a smooth finish and added volume, creating a perfect balance of sleekness with a touch of movement.”

For Straight Hair: Feathered Layered

“For those with thin, straight hair, I recommend a feathered, layered look to keep the hair looking full,” says Fitzsimons. “The light layers create volume within your hair, making it look extra voluptuous.” 

For Straight Hair: Lob

Bebe Rexha wore her hair shoulder-length and can be considered a lob. “This style of cut works great with thick, straight hair because it’s not too long and not too short,” says Hurtado. “Adding face framing around the face will remove any heaviness and will give softness and soften up the features of the face.”

For Straight or Wavy Hair: The Clavicut

The clavicut—named for its clavicle-skimming length—is a trendy look that can be perfect for both straight or wavy hair, depending on how you style it. (It's been a favorite of celebs like Selena Gomez and Gigi Hadid.)

For Straight or Wavy Hair: Tousled Shoulder-Length Cut

Miley's cut features shoulder-length hair with a tousled, undone texture. According to Castillo Bataille, Matrix celebrity hairstylist, this style has a rocker-chic vibe with a slightly messy, lived-in finish, giving it an effortlessly cool look. The cut has minimal layers, maintaining a bit of volume and movement. “When at the salon, ask for a blunt shoulder-length cut with minimal layers to maintain thickness but with enough movement to avoid looking too heavy,” says Bataille.

For Wavy Hair: Textured Bob

“This haircut is great for someone with thick hair as I create movement by cutting into the hair to take some of the weight off,” says Joseph. “The hair can be worn naturally to emphasize the textured pieces.” 

For Wavy Hair: Shoulder-Length Wolf Cut

A shoulder-length wolf cut blends the edginess of a shag with the boldness of a mullet. It features heavy, choppy layers on top with lots of volume, gradually thinning toward the ends for a more tapered, wispy look, according to Nino. “The cut often includes curtain bangs or short, face-framing layers that add dimension and texture, giving it a wild, untamed vibe,” she says.

For Wavy Hair: Messy Lob

“The messy lob is an undone, more boho style with lots of texture,” according to Joseph. You can use a flat iron or even a wave wand to create this look.

For Wavy Hair: Side Part

For wavy, shoulder-length haircuts, a side part with textured ends will give body to the hair. “Wavy hair can sometimes fall flat, especially if it’s one length,” says Hurtado. “By adding a side part, it’ll give the illusion of volume.”

For Wavy Hair: Simple Bob

According to Fitzsimons, the best shoulder-length haircuts for those with wavy hair is a simple bob. “It is elegant, timeless, fairly easy to style, and will really show off your natural waves,” he says. “Zendaya has definitely mastered the wavy bob.”

For Wavy Hair: Wispy Layers with Texture

For shoulder-length, wavy hair, having wispy layers that are texturized can give an airy and beachy look. “A full, lightly texturized bang will add softness and bring attention to the eyes,” says Hurtado.

For Wavy Hair: Effortless, Soft Waves

Hailey’s shoulder-length hair is styled in soft, loose waves that frame her face beautifully. The waves start below the cheekbones, giving a more relaxed, natural finish that adds a touch of movement while keeping the overall look polished and sleek. Bataille recommends asking for a shoulder-length cut with long, subtle layers to add dimension and keep the ends soft and flowing.

For Curly Hair: A Few Layers

Curly hair looks best when it’s shoulder-length, according to Fitzsimons. “I recommend adding in a few layers to keep it from looking too heavy at the bottom, which will add more movement to the look. See Kerry Washington doing it with ease.”

For Curly Hair: Round layers

“Shoulder-length curly hair looks great with round layers,” says Hurtado. “The layers are uniformed to give the curls a shape that’s rounded and not so boxy and bulky on the length/ends of hair, so the ends are left a little lighter.” 

For Textured Hair: Face-Framing Layers

It’s always a good idea to embrace your natural hair. “With this, a shoulder-length cut with face-framing layers is perfect for those with thick hair or coils because it highlights your features while enhancing your natural texture,” says Fitzsimons. “It keeps the hair simple, easy to style, and chic.” Naomi Osaka rocked her natural hair at shoulder-length, framing her face beautifully.

For Textured Hair: Bangs

According to Hurtado, shoulder-length haircuts for natural/textured hair can have long layers to show off the curls and also for bounce. “Adding bangs can also add more style and extra oomph to your look," she says.

For Textured Hair: Natural Shoulder-Length

Tamera Mowry wore her hair natural shoulder-length, which can be low-maintenance. “This can also be versatile by parting it on the side for volume,” says Hurtado. 

For Straight and Textured Hair: Valentine Cut

The Valentine haircut is a fun, flirty style for all hair types and focuses on face framing. “I start by cutting curtain bangs and connecting those pieces with longer layers by the temple,” says Joseph. “I then cut into the hair, creating wispy pieces that allow for unstructured movement. This creates the heart-shaped style.” The style can be worn naturally and tousled for a more romantic look or up in a pony with your curtain bangs out.

For Textured Hair: Polished Voluminous Waves

Zendaya’s shoulder-length hair is styled with voluminous waves that echo Old Hollywood glamour. “The waves are soft and structured, creating a bouncy, full look,” says Bataille. “The volume around the crown and curled-under ends gives it a polished, high-glamour finish.” 

To get this look, you first want to prep the hair with a volumizer for lift at the roots and body throughout. “Blow-dry the hair with a round brush, focusing on lifting the hair at the crown for volume,” says Bataille. “Then, use a medium-barrel curling iron to curl the hair, focusing on creating volume and bounce. Curl the hair under and toward the face to give it a polished, structured look.” Finish with hairspray to set the waves and add shine without weighing down the volume.