Medium-length haircuts strike the perfect balance between long and short, offering a versatile and attractive option for those seeking a stylish hairstyle. This length is especially beneficial for those with thinning or fine hair, as it can create the illusion of thicker locks.
To make the most of a medium-length cut, it’s essential to consider your face shape and personal preferences. This may mean incorporating face-framing layers or voluminous curls and waves. Luckily, professional stylists helped us curate a selection of nine medium haircuts that are both chic and sophisticated, offering a fresh and updated look for spring.
Read on for suggestions and tips from the pros: Ghanima Abdullah, hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles, Gina Rivera, celebrity hair stylist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites, Cindy Marcus, professional hair stylist and editor-in-chief of Latest Hairstyles and Lauren Udoh, hair stylist and hair creative director of WigReports and Arrogant Smith, professional hair stylist and hair consultant at KES Wigs.
9 Face-Framing, Voluminous, Medium-Length Haircuts For Spring 2024
1. Lob With Curtain Bangs
A lob (a.k.a. long bob) paired with center-parted curtain bangs is a look that never goes out of style for a reason, Abdullah says. "Curtain bangs are often used to frame the face and specifically, to give it a youthful appearance," she explains.
She notes that these bangs, which January Jones rocks above, "are a classic baby-doll look" that also looks great on "mature women." The style, she says, is easy to achieve and "looks great on everyone and on most hair types."
Curtain bangs ultimately can "hide thinning at the crown and make your face appear smaller and slimmer when they come down to cheek level," she points out.
If you want longer curtain bangs and to keep your length overall, pairing them with a lob rather than a bob or pixie is a great way to maintain the long look you want without sacrificing volume.
2. Asymmetrical Lob
If you want a cut with plenty of volume and a standout quality, look no further. Rivera swears by a blunt asymmetrical lob for women over 40 especially, as seen on Gal Gadot, due to its ability to "keep the fullness at the ends which is great for fine, thin hair." When dealing with thin hair with age, she says, you want to "avoid hairstyles that have a lot of layers, as this can make the hair collapse and appear thinner."
Lobs are also great, she says, because you can "add volume by styling them appropriately." Blunt hairstyles can make hair appear fuller. "A good rule of thumb is keeping the length from shoulders and above, she advises.
She suggests a deep-parted asymmetrical lob to try since its "changing lengths in the hair make it a very trendy and current style," while also being timeless.
3. Shaggy Bob With Sideswept Bangs
A shag is an "amazing cut that is well-recognized for being versatile," Rivera says. A quintessential shaggy cut, as seen here on Taylor Swift, offers "nice variations for both longer and shorter hair," Rivera points out. She notes that the choice to "add a bang," and especially a voluminous, side-swept fringe can "add a fresh surprise to this look," Rivera suggests.
For women with longer hair, she says that "an added choice is to shorten the hair up a bit to the collarbone or above" to create some texture, and adding subtle layers to soften.
Abdullah recommends adding wispy sideswept bangs to this hairdo for not only a more radiant look overall, but also to hide any thinning or hair loss at the crown. Bangs that move off to the side, she says look "very youthful and fresh."
4. Wispy Layered Shag
This shaggy wolf lob, as Marcus tells us, is one to watch for spring and summer 2024 trends, as it is flattering, edgy and can suit thicker hair types or textures. “One popular look for spring and summer is a shaggy lob,” she says. “The lob is certainly making a comeback, however many are changing this look to a more modernized style. The layered lob is an example of this.”
She adds that the layers, seen here on Halle Berry, will “provide movement and create a stylish, flirty yet age appropriate look.” This style would work well on women with thicker hair, as “over layering fine hair will actually provide the opposite outcome,” she stresses. “This look is for someone looking for movement and texture at a shorter length,” she points out.
5. Wavy Lob with Deep Side Part
If you have center-parted, fine hair and want to increase volume instantly, Abdullah recommends opting for a deep, Old Hollywood-esque side part, like Rose Byrne (above). When it comes to lobs, she says: "try a side part instead, as you can move the hair from one side to the other, as you wish."
The added hair going over will increase "volume in the area as well," she adds, especially if your hair is "used to being parted down the center." This trick is also great for "hiding signs of thinning in the crown area," where many women notice thinning and hair loss, she goes on.
"Having a deep side part really brings on the glamor, especially if you've had recent coloring added," she also points out. Another bonus is that this works for any hair texture, as wavy or curlier tresses will also look "elegant" with a side-parted lob, she says.
6. Textured 'Mob' Cut
You're already familiar with the classic 'bob' and its longer cousin the 'lob,' so the 'mob' refers to a 'medium bob,' Udoh explains. She deems it to be a "sleek and stylish choice for many occasions." It's a versatile cut, she adds, that looks "great on almost any face shape and hair type." (See here on Cate Blanchett).
While traditional bobs often end at the chin and lobs fall at the collarbone, the 'mob' ends in the middle of the neck. "The mob cut can be adjusted to complement your features and create an attractive silhouette," Udoh adds.
This not-too-long and also not-too-short cut provides "volume at the crown, with textured layers that frame the face nicely while still maintaining an easy-to-manage style," she points out!
7. Feathery Lob with Curtain Fringe
This cut is longer than your typical bob, but not quite mid-length, and it can really add volume to thin hair with curtain bangs added in, Rivera says. "A lob with a lot of texture is always a great look,” Rivera says. “The texture," she goes on, allows for a "lot of movement and it can be worn fuller than a blunt, flat bob, which results in softening the features.”
Selena Gomez's wavy, subtle layering and center-parted fringe also promote symmetry and naturally make the hair look thicker, Abdullah notes. Curtain bangs, as noted before, are a classic look for anyone with fine hair as they instantly promote symmetry in the face as well as volume, Abdullah recommends.
8. Middle-Parted Wavy Lob
This style certainly heads into ‘lob’ [long bob] territory, Marcus says, as it may not exactly be chin-length or past the collarbone either. If you’re accustomed to having longer hair and wish to try out a shorter length, she notes.
Margot Robbie’s ‘do might be the perfect transitional and experimental cut for you. “This longer-styled, layered lob is still a popular look,” she says, as it “creates texture and can be worn smooth and sleek or curled.”
Marcus adds that this center-parted wavy lob in particular is great for anyone with fine hair, as they can “wear this look as a more smooth and polished style to enhance volume.”
9. Italian Lob
If you're looking for a haircut that can make your best features pop while giving your mane an extra boost of volume and bounce, look no further than the Italian lob cut. This style is inspired by Old Hollywood and is a 'do that stylish stars likeZendayaare currently opting for.
The Italian lob takes the traditional lob cut to new heights with chunky blunt ends that create an airy, voluminous look that's never heavy or bulky. It also has just the right amount of length to allow for easy styling options as it's long enough to tie up, but short enough to be worn as is.
"This style flatters all face shapes but especially looks great on round faces because of its edge-defining properties," Smith says. "The shape can be customized to individual preferences to create an ultra-flattering look for any occasion." The more you know!
