30 Best Shoulder Length Curly Hair Ideas

Medium-length curly haircuts give you the best of both worlds — manageable hair that’s not too short and not too long. From loose waves to tight coils, your options are endless when it comes to mid-length curly hair. We’ve rounded up 30 gorgeous hairstyles to...

  • 8 min read
30 Best Shoulder Length Curly Hair Ideas

Medium-length curly haircuts give you the best of both worlds — manageable hair that’s not too short and not too long. From loose waves to tight coils, your options are endless when it comes to mid-length curly hair. We’ve rounded up 30 gorgeous hairstyles to inspire your next look, so get ready to turn heads with your luscious ringlets.

Shoulder-length haircuts are a great way to create volume while maintaining some length and versatility. If wearing your hair up is an important part of your lifestyle, medium length is perfect for decreasing weight and enhancing your curls without sacrificing convenience.”

expert-photo

Sarah D’Angelo Stylist * *

1. Jet Black Curls

This medium-length curly hairstyle gives a distinctive exotic vibe, hot and fiery. So, if black is your natural hair color and you don’t mind turning heads, consider getting gorgeous curls like in this pic.

Shiny Medium Natural Curly Hairstyle

2. Curly Shag Cut

If you’re endowed with manageable natural curls, a sassy shag might be your way to go. First, a layered cut is the best thing you can do with your curls to achieve ultimate curl definition. Second, this cut works wonders adding volume to your hair.

Mid Length Voluminous Thick Curls@slickback_buttahtoast

3. Medium Length Curly Cut for Thin Hair

Whether you have naturally curly hair or have had a perm done, if you have fine hair – a mid-length haircut is a great option. Unlike long hair, this cut keeps curls bouncy and voluminous, while blonde highlights add extra dimension.

Toasted Blonde Curly Shag with Bangs@christinemacarthur_

4. Curly Lob with Highlights

Thick, curly hair can benefit from a shorter cut like a lob. It helps reduce weight, making for bouncier, voluminous curls. Copper blonde highlights on a dark base are an excellent way to make your natural texture stand out.

Curly Midi Hair with Highlights and Lowlights@jerseycurlsalon

5. Ginger Curls

If you want your medium-length curly hair to turn heads, color it bright! This glowing palette of reds is the right choice, highlighting your beautiful curl pattern, making your inner goddess thrive.

Messy Layered Ginger Curls@mo_safi_

6. Champagne Blonde Medium Length Hair

While long hair might seem high-maintenance to naturally curly girls, a medium-length cut saves the day. Undoubtedly, shoulder-length hair takes less time and product and results in defined, bouncy curls. To spice the whole style up, choose a head-turning blonde shade and add curly bangs.

Shoulder Grazing Beige Blonde Curls@_themaneroom

7. Dark Brown Mid Length Curls

If you’re the happy owner of natural curls searching for ways to make your gift more defined, look no further than a shoulder-length cut. To make your skin glow, add some highlights but make sure they’re not high contrast. This way, your hair will look elegant and classy.

Defined Highlighted Walnut Brown Curls@slickback_buttahtoast

8. Mid Length Cut for Wavy Hair

The longer the hair, the less distinctive the curls. Fair enough, since curls tend to straighten under their weight, making natural waves nearly flat if you wear them long. Conversely, a shoulder-length cut helps remove weight, letting your waves go wild.

Big Short Curled Bob with Highlights@curlpop

9. Gorgeous Curly Bob

Loose curls look particularly hot on a jet-black bob. For voluminous and defined curls, ask your stylist for long layers. Layered haircuts are a great choice to spice up your naturally curly texture!

Natural Wavy Black Bob Hairstyle@nevilleromanzammit

10. Medium Length Wavy Hair with Wispy Bangs

Curly girls know that if you decide to wear your curls long, the extra volume will require extra effort. In cases where you want effortless volume, consider a medium-length cut. Or you can even go further and add shorter layers on top – they’re sure to lift your curls.

Long Volume Boosting Cut for Curly Hair@salsalhair

11. Side Parted Curly Bob

Here’s another vivid example of a mid-length cut instantly transforming curly hair. It looks flirty and cute, and, of course, it’s a hundred times more voluminous. And that’s not all: to make your mane look even fuller, leverage a side part.

Volumized Wavy Curly Lob with Ombre@sarabotsfordhair

12. Curly Bob with Bangs

Curly hairstyles are adored for looking incredibly cute, but nothing can beat curly bangs in the cuteness race. We bet a head full of big bouncy curls won’t leave you unnoticed!

Fun Messy Shag with Big Curls@slickback_buttahtoast

13. 80’s Curly Hairstyle

If you’re a fan of vintage hairstyles and a curly girl at the same time, consider immersing yourself in the booming 80s. A curly shag cut with sassy curly bangs is the right style to make some noise!

Mushroom Brown Curly Midi Shag@malcolmcleavoncuts

14. Medium Length Blonde Curls

Fine curls love being shoulder-length, as it helps them become lighter and more voluminous. To keep your curls looking well-groomed and defined, use a light, flexible gel that reduces frizz.

Medium Blonde Curly Style with Glasses@sharonlytle

15. Voluminous Curls

While long curls are beautiful, they often require extra time and effort to keep them in a beautiful shape, which could be a challenge for a woman living in this fast-paced world. The good news is that you can always cut your curls shorter. Short layers combined with the right styling product will immediately make them look more defined without having to go the extra mile.

Shoulder Length Comb Over Curly Hairstyle@rodrigovizu

16. Classic Curly Bob

A classic bob cut is one of the best options for medium-length curly hair. It looks feminine and cute and will never go out of vogue. What’s more, such a length allows for conveniently tucking your ringlets in an updo for your yoga class or a night out.

Brunette Bob with Messy S Curls@giboazhair

17. Natural Curls with Caramel Highlights

Natural curly hairstyles look absolutely charming! You can add more volume and definition to your natural curls by opting for a shoulder-length cut. To make your skin glow and highlight your facial features, consider spicing up your hair with warm caramel highlights.

Medium Natural Curly Spirals@rodrigocintra

18. Medium Length Curly Hair with Bangs

A medium-length haircut with curly bangs is an excellent choice for balancing elongated face shapes. Loose curls create extra volume at the sides, while bangs do a perfect job of adding interest.

Shoulder Length Bronde Curly Shag@livinitup

19. Dark Brown Curly Hair

Sometimes you need a haircut to reveal a curly girl, and thick hair can create excessive weight, elongating your curl pattern. On the other hand, a medium-length layered haircut can reduce thickness, letting your ringlets pop!

Medium Shag for Wavy Curly Hair@beautiful_by_natalie

20. Romantic Ringlets

This romantic, tousled look is the perfect haircut to unleash your inner princess. Tight ringlets are beautifully complemented with cute, curly bangs featuring playful golden blonde highlights.

Shiny Black Curls with Blonde Accents@lcs.hairdesign

21. Beachy Waves

Medium-length hair is the perfect base for a laid-back wavy hairstyle. The great news is that it’s a breeze to achieve on various textures, including straight hair. The secret lies in the right product applied to damp hair. And yes, this curly hairstyle looks fantastic on hair with blonde highlights.

Medium Thin Blonde Curls with Black Roots@hair_by_laurenmichael

22. Copper Red Curly Hair

While mid-length curls look more voluminous than long curly hair, you can also highlight your beautiful texture with the right shade. We can’t take our eyes off this juicy copper color but keep in mind your new shade should suit your skin tone and eye color.

Long Chocolate and Caramel Curly Hairstyle@pamela_cabelos

23. Fancy Shag for Thick Curls

If you’re in search of an impressive, head-turning look, this glamorous, Hollywood-inspired shoulder-length curly hairstyle has you covered! Big curls make this hair stand out, while the intense black dots the i’s and crosses the t’s on this chic look.

Mystic Big Charcoal Curls@curlpop

24. Rock Star Curly Haircut

Why not let your inner rock star out and embrace the perfectly disordered curls on your head? To replicate this, you’ll need a mid-length cut with multiple layers and fluffy bangs.

Mid Length Wavy Cut for Round Faces@brentdanielbasore

25. Medium Length Curly Hair with Side Swept Bangs

Without any doubt, a shoulder-length cut is the best way to rock natural curls. If you want to add some drama to your look, try side parting and long side-swept bangs. By the way, this is also an excellent solution to balance out a round face shape.

Long Curly Shag with Layers@curliqueyaraabdeen

26. Shoulder Length Cut for Fine Hair

Fine hair is notorious for lacking volume, which is where curls come into play. While a perm can help you create additional volume, a mid-length cut with long layers adds movement and even more volume!

Thin Curly Caramel Lob for Green Eyes@nubiarezo

27. Layered Curly Haircut

Curly girls often overlook haircuts that can make their natural curls appear even more beautiful. Here’s a great example of how a layered shoulder-length cut can enhance your naturally curly texture.

Shoulder Grazing Thin Curly Shag@bareeminimum

28. Mid Length Curly Cut for Salt and Pepper Hair

While most curly women with graying tresses prefer to wear short curls, you can always experiment with length and try a shoulder-length cut. However, remember to keep your hair well-maintained by getting regular trims and using purple shampoos to avoid brassy, yellow tones.

Gray Blonde Curly Hairstyle with Lowlights@joanna_artistry

29. Curly Bob with Deep Side Part

Medium-length haircuts are a great way to remove old chemical and heat damage, revealing your beautiful natural texture. When it’s time for a big chop, consider this gorgeous style to remove any dead weight that is not serving you or your curls. This cut could be just the beginning, inspiring big changes in your life!

Shoulder Grazing Bob with Messy Curls@leidy.retro

30. Curly Shag Cut with Bangs

This chic curly shag is one of the best hairstyles if you’re looking to add texture and movement to your appearance. With its irresistible vintage vibe, it’s sure to make a statement.

Rounded Black Natural Curly Shag@ruteboazhair

As you can see, medium-length curly hairstyles are incredibly versatile. Every woman can find the perfect style to compliment her curls and personality. Experiment with texture and hair color and add bangs or face-framing layers to create a unique, eye-catching look.

Comment

Disqus comment here

Recommended for You

10 Banana Clip Hairstyles to Rock in 2025

10 Banana Clip Hairstyles to Rock in 2025

The traditional banana clip for hair is sort of a relic of the past but has made a recent comeback. It was often worn in the 80’s in Starlite movies, by models in ads and fashionistas of the day. And it made their hair appear longer, fuller and thicker even when...

10 Best Hair Shine Products for Smooth and Glossy Hairstyles

10 Best Hair Shine Products for Smooth and Glossy Hairstyles

Have you ever wondered how celebrities and models get diamond-glossy hair on red carpets, music videos, and even on “I just woke up” Instagram pictures? Well, we all want that hair! As a professional stylist, I have some lucky finds in my arsenal. These products...