If you have spent any time watching Sterling Point lately, you may have noticed yourself paying less attention to the plot and more attention to Oona’s hair. Played by Bo Bragason, the character has the kind of curly shag that looks like it should have required absolutely no effort, which is precisely why everyone wants it.

The haircut has all the ingredients of a great fall hair trend: ’70s-inspired layers, plenty of natural texture, face-framing pieces, and just enough messiness to make it feel cool rather than overly styled. 

It is shaggy, but not mullet-y. Curly, but not overly defined. Polished enough to look intentional, yet undone enough to suggest you simply woke up with fantastic hair. In other words, it may be the rare trend that actually gets better when you stop trying so hard.

 

What Exactly Is the Sterling Point Shag?

The Sterling Point haircut is essentially a long, curly shag with shorter layers concentrated around the crown and face while the length and weight remain through the back. Instead of blending every layer seamlessly together, the cut allows some separation between them, giving the curls room to move independently.

That distinction is important. This isn't a perfectly sculpted cascade of curls. Oona's hair has bounce, irregularity, flyaways and a little frizz. The texture is allowed to behave like texture, which is a big part of why the haircut feels so current.

The show's lead hairstylist Chrystal Lotz cut Bragason's hair after allowing the curls to air dry, making it possible to see where the natural texture would fall around the face. Hairstylist DJ Quintero similarly emphasizes that the cut is about creating a framework for the hair's natural movement rather than forcing it into a predetermined shape. 

 

 

Why Everyone Suddenly Wants One

The shag has been circling beauty trends for years, but the Sterling Point version feels different from the heavily feathered, ultra-styled shags we've seen before.

For one, it embraces curls. The shorter crown layers create lift and movement, while the longer pieces keep the overall silhouette from becoming too cropped. The face-framing layers give the cut that instantly recognizable shaggy shape without requiring a fringe.

And then there's the television effect. Sterling Point has arrived at exactly the right moment for a haircut that feels a little nostalgic, a little rebellious and extremely easygoing. The series' cottage-country setting only makes the undone texture feel more desirable. Suddenly, slightly unruly curls aren't something to tame. They're the whole point.

 

The Secret Is in the Layers

If you're taking the Sterling Point shag to your stylist, don't simply ask for "a shag." Bring a photo of Bo Bragason's haircut and be specific about what you want the layers to do.

Ask for a long curly shag with shorter layers through the crown, plenty of face-framing and movement, while keeping the overall length. You also want visible separation between the layers rather than everything being blended into one seamless shape. That's what gives the cut its bounce and that slightly wild, almost windswept quality. 

Your curl pattern should also be part of the conversation. The same basic cut can work on waves, loose curls and tighter curls, but the layering needs to account for how much the hair will spring up. With tighter curls, for example, a stylist needs to be more thoughtful about shrinkage before taking significant length off.

The best version of this haircut should look like your hair, only with much better architecture.

 

Don't Overstyle It

This might be the most important part. The Sterling Point shag is not the haircut to attack with a round brush, curling iron and enough hairspray to make every curl behave.

For Bo Bragason's Oona, Lotz leaned into the actress's natural texture rather than trying to manufacture a perfect curl pattern. She saturated the hair with a mixture of Virtue Leave-In Conditioner and water, then worked in Pattern Moisture Milk and finger-coiled the curls individually. The hair was gently diffused without disturbing the curls until it was about 80 percent dry, then left to air-dry completely. Once dry, Lotz used RŌZ Santa Lucia Oil to loosen any curls that had ended up a little too springy.

Virtue Leave-In Conditioner

 

 

Pattern Moisture Milk

That last step is key to the look. Instead of breaking up the curls while they're still wet or trying to make every ringlet identical, the styling preserves the natural shape and then softens anything that looks too uniform once the hair is fully dry. The result is defined, but not overly precious.

RŌZ Santa Lucia Styling Oil

The lightweight oil is particularly useful here because Bragason's hair is fine, and Lotz specifically says she avoided anything too heavy. For thicker hair, she recommends Pattern Styling Cream with the same general technique. 

The bigger lesson is that the Sterling Point shag isn't really about achieving perfect curls. It's about giving natural texture enough shape and definition to look intentional, then leaving enough imperfection for the haircut to have some personality.

 

What About Frizz?

Here's where the Sterling Point shag asks you to reconsider your relationship with frizz.

A little fuzz around the crown actually contributes to the haircut's personality. On the show, Lotz deliberately embraced the humidity-driven frizz of Ontario's summers rather than trying to make every curl perfectly controlled. 

Of course, there's a difference between intentional texture and hair that feels dry or unruly. If your curls need a little extra polish, try a lightweight curl cream rather than piling on a heavy oil. The aim is to soften and define the hair while keeping the airy quality that makes the shag look modern.

This is also why the cut can be surprisingly forgiving between wash days. Mist the curls with a little water, scrunch them back into shape and add a touch of styling product where needed. Some pieces being looser than others is not a styling emergency. It's part of the look.

 

It Works Beyond One Curl Pattern

One of the best things about this haircut is that you don't need Bo Bragason's exact texture to wear it.

Wavy hair can take on a softer, more feathered interpretation, with the layers encouraging bends and movement. Looser curls can lean into the voluminous, piece-y shape of the original. Tighter curls can make the silhouette even more dramatic, although the cut should be tailored carefully around shrinkage and density.

The defining feature isn't a particular curl type. It's movement.

That's also what separates the Sterling Point shag from some of the more rigid haircut trends of the last few years. It doesn't ask your hair to become something it isn't. Instead, it gives your natural texture a shape to play with.

 

The Haircut to Put on Your Fall Mood Board

Maybe the reason this haircut has caught on so quickly is that it feels like a little rebellion against perfect hair. It doesn't demand uniform curls or painstaking styling. It looks better with movement, better with a little air-dry texture and arguably better when one curl decides to do something completely different from the rest.

Bring a picture of Oona's hair to your next salon appointment, ask for a long curly shag with crown layers and face-framing pieces, and then let your texture do the rest.

After all, the whole Sterling Point appeal is looking like you didn't try too hard. The haircut should follow suit.

 

 

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