The wolf-cut hairstyle might look choppy and unfinished to the untrained eye, but it is one of the most fashionable ways to complete your style.
The wolf cut hairstyle is a complex and stylish look with over 1.7 billion views on TikTok and over 1.1 billion on Instagram last year.
Worn by celebs like Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, and Keke Palmer, the Wolf Cut hairstyle is critical to alternative fashion styles, such as Punk, Grunge, Rock, Metal, and Goth.
In this article, I’ve curated the trendiest wolf cut hairstyle variations to inspire your next vibe: chic, glam, edgy, or sensual; we’ve got you covered.
1. Wolf Cut Short Hairstyle
Compared to longer hair, where the short wolf haircut is less precise, the short wolf cut stands out, appearing extra choppy and layered.
However, the ‘undone appearance’ is effortlessly cool and will let you enjoy experimenting with different hair colors and effects.
2. Korean Wolf Cut Hairstyle
The Korean wolf cut went viral in late 2022 thanks to the Netflix series Squid Game.
Defined by a natural essence with extra choppiness and texture, the Korean wolf cut is becoming one of the most popular Korean fashion trends.
Framed by soft and graduate layers around the face, the Korean wolf cut is a favorite with US, UK, and Korean celebrities.
The Korean wolf cut style is shorter in the front and tapered in the back, like a mullet.
3. Long Wolf Cut Hairstyle
Inspired by the 70s Rock fashion, the extended wolf cut is a more stylish and creative version of a mullet.
Inspired by the choppy texture of a mullet, the extended wolf cut follows a similar pattern and shape but has the softness and wearability of a shag cut.
The secret to a stylish-looking long-hair wolf cut is the many choppy and chunky layers.
4. Curly Wolf Cut Hairstyle
Curly hair, full of volume and movement, is ideal for wolf cuts, which complement the style’s layers.
Interestingly enough, many readers with straight hair who love having a curly wolf hairstyle asked how to approach it best: perm, no perm, cut, die, maintenance, and so on.
Personally, I recommend investing in a high-quality, short curly wig like the ones below.
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Cheaper than a full haircut, treatment, and styling, these wigs are designed to provide maximum volume and bounce.
The curly wolf cut creates a blended and subtle look, with the curls adding extra softness to your appearance.
With curly wolf cuts, you must let the bangs fall gently across your face while highlighting your best features.
You can also craft curls by stacking them on top and trimming them toward the bottom.
5. Layered Wolf Cut Hairstyle
The layered wolf cut hairstyle features choppy layers on top and longer layers around the sides of your head.
Inspired by the Glam Rock look popular throughout the 1970s fashion, the layered wolf cut concentrates volume on the top half of the head, becoming thinner toward the hair ends.
6. Wolf Cut Hairstyle With Curtain Bangs
By default, the wolf cut uses short layers to frame the face.
As such, you’ll often see this style accompanied by longer curtain bangs.
The reason for using curtain bangs in company with the wolf cut is to create heaps of volume at the back of the head for a super polished look.
7. Straight Wolf Cut Hairstyle
The wolf cut works exceptionally well on straight hair, particularly the thin stands.
The wolf cut is designed for volume, so thin, straight hair develops nicely with bunches of flattering, shaggy layers.
Moreover, straight hair allows the variable lengths of your cut to add body and style to the overall ensemble.
8. Shaggy Wolf Cut Hairstyle
The shaggy wolf cut is a creative hairstyle that blends a shag and a mullet cut.
The shaggy wolf cut style has short layers on the top of the head that blend into curtain bangs designed to frame the face.
And for a perfect result, ensure the longer lengths are wispy with soft, airy ends that flick out.
9. Wolf Cut Wavy Hairstyle
Wavy hair wolf cuts are chops that create extra volume and body while enhancing the hair’s natural texture.
The wavy hair wolf cut is low-maintenance as it works best with natural texture and the right hair products to support the style.
10. Medium Hair Wolf Cut Hairstyle
The medium wolf cut is a hybrid, combining the choppy layers of a shag with the length and texture of a mullet on medium-length hair.
The wolf cut looks stunning on medium-length hair, as the choppy layers move around the chin and jawline while softening round face features.
11. Mullet Wolf Cut Hairstyle
Most people are confused in assuming the mullet cut is the same as the wolf cut.
In reality, wolf cuts are different from mullet hairstyles.
Despite both featuring short and heavily layered hair in the front, there’s a big difference between them due to how they’re layered.
The wolf cut is more like a shag cut, while the mullet has a more straightforward structure.
12. Wolf Cut Without Bangs Hairstyle
The general gist of a proper wolf cut is to showcase the right amount of feral and retain a relaxed, cool-girl feel.
Moreover, if you’re not into bangs, you can choose several wolf-cut styles: swooshy girl-next-door with curtain fringes, heavy rocker wolf-cut, and even elfin micro fringes.
13. Blonde Wolf Cut Hairstyle
The blonde wolf cut is a modernized version of the mullet but with extra volume to the roots for a softer, shaggy effect and face-framing layers that fall in graduating levels.
Ticking all the style requirements of the 70s and 80s looks, the blonde wolf cut can be created easily with hair products that encourage a messy, shaggy style.
FAQs
What is a Wolf Cut?
Wolf cut is a mix of two of the most drastic cuts trending in 2023: the 70s shag hairstyle, and the 80s mullet cut, in a modern reinterpretation.
A wolf haircut combines a shag haircut and a mullet, commonly created on longer hair.
It has shorter, choppy layers on the top and longer ones around the sides and back.
What Should You Know Before Getting a Wolf Cut?
Full disclaimer: it is a commitment, especially if you’re taking the layers relatively short around the crown, so it can take a while to grow out.
But, it promises months of enviable volume. Or you can create a softer wolf cut with longer layers if you want to switch it out again before the year’s out.
How to Style a Wolf Cut?
These are four ways to style a wolf cut:
- Wolf cut with bangs, a signature feature of the wolf cut – requires hot tools.
- Wolf cut with extra layers – requires dry hair products.
- Deep textured wolf cut – requires wet and molding paste hair products.
- Curly wolf cut – requires hot tools and texturizers.
Is a Wolf Cut Easy to Maintain?
One of the best things about the wolf cut is its low-maintenance needs.
The wolf cut is easy to style – just run your fingers through your hair, and you’re good to go.
If you want to add more volume or texture, you can use a sea salt spray or texturizing product.
Styling Tips
As the name suggests, the wolf cut is a little wild, thanks to the shaggy, wavy, and disconnected layers that nod to a slight mullet shape.
The shorter layers around the crown create a lot of volume, with longer layers in the back.
The wolf cut can be as extreme as you like, depending on how short or soft you decide to go with the layers and how mussy you style it.
The general gist is to look just the right amount of feral to give the style a relaxed, cool-girl feel without going so radical that it’s impossible to style.
But we’ve seen it taken in different directions with swooshy girl-next-door curtain fringes, heavy rocker bangs, and elfin micro fringes.
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Sean Flynn
Hailing from Miami Beach, Sean Flynn is a NY-based celebrity pro-hairstylist specializing in fun, custom colors. Drawing on a lifetime of hair salon moments of combining fashion, art, and style, Sean is often featured in prestigious magazines, including GQ, Forbes, New York Times, and of course, The VOU magazine.
