From Shags To Bobs & Bangs, Here’s How To Style Summer’s Hottest Hair Trends

If there’s one prevailing feeling that’s defining 2022, it’s freedom. 

With that comes the need to express ourselves through our clothes, our makeup, what we do with our time and, of course, how we wear our hair. 

Since hair is inextricably linked to identity in so many ways, it makes sense that we’ve seen many exciting looks come to the forefront over the last two years — including the shag, the C-curve Bob and curtain bangs. These styles all have a rich history that’s rooted in defying the norm and standing out from the crowd, so it makes sense they’ve become popularised in a time when we’re all expressing an innermost need for empowerment. 

It’s also no surprise that each of these looks has come to the forefront recently, since it’s well documented that in times of economic and political unrest, short, choppy hairdos surge in popularity. 

So we recreated the looks that have dominated our feeds this year — here’s a rundown of how they turned out, with tips from Dyson’s Education Manager James Kavanagh for you to master your own look. 

The shag was initially created by Paul McGregor — an East Village barber who gave Jane Fonda the iconic look for the movie ‘Klute’ in 1971. He came up with the fluffy, feathered style while working as a truck driver and longshoreman in and around New York City, witnessing the burgeoning punk subculture grow in the late 60s. 

In the 70s, rock musicians adopted the look and took it to new, rebellious heights — think Joan Jett, David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s shaggy mops and choppy bangs that dominated album covers and stages throughout the decade. In the 80s, Meg Ryan’s shag stole our hearts in When Harry Met Sally, with the cut’s popularity slightly trailing off in the 90s as long and straight dos became the preference. 

The shag really began to reemerge onto our feeds and into our hearts again around 2019. Natasha Lyonne’s character in Russian Doll boasted a gorgeous curly wolf cut/ shag-esque do. A shaggy mullet marked Miley Cyrus’ rock-chic renaissance, while Barbie Ferreria, Zendaya, and multiple other girls have rocked both curly and straight shags over the last two years. During Covid, DIY-haircuts have dominated TikTok as an act of both radical iso-empowerment and experimentation. And in 2022, there are no signs that it's disappearing, cementing itself as the Australian cool-girl look. The shag is undeniably back and better than ever. 

With its origins in rock and punk, the shag has always been a symbol of rebellion. Between the pandemic, ever-growing political angst and growing climate worries, we’re primed for chaos. We’re all yearning for zest and, after two years inside, we’re starved for personal expression. The shag is the customisable and raucous look that allows you to wear it your way — no matter how messy or refined, and is super adaptable for various hair lengths. 

“There are numerous ways to style a shag haircut. However, if you want a lived-in look to embrace your naturally curly hair, we recommend using the Dyson Supersonic™  hairdryer on low-heat and low-velocity. This will stimulate that organic dried feel, but add shine and definition into your waves and curls,” recommended Kavanagh. 

“If you want a more polished look, reach for the Dyson Airwrap™ styler. You can dry the hair to 80% with the pre-styler attachment, then using a combination of 30mm and 40mm barrels, create voluminous, bouncy curls and bends to show off the extreme layers in your shag haircut. Remember to always use the cool shot on the Airwrap to set your curls for that salon blow-dry feel at home!”

The bob has always been a symbol of resistance from gendered social norms. Harkening back to figures as early as Joan of Arc, the bob came into mainstream prominence in the 1920s alongside the ‘flapper’ movement. The New York Times traced its actual origins back to 1903 when two female students at Bryn Mawr college appeared with short hair to play basketball. 

Models like Mary Quant popularised the look in the 60s, as an indicator of movement away from the conservative ideals of the 1950s, while alt-queens like Courtney Love and Dolores O'Riordan adopted them in the 90s. Edgy movie characters like Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction and Gwyneth Paltrow as Margot in The Royal Tenenbaums also helped the bob achieve its cool-girl status.

The bob is a longstanding chic hair trend. It’s almost a reach to call it a trend — we can’t really think back to a time over the last 20 years when a sleek bob wasn't a classic fashion statement.

But in 2022, the bob is the haircut. The blunt bob has made its way into our consciousness as of late, with the likes of Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid and more rocking various styles of the bob. The modern bob has evolved to the point where it is customisable in length, can be accented with a blunt cut or even have bangs added for a personal touch. We’ve also recently seen the rise of the C curve bob and the ‘lop’ —  the ultra-short bob that sits gently above the ears, making for the perfect summer do. 

“A style that has been so on-trend recently is the C curve bob! First, dry your hair with the Dyson Supersonic™  hairdryer and then switch on your Dyson Corrale™ straightener,” said James. 

“Taking sections of the hair gently, close the plates around the hair and work down in a bevelled motion. When you get to the ends of the hair, curve the straightening iron inwards 180 degrees to give you that beautiful C curve finish. Then, work through the rest of your hair for that super-polished sleek look!”

Bangs (or fringes) are a historic hairdo. They’ve taken so many forms over the years — from the sexy ‘Bettie bang’ of the 50s, to Brigitte Bardot’s French-girl floppy fringe, they’re a signifier of subculture, a fashion statement and so much more. While Cleopatra is widely understood to be the first icon to don a fringe, the look actually dates back to ancient Mesopotamia. 

Curtain bangs were undeniably the defining look of 2021. And baby, they're back again for 2022. They’ve been inescapable on our TikTok for you pages (just check out #curtainbangs with over 996 million views), with Refinery29 reporting that hairdressers ubiquitously decided it was the look of the year. Bottleneck bangs are a new breakthrough for 2022, occupying the space between curtain bangs and a full fringe.

We’ve also looked into the psychological reasons as to why we all want bangs right now. “From a holistic perspective, hair is a tool that can mirror societal changes," explains LA-based hairstylist Sal Saleco of why he feels that bangs are resonating in this post-COVID era. "Right now, people are starting to see a lot of changes in society. In order to see, we need our eyes, and a bang accentuates them."

“Bangs are a personal touch to the hair, and you can style them in so many different ways. For a super casual look, use the Dyson Supersonic™ hairdryer and the styling concentrator attachment to blast forward and use your handwork through the fringe as it dries,” said James.

“If you want something more voluminous, use the Dyson 35mm Round Brush and rotate in a circular motion as you dry. Not only will this give you some additional volume to your bangs, it will bend the hair around the brush, giving you that retro bang look that is really in!”