20 Trendy Hairstyles 2027 for Thick Hair Including Shags and Bobs

Thick hair has a reputation for being difficult, but the real challenge is finding a cut that uses its volume instead of fighting it. The current shift favors softer, more textured shapes that let natural density work for you, not against you.

These 20 Trendy Hairstyles for Thick Hair range from short, stacked bobs to long, layered cuts with curtain bangs. Whether your hair is straight, wavy, or curly, each idea solves a common thick-hair struggle: a shape that feels too heavy, layers that disappear, or bangs that refuse to cooperate.

01. Wavy Thick Bob With Brown And Blonde Dimension

There is something deeply satisfying about a collarbone-length bob that doesn’t fight your natural volume. This cut uses a side part and loose waves to break up the density, while a brown base with blonde highlights adds the kind of dimension that keeps thick hair from looking like a single solid block. It is a wavy bob with highlights that reads as lived-in rather than labored. Ask your stylist for a collarbone-length wavy bob with brown and blonde highlights and a side part. The side part alone does a surprising amount of work for most face shapes, and a large-barrel curling iron is all you need to reinforce the wave pattern between trims every six to eight weeks.

02. Collarbone Length Long Layers With Volume

Long layers are the technical answer to how to keep thick hair from turning into a triangle. This cut places face-framing layers into a dark brown collarbone length, then a blowout with a round brush lifts the roots for noticeable volume. The side part helps balance fuller faces by breaking up the symmetry. Ask your stylist for a collarbone length with face-framing layers, dark brown, and a side part. The layers need a trim every eight to ten weeks to keep the shape from sinking, and a round brush is your main tool for controlling where the volume lands.

03. Shoulder Length Layers With Dark Blonde Highlights

A shoulder-length cut is a different animal than a shorter bob. Where a bob relies on weight and precision, this length trades on movement. The layers here are cut into a dark blonde base with subtle highlights, and the middle part suits oval and long faces by drawing the eye downward. Ask your stylist for a shoulder-length layered cut with dark blonde and subtle highlights and a middle part. The glossy texture comes from the blowout, not from any product trick, and the extra length means you get the swing of a longer style without the weight that can pull thick hair flat.

04. Mid-Back Copper With Stacked Layers

Stacked layers at mid-back length are a practical solution for thick hair that wants to stay long without feeling heavy. The copper color is a single shade, but the natural wavy texture and the stacked cut create movement that a solid block of color would not. Ask your stylist for a mid-back length with long stacked layers and copper color.

The wear reality is straightforward: apply a curl-defining cream and let the natural wave do the work. A trim every ten to twelve weeks keeps the stacked shape from turning into a shapeless curtain, and the back view is where this cut earns its keep. It is not a low-maintenance length, but the maintenance is predictable.

05. Shoulder Length Shag With Curtain Bangs

How do you ask for a cut that looks naturally great without requiring a salon appointment? Start with the words “shoulder-length shag with curtain bangs.” This version uses a medium brown base with subtle highlights, a middle part, and an air-dried wavy texture that leans into the natural density instead of fighting it. The prominent layers and curtain bangs soften angular faces by breaking up the hairline. Ask your stylist for a shoulder-length shag cut with curtain bangs, medium brown with subtle highlights. The specific things to request: interior layering through the crown, a soft curve on the bangs that blends into the sides, and no razoring on the ends if you want to keep the thickness visible.

06. Collarbone Length Layers With Full Fringe

A full fringe on thick hair is a commitment, not a whim. This collarbone-length cut uses long layers and loose waves to keep the weight from turning the bangs into a solid curtain. The middle part and brunette balayage add depth without overcomplicating things.

Ask your stylist for: collarbone length with long layers and a full fringe, brunette balayage. The real drawback? That fringe needs a trim every six to eight weeks, and on humid days it will do its own thing. A texturizing spray helps the waves hold their shape without looking stiff.

07. Chin Length Bob With Layered Ends And Curtain Bangs

Layered ends are the quiet hero of this chin-length bob. Thick, straight hair can look like a solid block at this length, but soft layers through the ends break up the density. The side part and curtain bangs frame the face without adding bulk. Ask your stylist for: chin length bob, layered ends, curtain bangs, side part. A round brush and a blow-dryer are all you need to keep the fringe swinging the right way. Trim the baseline every six weeks to maintain the clean line.

08. Collarbone Shag With Face-Framing Curtain Bangs

Who actually benefits from a collarbone shag with face-framing layers? Anyone with thick, wavy hair who wants movement without losing length. The curtain bangs and middle part open up the face, and the shag cut removes interior weight so the waves don’t sit like a heavy blanket. Ask your stylist for: collarbone length shag, loose waves, curtain bangs, middle part. Square and round face shapes get the most from the face-framing effect. A sea salt spray encourages the natural wave pattern without extra heat.

09. Short Layered Bob With Textured Ends

A blunt bob on thick hair can feel like wearing a helmet. This short layered bob with textured ends is the alternative. The layers remove weight through the interior, and the textured ends stop the hair from sitting as one solid shape. Ask your stylist for: short layered bob, textured ends, ear length, side part. The side view shows how the cut tapers neatly at the nape. A texturizing paste defines the ends without weighing them down. Trim every four to six weeks keeps the shape sharp.

10. Mid-Back Straight Hair With Sculpted Layers

Sculpted layers on mid-back straight hair are about control, not volume. The layers are cut to follow the body’s curve, removing enough density so the hair falls smoothly. The middle part and lighter brown highlights create subtle dimension against the dark brown base.

Ask your stylist for: mid-back length straight hair, sculpted layers, dark brown with highlights. A smoothing serum and a flat iron give the polished finish this length needs. Daily styling time is required, but the result holds until the next wash. A trim every ten to twelve weeks maintains the layer shape without losing length.

11. Layered Pixie Cut With Side-Swept Bangs

A layered pixie cut uses graduated interior layers to prevent thick, straight hair from sitting like a helmet. The side-swept bangs sweep across the forehead, and the blonde highlights add depth to the shape. Ask your stylist for: layered pixie cut, side-swept bangs, blonde with highlights. Thick hair at ear length takes well to this cut, and the side-swept bangs soften angular faces. A texturizing paste gives the layers definition, and a trim every four to six weeks keeps the silhouette sharp.

12. Mid-Back Natural Curls With Middle Parting

Wondering how to get defined, voluminous curls without heat? Start with damp, clean hair at mid-back length. Apply a curl cream from mid-lengths to ends, then part the hair down the middle. Let it air dry completely. Ask your colorist for: dark brown, mid-back length, natural coily curls. This is a DIY-friendly routine for thick curly hair, no salon visit required. The middle part lets the hair fall evenly on both sides, showing off the natural texture and volume.

13. Chin Length Bob With Side-Swept Bangs

A chin-length bob with subtle layers and side-swept bangs lands in that sweet spot between short and medium. The side-swept bangs break up the horizontal line of the bob, which softens square and round faces. Thick, wavy hair gives this cut its body. Ask your stylist for: chin length bob, subtle layers, side-swept bangs, dark brown. A round brush and blow dryer create the glossy blowout finish, and a trim every six weeks maintains the shape.

14. Collarbone Length With Face-Framing Layers

Compared to a blunt collarbone cut that can feel heavy on thick hair, this version adds soft face-framing layers that graduate around the jaw and shoulders. The layers remove weight without sacrificing density, and the middle part keeps the look symmetrical. Ask your stylist for: collarbone length with face-framing layers, dark brown, middle part. Straight, dense hair holds a smooth blowout well, with ends tucked under using a round brush. A trim every eight weeks keeps the layers from growing into a shapeless triangle.

15. Neck Length Stacked Bob

A stacked bob builds volume at the back through shorter internal layers, making it a strong choice for thick, straight hair. The neck-length cut graduates from longer at the front to shorter at the nape, and the blonde highlights add dimension to the dark brown base. Ask your stylist for: neck length stacked bob, dark brown with blonde highlights. A smoothing cream and upward blow-drying at the nape emphasize the stacked shape. The grow-out can get bulky, so a trim every six to eight weeks is necessary to maintain the silhouette.

16. Collarbone Layered Cut With Curtain Bangs

The design of this cut relies on internal layering that lets the curtain bangs blend into the hair instead of sitting as a separate piece. For thick wavy hair at collarbone length, the layers remove weight from the interior so the waves can move freely without the ends turning into a solid triangle. Ask your stylist for: collarbone length layered cut, curtain bangs, middle part. The dark brown base keeps the look polished, and the blowout styling reinforces the shape. A round brush on the bangs during drying sets the curve. A trim every six to eight weeks maintains the curtain bangs and the clean collarbone line.

17. Collarbone Length Layers With Curtain Bangs

Wondering how to request curtain bangs that actually work with thick straight hair? The key is specifying soft layers through the length, not just a fringe. Ask your stylist for: collarbone length with soft layers and curtain bangs, side part. The subtle lighter highlights add dimension without creating a stripe, so the hair looks glossy. The side parting shifts the curtain bangs to sit asymmetrically, which keeps the thick texture from feeling heavy across the forehead. A smoothing serum and a round brush blowout are enough to finish it. Plan for a trim every six to eight weeks to keep the bangs at the right angle.

18. Mid-Back Curly Shag With Curtain Bangs

A shag cut on a curly mid-back length is a calculated trade-off. The layers create the pyramid of volume you see here, but that same shape requires regular maintenance to stop the curls from expanding into a wide triangle. The curtain bangs soften the transition from forehead to length, and the air-dried finish saves heat damage. Ask your stylist for: mid-back length curly shag, voluminous curls, curtain bangs.

This cut works best for casual everyday wear when you want the curls to do the work. The drawback is the grow-out period: once the layers grow past their ideal point, the top can look disconnected from the ends. A trim every eight to ten weeks keeps the shag structure intact.

19. Collarbone Choppy Bob With Loose Waves

A choppy bob differs from a classic blunt bob in one important way: the ends are cut at varying lengths, so the hair moves in separate pieces rather than one solid block. This collarbone version with loose waves and a side-swept fringe works for thick hair that feels heavy in a traditional one-length bob. The balayage from darker roots to lighter ends adds depth without needing frequent root touch-ups. Ask your stylist for: collarbone length choppy bob, loose waves, side-swept fringe, balayage. A texturing spray on damp hair, followed by diffusing or air drying, sets the wave pattern. Trim every six to eight weeks to keep the choppy ends distinct.

20. Chin Length Wavy Bob With Two-Tone Colour

A chin-length bob with a grey-and-black two-tone colour makes a statement, but the upkeep is specific. The grey sections require a purple shampoo every other wash to prevent them from pulling yellow against the black base. The wavy texture and short curtain bangs soften the contrast. Ask your stylist for: chin length wavy bob, short curtain bangs, grey and black two-tone. A smoothing serum controls frizz and defines the wave pattern without weighing the hair down. Trim every six to eight weeks keeps the bob shape crisp, and the colour needs a toning appointment roughly every four weeks to keep the grey clean.

21. Final Thoughts

For thick hair, prioritize cuts with strategic layering to remove weight and enhance movement. Consider your daily styling time when choosing between blunt cuts and heavily layered styles.

• Schedule trims every 6-10 weeks to maintain shape and manage weight.
• Use texturizing sprays or dry shampoo for lived-in styles.
• Invest in a good quality boar bristle brush for smoothing thick hair.
• Consider deep conditioning treatments monthly to maintain hair health.

Embrace your thick hair’s natural assets with a cut designed for its unique texture.