women · layers
Octopus Haircut: What It Is and WhoIt Suits
The octopus haircut has a full, layered crown and thinner, piece-y lengths below. Here is how it compares with a wolf cut and shag, who it suits, and how to ask for it.
Hairover Team
The octopus haircut is a layered cut with shorter, fuller layers around the crown and longer, thinner, piece-y lengths underneath. The name describes the shape: a rounded “head” of volume on top and “tentacles” of separated hair below. It’s a close cousin of the shag and the wolf cut, with a stronger contrast between top and bottom.
It suits people who want volume and texture without going short.
Octopus vs. wolf cut vs. shag vs. jellyfish
- Shag: layers throughout, softer and more blended, with volume at the crown.
- Wolf cut: shaggy and choppy, with lots of height on top and a slightly mullet-like back.
- Octopus: a fuller, rounded crown and noticeably thinner, separated lengths below.
- Jellyfish: a blunt, short tier sitting on long, blunt hair, with a hard line rather than layers. See our jellyfish haircut guide.
Who an octopus haircut suits
Hair type: medium to thick, straight or wavy hair is ideal. The crown layers create volume, and the lengths separate easily into pieces. On fine hair, ask for longer crown layers so the top doesn’t look sparse.
Face shape: volume at the crown lengthens the face, so it suits round and square faces well. On long faces, keep the crown layers lower and add curtain bangs to break up the length.
Length: shoulder length to mid-back. The longer the hair, the more dramatic the contrast.
How to ask for an octopus haircut
“Shorter, rounded layers around the crown, like a short shag on top, with longer lengths underneath that are texturized so they separate into pieces. Keep my length at the back.”
Show photos from the side and back, since that’s where the shape shows most.
Styling
Apply texture spray or a light mousse to damp hair. Rough-dry the crown with your fingers for lift, then scrunch or twist the lengths so they separate. A small amount of styling cream on the ends defines the piece-y tentacles. It’s built for air-drying, so a full blow-dry isn’t necessary.
Upkeep
Trim every eight to ten weeks to keep the crown layers rounded. As they grow, the cut softens into a long shag, which is an easy grow-out.
Related guides
Try it on your own photo
Volume at the crown changes your silhouette more than you might expect. Hairover’s Style Studio lets you try layered cuts on your own photo before you book. See how hairstyle try-on works.
FAQ
What is an octopus haircut?
A layered cut with shorter, fuller layers around the crown (the octopus's head) and longer, thinner, piece-y lengths below (the tentacles). It is a cousin of the shag and the wolf cut.
Octopus haircut vs. wolf cut, what is the difference?
A wolf cut has lots of volume on top and a choppy, shaggy finish all over, often with a mullet-like shape. An octopus cut has a clearer contrast between the fuller top and the thinner, separated lengths below.
Does the octopus haircut work on thin hair?
It can make thin hair look fuller on top, but the lengths underneath may look sparse. Ask for longer crown layers and less thinning on the ends.
Is the octopus haircut high-maintenance?
Not very. It is meant to look textured and undone, so it suits air-drying with a texture spray. Trims every eight to ten weeks keep the crown layers in shape.
