Kayla Young
Having made the rounds on TikTok, and being sported by some of our favorite influencers and celebrities, the wolf cut hairstyle has become one of the hottest hair trends.
What Is A Wolf Cut?
The wolf cut is a retro-inspired cut. It’s a throwback in part to the 70s shag and the 80’s mullet, with a little emo punk thrown in. It’s almost as if we’ve run out of decades to circle back to, so the wolf cut encompasses a little bit of everything.
In this article, we’ll give you the lowdown on the wolf cut, explain what it is, and the positives and negatives of the style. We’ll also give you loads of beautiful inspiration!
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15 Wolf Cut Hair Styles We Love
If you are thinking about getting a wolf cut, here are 15 of the looks we love, to give you a little inspiration.
Shoulder length, the choppiest of layers with a long choppy fringe and tons of textured volume on top – this is the classic wolf cut with its undone, messy, tousled style.
A longer wolf cut for straight hair is so versatile you can rock it no matter your hair texture. A tip for styling straight hair with a fringe and lots of layers is to use hair mousse when blow-drying hair.
Also, use a root volumizing powder to create a tousled, messy finish.
If you like the idea of a wolf cut, but don’t want to look like you’ve been sleeping on a tour bus for the last month, a wolf cut that’s a little tamer and smoothed out may be just the ticket.
With the shorter layers starting a little further down, the result is less volume on top and a less choppy feel. It’s a relaxed and casual look without being too wild.
If you’re worried the classic wolf cut is a little too much for daily wear, this wolf cut is a perfect variation.
Speaking of a little more tame… here’s an interesting take on the same idea. A sleek, straightened version of the wolf cut.
If you have thicker hair and don’t want to wear it tousled every day, you can always opt for this sleek, straightened style. Just run a flat iron over your layers and slightly turn the ends under for this look – don’t forget the heat protectant!
Long choppy layers, paired with a pair of sweeping curtain bangs make this wolf cut a good choice for those not wanting to sacrifice length for style.
Though it’s more common to see curtain bangs with a wolf cut, this full blunt fringe with this cut creates the perfect canvas for textured waves.
With shorter, wavy volume concentrated on top and longer ends that taper down, this wolf cut definitely has an edgier, punk vibe. The highlights add interest, as well.
The wolf pixie is a hybrid of the short pixie and the layered, choppy wolf cut. It’s a perfect combination of texture and volume, ideal for almost any type of hair texture.
This shoulder-length style tapers down at the ends to keep the volume concentrated on top. The result is a flattering style for thinner hair that plays up the tousled, textured ends.
This shorter version of the wolf cut is a great alternative to the longer styles. Choppy, short layers are cut around the top and progressively lengthen toward the ends. A full fringe in the front completes the look.
Coily hair looks fantastic with a shorter wolf cut due to the self-supporting texture of the hair. Short bangs balance the style and perfectly frame the face.
The shaggy wolf cut is the mullet’s much better-looking cousin, with more volume, layers, density, and texture, thanks to the cascading layers.
Nothing says fierce like bright red. There are not a lot of haircuts that can pull off color this bold, but it’s almost as if the wild wolf cut is daring you to accentuate it with color.
This wolf cut style weighs heavily on the retro shag influence of the 70s with its long, curly, flippy Farrah Fawcette-esque layers.
Because of the edgy, rocker vibe that the wolf cut exudes, a wolf cut perfectly complements bold, bright colors, so you can get away with pretty much any color your heart desires!
Wolf Cut Hair Style Ideas
A wolf cut has shorter choppy layers on the top and longer choppy layers around the sides and back. This combo gives you hair tons of volume at the crown, less at the sides, and provides lots of movement and layers throughout.
The beauty of this cut is its adaptability. It’s an organic, layered cut that will suit most hair types. It can be worn long or short, straight or curly hair and with different fringe styles.
The result is an edgy, tousled, casual cut with a rocker vibe.
While there is a lot of variation in wolf cuts, what makes a wolf cut a wolf cut is:
- Volume and lift at the roots
- Lots of short layers and tapered ends
- Curtain or blunt bangs that frame the face
- Distinctive tousled, laid-back appearance.
Will A Wolf Cut Look Good On Me?
The wolf cut is all about attitude.
A wolf cut is one of those styles you need to totally own if you want to pull it off. There’s no demure wolf, you need to embrace it fully if you want to go for it.
In that way, it’s like a pixie cut. It’s not for everyone. But if you can pull it off, it will look amazing.
There are a few things you need to consider before you make the big cut and go all in for this style.
While the wolf cut offers a fun, edgy, slightly rocker vibe that is something totally different from the long grown out covid hair we’ve all been sporting lately, there are a few drawbacks you might want to take into consideration…
Wolf Cut Drawbacks
Despite its popularity, the wolf cut has a few drawbacks you may want to take note of if you are wanting to try out this style.
Maintenance
First and foremost, you need to style a wolf cut. Despite a good wolf cut having the tousled, sexy, me-in-my-natural-state thing going on, it actually takes a lot of styling and hair products to make it look like that.
A wolf cut without product and/or heat styling will make you look like you’ve just got out of bed (not in a sexy way).
Especially for those with thin hair, the short, choppy layers will not fluff themselves and leave your hair looking limp, lifeless, and like you got a bad haircut if you don’t style it.
Even for those with thicker hair, not styling it will just make you look unkempt.
Not Suitable For Older Women
While personality will go a long way to owning a look, wolf cuts are better left to women in their teens, 20s and (maybe) early 30s.
Wolf cuts can exude effortless confidence and retro energy when done right, but what it does not exude is professionalism or maturity.
It’s Hard To Grow Out
Trends don’t last forever. And because a wolf cut is full of choppy layers, it is going to take a while to grow out. It will be difficult to style while you’re waiting for it to grow out if you want to change the style.
On the upside, you may end up with a nice collection of hats!
