Men's Shaggy Hairstyles: 25 Cool, Attractive Examples
The shaggy men's hairstyle is a stylish, relaxed look with flowing layers, textured volume and often messy styling, making it a popular choice for those seeking a charming, low-maintenance appearance. This trendy aesthetic, also known as the shag, is often embraced by confident guys with carefree attitudes and rebellious streaks who draw inspiration from edgy artists, famous surfers and free-spirited creatives.
Attractive shag haircuts can be short, medium or longer in length, but versatile, flattering styles will need effortless layers, natural movement and a lightly tousled finish to achieve the perfect, alluring vibe. These soft elements combine to add dimension, dynamic personality and modern flair, creating a look as captivating and unique as the man wearing it.
Let's explore some trending shaggy hairstyles for men that will have you embracing the cut, booking an appointment with your stylist and turning heads at your next event. From ruggedly handsome to grunge, we're confident you'll love these cool photo examples.
Stylish Shaggy Haircuts For Men
Long Shaggy Hairstyle
A long, shaggy hairstyle exudes casual charm with its voluminous layers, natural texture and flowing dimension, making it perfect for men wanting an effortless look that frames the face. This style keeps the hair fluffy, softening strong features while adding movement and body to your wave pattern. Use a sea salt spray combined with light styling cream, clay or pomade to maintain an appealing look without the extra work or stiffness.
Short Shaggy Haircut
The short, shaggy haircut is a timeless style for men who want a cool, rugged aesthetic that blends function, versatility and classic masculinity. This shorter variation is usually defined by its fuller layers, heavy fringe styling and whispy feathered ends. Fashion the front section over the forehead to create bangs and lift the crown with expert layering. A small amount of product helps this cut retain its retro edge and keeps stray hair off the face.
Classic Shaggy Hair
Classic, shaggy hair is a playful but wearable style that offers a slightly unkempt, natural look by creating a soft, voluminous shape. Barbers often incorporate bangs or a fringe into this cut to seamlessly blend the hair near the crown into the layers. A lack of structure reduces the need for constant upkeep and lets you channel that laid-back, surfer vibe.
Textured Shaggy Haircut
A textured, shaggy haircut is a modern style that enhances your hair's natural, healthy look while maximizing definition, separation and depth. Pull the choppy layers over the face to add structure around the eyes, and use a texturizing spray to enhance any natural wave. Retain that easygoing, voluminous vibe by using your fingers to shape the layers.
Shaggy Mullet
The shaggy mullet pairs long, choppy layers in the back with a classic, short front, making it a daring option for guys who appreciate retro styles. Muss the bangs with product for a playful, tousled feel and texturize the back for added volume. Shave the temples to create a fresh, bold contrast that modernizes the old-school mullet.
Layered Shaggy Hairstyle
The layered, shaggy hairstyle uses softer shaping and a heavy fringe to create a choppy but wearable cut. The layers and feathered ends bring attitude and a slightly messy finish, but these techniques also help the bangs lie flat against the forehead to frame the face. Use a texturizing or sea salt spray to add a natural messiness that boosts limp hair without weighing it down or looking greasy.
Medium Shaggy Hairstyle
A medium, shaggy hairstyle is a laid-back, stylish cut that features layered, tousled strands for a lived-in feel. Scrunch the hair with styling cream or pomade and air dry, or highlight your waves using a diffuser to add definition. Feather the ends to soften the overall look, and ask your barber for face-framing layers that will help maintain flow and movement.
Shaggy Hair with Beard
Shaggy hair with a beard offers a rugged yet stylish look that balances a free-flowing top with well-groomed facial hair. The medium-length, textured locks provide a relaxed aesthetic, while the beard brings maturity, depth and structure around the jawline that's perfect for older men. Use a lightweight, matte pomade to enhance natural texture, and keep the beard supple with a moisturizing oil or balm.
Shaggy Hair with Fringe
Shaggy hair looks striking with a bold fringe, introducing a fun, undone look that blends movement with a modern edge. Textured layers create natural volume around the crown, while the fringe falls below the eyebrows to highlight the eyes, hide the forehead and bring a soft aesthetic to the cut.
Modern Shaggy Fade Haircut
A modern, shaggy fade haircut blends the striking texture of a shag with the clean, structured finish of a fade, offering a trendy, low-maintenance look that turns heads. The gradual tapering on the sides enhances contrast while keeping the style polished. Make the fade as subtle or bold as you like, and use a texturizing spray to define the layers for a slightly piece-y finish.
Shaggy Mod Cut
A shaggy mod cut delivers vintage-inspired layers with a modern edge, creating movement and volume without looking unkempt. This cut's longer fringe and choppy layers frame the face, while the slightly disheveled energy adds personality. Wear it without product or apply a matte pomade through the fringe and crown for a touch of grit.
Edgy Short Shaggy Hair with Faded Sides
A textured and tousled short shaggy haircut is an edgy style when paired with faded sides, a thick messy fringe and a heavy beard, resulting in an athletic, masculine look for modern men. A skin fade or taper can contrast the longer layers on top while minimizing maintenance and the disheveled appearance exemplifies the shag's aesthetic.
Tousled Shag
The tousled shag delivers a fresh take on choppy hairstyles, embracing texture and subtle volume to create a trendy look for medium or longer hair. The extra length lets the hair fall elegantly over the forehead, and a slight taper on the sides offers polished contrast. Style with a lightweight mousse or enhance your cut with matte pomade for added definition.
Long 70s Shaggy Style
The long, 70s shaggy style breathes life into naturally wavy hair by using layers and feathering to enhance your natural flow without excessive maintenance. This cut exudes the rebellious, free-spirited appeal of the rockstar era but is easy to style into a more polished, slick-backed look for formal events. Finger tousle the fringe and let the length fall loose for an old-school cool vibe.
Curly Shaggy Hairstyle
A curly, shaggy hairstyle is a trendy, textured cut designed to showcase bouncy curls while maintaining a relaxed, "just rolled out of bed" look. Heavy layering removes excess weight to lift the style. Go clean-shaven to draw focus to the mass of curls, or add light stubble for a subtle, masculine feel.
Shaggy Flow
The shaggy flow features a more swept-back look, creating a fuller, more contemporary take on the typical shag. This cut is ideal for guys working with less natural texture, as layering creates dimension while maintaining a lightweight feel through the crown. The layers will also remove excessive bulk and add a windswept appeal to the cut. A light mousse is all you need for carefree definition.
Thick Shag with Long Fringe
A thick shag with a long fringe is characterized by its statement front and heavier layers, making it a standout style for guys with thicker locks. Wear your vintage-inspired bangs straight, tousled or swept to the side for ultimate styling versatility. Pull and lift strands at the crown with styling cream and get regular trims to stop the fringe from becoming unruly.
Long Textured Shaggy Hair with Short Sides
Long, textured shaggy hair gets a hit of modern elegance from short sides, perfectly blending movement and structure for a clean, sharp cut that's smart enough for the office. Push the hair back for a refined appearance, or wear it tousled with sea salt spray to enhance natural curls at the weekend. Pull a few pieces in opposite directions with pomade to define the ends.
Short Shaggy Curls
Short, shaggy curls ooze playful energy and let the hair fall naturally for a soft, tousled appearance that remains easy to control with minimal styling. The shaggy finish stops the hair from looking overly structured and highlights volume around the crown to keep the style three-dimensional. Keeping the curls shorter showcases their depth, but a lightweight curl-enhancing product is a must for enhancing your natural pattern without weighing the hair down.
Parted, Long Shaggy Hair
Parted, long shaggy hair works beautifully with an undercut, pairing the bold contrast of close tapering with the laid-back appeal of tousled strands. This dramatic side sweep brings asymmetry to this cut and partially covers one side for an edgy aesthetic. Whether you wear it loose for a grunge-inspired look or slick against the face, this cut is a modern take on the traditional shag.
Fully Shaggy Style with Low Fade
The fully shaggy style with a low fade makes the most of thick hair by removing bulk from the sides and embracing a fun-loving, messy top. Fading the sides keeps them crisp and easy to maintain, while the top is cut with light layers to avoid harsh lines and add flow. This cut looks great on textured locks, but straight-haired guys can achieve a similar rock 'n' roll energy with sea salt spray or volumizing cream.
Long Mullet Shag
The long mullet shag is a surprisingly wearable and versatile style that blends a classic '70s shape with modern layers for an edgy but casual cut. Unlike a typical mullet, this style softens the transition between the top, back and sides, giving it a rock-inspired feel that isn't overly structured. The longer length lets you blow out the style for volume, muss the top or embrace your natural waves. Pair your shag with a slim mustache and stubble for a true blast from the past.
Shaggy Surfer Haircut
The shaggy surfer haircut perfectly captures the laid-back, beachy aesthetic with a slightly unkempt, flowing finish that flatters wavy or curly textures. This style is generally shorter and uses subtle thinning and loose layering around the top to maintain a lightweight, flowing feel. Style the hair with sea salt spray, and you're ready to hit the waves.
Textured, Wavy Shaggy Style
A textured, wavy shag hairstyle enhances natural texture while using strategic layering to prevent the hair from feeling heavy. This look thrives on its undone, carefree appeal that's achieved by feathering the layers to create a full-bodied shape. The hair falls into place naturally with little styling, and a touch of texturizing spray is all you need to add lift without stiffness.
Short Shaggy Hair with Taper Fade Sides
Short, shaggy hair with taper faded sides is a popular men's cut that pairs effortless texture with a clean, modern finish. The tapering on the sides gradually blends into shorter lengths around the ears, offering a sharp, well-groomed silhouette that skips the harsh contrast of a skin fade. Blend your cut into a full beard for a masculine, slightly rugged touch that complements the swept-forward fringe.
Messy, Medium Shag
A messy, medium shag provides enough volume and length to create an easygoing look while maintaining the cut's traditional shape. Layering makes the style appear fuller, while the slightly disheveled finish gives off a devil-may-care vibe. Muss the hair with a lightweight, matte pomade and pull the front pieces in different directions for a rugged, beach-inspired style.
What Is A Shag Haircut For Men?
The shag haircut is characterized by its textured, multi-layered design, typically blending shorter, choppy layers at the top near the crown with gradually lengthened strands that flow towards the sides, back and front, crafting an undeniably cool and sexy style. This layered approach creates youthful volume and natural movement, offering a captivating choice for men with straight, wavy or curly hair. Unlike heavily structured or polished finishes, the men's shaggy hairstyle symbolizes individuality, self-expression and an edgy vibe.
How To Style Men's Shaggy Hair
When styling a shaggy men's hairstyle, you'll need a combination of hair products like sea salt spray and clay or cream to create the perfect textured, messy finish with natural movement and flow. Whether you have thick, straight or wavy hair, a shag haircut offers an attractive, playful look with modern charm, adding dimension and visual appeal to your appearance.
- Start with a well-executed haircut with short to medium-length layers, giving your tousled style authentic volume and body.
- Wash with a volumizing shampoo and moisturizing conditioner to ensure your hair maintains its natural oils for a healthy look.
- After towel-drying, apply a texturizing sea salt spray to your slightly damp hair, using your fingers to distribute evenly for enhanced definition.
- Use a medium-hold styling clay, lightweight cream or powder to control and shape your shaggy hair. If you have longer hair, bend forward and scrunch your locks with your fingers as they dry to incorporate a messy, naturally textured style.
- Paired with a diffuser attachment, employ a hair dryer on a very low heat setting to boost volume, movement and separation. A round brush can lift roots and produce soft waves for a classy, sophisticated vibe. Otherwise, we recommend a casual and effortless imperfect finish, the main appeal of the style.