We know school hasn't officially commenced just yet, but allow us to introduce you to an equation for the perfect haircut [3] you're gonna want to know this fall. That is, the choppy layers of a shag + the length of a bob + blunt ends [4] = the "bobcat" cut, the coolest new iteration of the infamous "wolf cut" trend [5] you saw all over TikTok this year. Write that one down.
According to Sunnie Brook [6], celebrity hairstylist and global ambassador for Biolage [7], this style is a much shorter version of the "wolf cut" – and is even more versatile. "The layers around the face are the same, but the length hits above the shoulders and is blunt, with the soft halo of face-framing layers in a rounded shape and through the crown," she told POPSUGAR. "These cuts are great because they look cool on straight, wavy, or curly hair textures [8] and give a ton of style versatility."
For a softer take on the "bobcat cut," you can ask your stylist to add an A-line shape [9] on the lengths of your bob with fluffy, soft edges. As for styling, it couldn't be easier: for wavy or straight hair, "I like to air-dry or diffuse [10] with a beach spray so it falls in its natural shape and then add a few flat iron waves to give it texture and movement," said Brook. "On a curlier texture, I'll use the flat iron to press parts of the hair straight or lengthen the curls to give it a more lived-in, rocker vibe."
Unlike a class curriculum, there is no "by the books" way to acing this cut. In fact, it's that perfectly imperfect look that makes the "bobcat" haircut impossible cool. Queue up your virtual notepad and see for yourself ahead.