The Best Haircuts For Long Hair That Prove Growing It Out Doesn’t Have to Look Boring

Just in the mood for a trim? Adding face-framing layers can instantly give your haircut a fresh look. Hairstylist Anabel Santos at the Sally Hershberger Nomad Salon in New York City said face-framing layers mixed with long layers are great “for more movement and body while keeping the perimeter full.”

According to Michael Dueñas, celebrity hairstylist and cofounder of Support Creatives, one-length haircuts à la the 1990s are super popular right now. “The style is enticing because it is easy maintenance with a lot of flexibility,” Dueñas said.

Second only to curtain bangs, the shag haircut is one of the biggest hairstyle trends on Instagram right now. “The two popular shag styles are the ultracurly, ultralayered and then straight with long curtain bangs that sweep,” NYC hairstylist Devin Toth said. “The curly shag is very round with a pure release of texture. It will be a seamless transition from bangs to short layers to long layers to bottom length. The straight shag can be styled however you want, but it generally has longer layers with the focus of the style being the bold curtain bangs – sweeping but not fully connected to the rest of the style.”

Everyone, from our editors to A-list celebrities, is trying this retro haircut, and we can’t blame them – it looks good on everyone. “Curtain bangs are making a comeback because of the ’70s inspiration in the current fashion scene,” said Michael Bowman, a stylist at NYC’s Rob Peetoom salon. You can wear this haircut one of two ways: long and subtle or short and textured. “A more modern twist would be to make the bangs a little shorter and textured in the center, so they can also be worn as a full textured fringe on days you want to change it up,” he said.

“Invisible” layers are a dry haircutting technique that works on all hair types and textures. “The term ‘invisible layers’ refers to removing weight and adding movement into a haircut while creating a finished look with minimal or no layers at all,” Omar Antonio, hairstylist and global top artist for Sebastian Professional, told POPSUGAR. That means you can keep your length but remove some of the heaviness that usually comes with extra-long hair.

The mullet, or “chillet,” as celebrity hairstylist and cofounder of Nine Zero One salon Riawna Capri likes to call it, is the updated version of the retro mullet that’s perfect for long hair. “It’s a more modified and more fashion-forward version of the mullet,” she said. “The definition of a mullet is short at the front and sides and long in the back. Hair in the back isn’t longer than the hair in the front, but it has the illusion or silhouette of a mullet, as opposed to an exact copy.”

Blunt haircuts are not exclusive to short hairstyles – they look beautiful on long hair, too. A soft, blunt haircut is sophisticated but not as razor sharp as traditional blunt cuts. It also grows out beautifully.

Still in the process of growing out your hair? No problem – try the “clavicut,” which looks good on all hair types and face shapes. “This style features back strands resting on the nape of your neck with the face-framing strands dipping an extra inch or two until they kiss your collarbone – an edgy yet sophisticated hairstyle, all at the same time,” said master hairstylist Edward Tricomi of Warren Tricomi Salons.

Last year saw many people growing out their hair longer than ever before, and although we have access to salons again in 2021, that’s not necessarily changing our feelings on our extra-long hair. “With newer and better ingredients in hair care and more awareness around avoiding chemical and heat damage, people are able to grow out their hair to longer and longer lengths in a healthier way,” said David Lopez, celebrity hairstylist to the likes of Ashley Graham and Hailey Bieber. An easy way to give your style a refresh and make sure it doesn’t fall flat is by adding long, flowy layers for additional body and movement.