Medium-length hair sits at the sweet spot for many women, including plus-size women: long enough to braid, twist, or pull up when you want, short enough to style quickly when you don't. The cuts below all sit between the chin and just past the shoulders, with most concentrated at the lob (long bob), collarbone, and shoulder-length range. Face-framing pieces appear often because they flatter most facial structures. As with short hair, plus-size women don't need different categories of medium cuts than anyone else, just cuts that suit the individual face shape and personal style.
Jump to:
- Collarbone Lob With Curtain Bangs
- Shoulder-Length Shag With Choppy Layers
- Blunt Shoulder-Length Bob
- Mid-Length Wolf Cut
- Lob With Face-Framing Layers
- Shoulder Bob With Heavy Side-Swept Bangs
- Mid-Length Butterfly Cut
- Lob With Beach Waves
- Medium-Length Modern Shag With Curtain Bangs
- Lob With Inward-Curling Ends
- Shoulder-Length Cut With Heavy Blunt Bangs
- Lob With Long Side-Swept Fringe
- Mid-Length Layered Cut With Volume at the Crown
- Lob With Tucked-Behind-Ear Styling
- Medium-Length Cut With Half-Up Styling
- Lob With Soft Center Part
- Mid-Length Cut With Layered Movement
- Shoulder-Length Curly Cut
- Lob With Money Piece Highlights
- Medium-Length Cut With Heavy Layered Texture
- Lob With Polished Hollywood Waves
- Shoulder-Length Cut With Wispy Long Bangs
- Mid-Length Cut With Deep Side Part
- Lob With Choppy Movement at the Ends
Collarbone Lob With Curtain Bangs
A lob ending at the collarbone with curtain bangs sweeping outward from a center part combines the most versatile medium length with the current bangs trend. The curtain bangs add dimensional movement at the front of the face. The collarbone length sits long enough to gather into a low ponytail when needed. Daily styling with a light wand or air-dry styling works depending on the natural hair texture. Trims every six weeks.
Shoulder-Length Shag With Choppy Layers
A shag cut ending right at the shoulders with choppy layers throughout combines the trending shag silhouette with practical medium length. The choppy layers add movement and dimension. Curtain bangs at the front complete the shag silhouette. Daily styling with texture spray maintains the choppy quality. Trims every six to seven weeks. This cut works for women who prefer textured styles over polished sleek finishes.
Blunt Shoulder-Length Bob
A blunt bob ending exactly at the shoulders creates the cleanest possible medium-length statement. The shoulders catch the ends of the hair, creating visual fullness where the cut meets the body. Daily styling with smoothing serum and a flat iron pass through the ends creates the sleek finish. Trims every five to six weeks maintain the precise blunt edge. This cut suits women who want polished sleek styling at medium length.
Mid-Length Wolf Cut
The wolf cut combines elements of a 70s shag with a mullet, with heavy layering throughout the lengths and shorter face-framing pieces at the front. At medium length, the wolf cut sits between the shoulders and just past the collarbone. The dramatic layering creates volume and movement. Trims every seven to eight weeks. This cut suits women who want bold textured styling.
Lob With Face-Framing Layers
A collarbone-length lob with deliberate face-framing layers that start at the chin and curve toward the face combines medium length with strategic frame work. The face-framing layers add curved vertical lines along the cheekbones. The rest of the cut stays at lob length. Daily styling lets the face-framing pieces fall naturally or tucked behind the ears. Trims every six weeks.
Shoulder Bob With Heavy Side-Swept Bangs
A shoulder-length bob paired with heavy side-swept bangs angling across the forehead from one side to the other combines medium length with dramatic bang framing. The heavy bang weight covers substantial forehead. The shoulder length frames the face cleanly. Bangs trims every three weeks maintain the side-swept angle. The bob holds for five to six weeks.
Mid-Length Butterfly Cut
The butterfly cut, with the shortest layers at the chin and progressively longer layers cascading down to the lengths, creates the namesake winged silhouette when styled. At medium length, the butterfly cut sits at the collarbone or shoulders. The cut requires styling with a round brush or curling iron to bring out the winged shape. Trims every seven to eight weeks maintain the layered structure.
Lob With Beach Waves
A collarbone-length lob styled with deliberate beach waves throughout, achieved through wand curling or twisting damp hair into braids overnight, combines medium length with relaxed textured styling. The beach waves add dimensional movement that the lob length carries especially well. Daily styling with sea salt spray maintains the look. Trims every six weeks.
Medium-Length Modern Shag With Curtain Bangs
A modern shag cut ending at the shoulders with curtain bangs sweeping outward from a center part combines two current trends at medium length. The shag's choppy layered quality works with the curtain bangs framework. Daily styling with texture spray maintains the choppy finish. Trims every six to seven weeks. This cut suits women who prefer modern textured styles.
Lob With Inward-Curling Ends
A collarbone-length lob with the ends curled deliberately inward toward the chin combines polished medium length with classic styled finish. The inward curl creates visual weight at the perimeter of the cut. The lob length itself stays clean and versatile. Daily styling with a flat iron or one-inch curling iron creates the curl. Trims every six weeks.
Shoulder-Length Cut With Heavy Blunt Bangs
A shoulder-length cut paired with heavy blunt bangs ending right above the eyebrows combines medium length with the most graphic bang statement. The blunt-on-blunt combination creates a bold editorial finish. Bangs trims every three weeks maintain the precise blunt edge. The shoulder length itself stays clean. This cut suits women who want bold confident styling.
Lob With Long Side-Swept Fringe
A collarbone-length lob with a long side-swept fringe falling from one temple across to the opposite eyebrow combines medium length with dramatic diagonal bang framing. The side-swept direction creates strong asymmetric line work. Bangs trims every three to four weeks maintain the diagonal sweep. The lob holds for six weeks before requiring touch-up.
Mid-Length Layered Cut With Volume at the Crown
A medium-length layered cut sitting at the shoulders with deliberate volume styled at the crown combines practical medium length with dimensional height. The crown volume adds polished structure. Internal layering creates movement through the lengths. Daily styling with a round brush during blow-drying lifts the crown. Trims every six to seven weeks. This cut suits women who want medium length with structured styling.
Lob With Tucked-Behind-Ear Styling
A collarbone-length blunt lob styled with one side tucked behind the ear creates instant asymmetric exposure at medium length. The untucked side flows freely while the tucked side reveals the ear and jawline. Texture spray applied at the roots before tucking adds lift. This styling works with any standard medium-length lob cut. Trims every six weeks.
Medium-Length Cut With Half-Up Styling
Medium-length hair gathered into a half-up clip or barrette at the crown creates polished styling that takes minimes daily. The top section pulls back from the forehead, secured with a decorative clip, while the rest of the hair flows freely below. This styling adapts to casual or formal occasions depending on the clip choice. Works on any medium-length cut.
Lob With Soft Center Part
A collarbone-length lob with a clean soft center part creates the most minimalist version of medium-length hair. The center part lets both sides fall symmetrically. Daily styling involves only a paddle brush and possibly a quick wave through the lengths with a flat iron. Trims every six weeks for the lob shape. This cut suits women who prefer minimalist daily styling.
Mid-Length Cut With Layered Movement
A medium-length cut ending just past the shoulders with deliberate internal layering throughout creates dimensional movement that flatters most face shapes. The layered movement catches light at multiple angles. The just-past-shoulder length maintains versatility for both casual and styled wear. Daily styling with mousse at the roots maintains the layered movement. Trims every seven weeks.
Shoulder-Length Curly Cut
A medium-length cut on naturally curly hair, ending at the shoulders once dry, accounts for the inch or two of shrinkage that happens after washing. The shoulder length lets curls fall naturally without compression issues. Curl-defining products maintain the pattern. Trims every six to eight weeks for shape maintenance. This cut suits women with 2C through 3B curl patterns particularly well.
Lob With Money Piece Highlights
A collarbone-length lob with money piece highlights concentrated at the front face-framing pieces combines medium length with strategic color brightness. The money piece adds focal-point dimension at the front of the face. The rest of the lob stays its natural base color. Trims every six weeks. Color touch-ups every six to eight weeks on the money piece sections specifically.
Medium-Length Cut With Heavy Layered Texture
A medium-length cut at the shoulders with heavy layered texture throughout, combined with curtain bangs at the front, creates dimensional dramatic styling. The heavy layering adds movement and lift. The curtain bangs add face-framing at the front. Daily styling with texture spray and finger styling maintains the textured finish. Trims every seven weeks.
Lob With Polished Hollywood Waves
A collarbone-length lob styled with polished Hollywood waves throughout combines medium length with old-Hollywood glamour styling. The waves are formed with a large-barrel curling iron and brushed out into smooth polished movement. Setting spray maintains the wave finish. This styled look suits special occasions and dressy daily wear. Trims every six weeks for the lob shape.
Shoulder-Length Cut With Wispy Long Bangs
A shoulder-length cut paired with wispy long bangs falling past the eyebrows combines medium length with soft face framing. The wispy quality keeps the bangs light and feathery rather than heavy or blocky. The shoulder length stays versatile. Bangs trims every three to four weeks maintain the wispy length and weight.
Mid-Length Cut With Deep Side Part
A medium-length cut at the shoulders with a deep side part creates asymmetric styling that flatters most face shapes. The deep side part redirects more hair to one side, creating volume on the heavier side. Daily styling sets the part with a fine-toothed comb on damp hair. Trims every six to seven weeks. This styling works without any cutting changes.
Lob With Choppy Movement at the Ends
A collarbone-length lob with deliberately choppy texture at the ends creates dimensional movement at the bottom of the cut. The choppy ends add visual interest where the cut hits the body. The rest of the lob stays smooth. Daily styling with texture spray brings out the choppy quality. Trims every six weeks maintain the deliberate unevenness at the ends.
