In a world where extremes rule, medium length haircuts often get overlooked for long and flowy or short cuts. But the truth is midlength and shoulder-length cuts are where it’s at, especially if your hair just won’t grow or you’re not quite ready to make a drastic chop. Medium length haircuts are flattering on pretty much every face shape and hair type, and the styling possibilities are endless—there’s a reason medium-length hair has become celebs’ go-to length.
Part of this is thanks to the embrace of the lob—or long bob—which is a good in-between cut. “A lob gives you the look of a shorter haircut, but with the feeling of longer hair,” says Ryan Trygstad, co-owner of New York City’s Mark Ryan Salon. “It has the option to look both long and short, and has so many styling options. They can be waved for a beachy look, air-dried for a lived-in cool-girl look, or flatironed for a sleek, polished look.”
Is a shoulder-length haircut good for every hair type and texture?
“To me, this cut and length work well on pretty much every hair type and texture. It’s just about finding the right way to style the cut that works best for you,” says celebrity hairstylist and Sun Bum ambassador, Kiley Fitzgerald. “Whether that’s a blowout or embracing your hair’s natural structure, this cut is super flattering.”
“For straight hair and thin hair this cut can add more volume and make fine hair seem fuller,” explains Gregga Prothero, a hairstylist and founder of Gregga LA salon. By taking some length off the hair, it won’t be as weighed down and you can more easily manipulate some lift at the roots for a more volumized appearance. If you have more textured hair, cutting it can enhance the curls, making them appear curlier and hair overall thicker. A lot of stylists will thin out the hair a bit before cutting it to a medium-length so that there’s more movement and it won’t feel too heavy.
Do medium-length hairstyles work on every face shape?
“A mid-length cut with shorter angles will help to draw focus to the cheekbones and thin and help to round out longer face shapes,” says Prothero. If you already have a rounder face, it can help to stick to longer layers and maybe incorporate a side bang moment to create more angles rather than accentuate the roundness.
However, lobs are just the tip of the iceberg. We rounded up the best medium-length hairstyles to try if you’re ready to go a little shorter. Plus some hair color ideas that flatters this length of cut. Scroll on for all the inspo you’ll need.
