#1: Brown Rachel Hair with Thick Layers
Rich brunette brown hair styled with a Rachel-inspired haircut pays perfect homage to the layered hairstyles of the 90s. The term was coined after the popularized tv series Friends first aired. The haircut features a medium-length style with many flipped-out layers at the cheeks and neckline. This haircut can create the illusion of thicker hair.
#2: Straight Face-Framing Layered Cut
Think about the classic style of a layered cut that frames the face. The main focus of this hairstyle is where it angles from the chin and blends into the outer edges. Minimal layering will help keep your cut looking smooth and shiny. Giving your hair a blow dry with a new smoothing spray and a big round brush can yield great results.
#3: Tousled Brunette Shag with Blonde Highlights
A tousled brunette shag with blonde highlights is a dynamic hairstyle. It blends the richness of brunette tones with blonde highlights placed strategically. The cut brings texture and movement around the eyes and cheekbones. The highlights add depth and dimension. This results in a stylish, low-maintenance hairstyle that suits various face shapes.
#4: Voluminous Modern Rachel Cut
Here’s a voluminous, modern take on Rachel’s haircut. It’s like Jennifer Aniston’s cut met Cindy Crawford’s blowout. For a square face shape, adding in rounded layers with lots of body and soft curls helps to soften the edges. Use hot rollers or a round brush, and lightly spray the roots with hairspray for hold. This style will offer the voluminous look of the 90’s haircut.
#5: Dimensional Layered Flick Hairstyle
Upgrade to a dimensional layered flick hairstyle. The multi-tones crafted by dimensional color add depth and interest to your style. If you want your long hair to move and flick, get long layers and shape the layers to start about chin length. Dry your hair using a medium-sized round brush with a metal barrel, applying a volumizing lotion for extra lift. For more bounce, use a 1-inch curling iron on the ends for an enticing finish.
#6: Short Hair with Bouncy Layers and Bangs
Short hair with bouncy layers and bangs is a youthful hairstyle that adds volume and movement. The layers create a lived-in texture, while the bangs add a flattering shape to the eyes and cheekbones. This versatile and stylish look is easy to maintain and suits various face shapes, making it a popular haircut style for many young, and trendy people.
#7: Golden Blonde Rachel Hair
Get a 90s-inspired golden blonde haircut, similar to the style popularized by the character Rachel. The haircut features concentrated layers around the face, which softens the face shape and defines the cheekbones and jawline. Softness around the jawline is especially helpful for square and rectangular face shapes. The layers are shorter towards the front of your face and become longer towards the back of your head. The haircut includes shorter, face-framing layers that enhance the look of a basic ponytail. Opting for golden tones helps to create a lighter, brighter look for your blonde without looking brassy.
#8: Layered Shag with Thick Bangs
A layered haircut with shorter pieces around the face is a great style. Adding crown layers incorporates shag-like layers and a thick bang. A 70s-inspired haircut can flatter an oval face. Thick bangs with a soft edge add a touch of edge.
#9: ’90s Wispy Layered Cut with Arched Bangs
A wispy layered cut with arched bangs pays homage to the iconic hairstyles of the 1990s. The cut has many piecey layers that softly cascade to frame the face. The arched bang adds a flair of playfulness and nostalgia as it frames the face. This style recalls the ’90s spirit, offering a stylish look for those who love retro charm.
#10: Wavy Copper Butterfly Cut
A gorgeous wavy hair cut in a butterfly style with copper color is the perfect look for fall. This style includes dramatic face-framing layers and a soft, large-scale blowout. A vivid copper hair color is a gorgeous bright-toned hair color packed with lots of depth and dimension.
#11: Medium Thick Hair with Long Curtain Fringe
If you have medium-thick hair and want a style that suits your hair type, try a soft face frame. A long curtain fringe is the perfect haircut! Thick or coarse hair can feel overwhelming. That’s why embracing a medium-length style is a great option. You can pair a curtain bang with this look. Curtain bangs can make your cheeks appear slimmer and add interest to your overall haircut.
#12: Face-Framing Rachel Cut with Feathered Layers
A face-framing cut with feathery layers that were inspired by style gives a soft, romantic twist to a traditional haircut. Adding face-framing layers significantly changes your overall haircut, especially when paired with varied color hues. Use a soft blowout to achieve this hairstyle. I recommend using a 2-inch blow-dry round brush for the best results.
#13: Octopus Rachel Haircut
The octopus haircut has similar shapes and dimensions. Both of these haircuts blend 90s styles with modern trends. Unlike most layered haircuts with connected layers, octopus layers are detached. This makes the hair look fuller at the crown and adds texture near the neckline and collarbones.
#14: Blonde Rachel Long Bob
Create a fresh take on a classic style with a blonde Rachel-inspired long bob. The haircut, well-known for its volume, layers, and movement, has regained popularity since its peak in the 90s. Make a change to the original style by transforming the hair into a bright blonde shade. Use a soft shadow root to lessen the hair’s grow-out look. During the styling of the cut, you have two options. The first is to blow out your hair using a large round brush, let it cool, and then undo it. The second option is to use a volumizing root powder to increase texture and volume.
#15: Medium-Length Rachel Hairstyle with a Center Part
A middle-length hairstyle called the ‘Rachel’ comes with a center part. The modern style version has a centered partition, textured edges, and slight layers framing the face. This style works great for round, pear, angular jawlines, and oval face shapes. This style suits all hair textures and requires adjusting layers and weight removal based on your hair density and texture.
#16: Middle Part Hairstyle with Face-Framing Layers
Achieve a balanced look with a middle-parted hairstyle featuring face-framing layers. Parting your hair in the middle is a great way to create symmetry and balance in your overall appearance. The middle part can help to create the illusion of length, while also creating a slimming effect on the face. Face-framing creates lightweight volume as well as a softness around the face, which makes it perfect for most face shapes. To add more fun and shape to the hair, try out a shorter curtain fringe.
#17: Face-Framing Baby Blonde Shag for Thin Hair
If you have thin hair, consider trying a baby blonde shag with layers. Face-framing layers give you a soft, feathered look that accentuates your facial shape without adding unwanted bulk. Adding shag layers to your hair helps to create an impression of more volume, making your hair appear thicker. For thin hair, balance is key, so it’s recommended to focus layers on the upper half of the head to keep the hair ends full. Remember, too many layers can cause the ends to appear sparse.
#18: Rachel-Styled Long Hair with a Side Part
Become friends with your hair by taking inspiration from the classic Rachel haircut with a side part. The haircut is popular for its many layers. These layers add volume and enable easy movement. The layers are concentrated around the face. They get longer toward the back of the head. This structure shapes and defines your face. To get a voluminous blowout look, use large Velcro rollers. Put these in after drying your hair, then let your hair cool down to form large curls.
#19: The Rachel Blowout Style
Ask your stylist for a full and bouncy blowout using a round brush. If you have layered hair, it should allow your textured ends to flick out for a medium to short hairstyle, topped with a rounded smooth look. Using a volumizing mousse like Vavoom is a classic way to add body to your hair.
#20: Classic Rachel Haircut with Highlights
Consider getting a classic Rachel haircut with highlights. The classic haircut features lots of volume and flipped layers. Add golden crown highlights to the cut for a contrast of colors, which was a popular color placement in the 90s during the Rachel era. Use a 1 1-2 inch curling iron to flip out the ends of your hair, or set your hair with a classic roller and let it sit all day to achieve body and flip.
#21: Soft Messy Layered Cut with Curtain Bangs
Bring out your natural beauty with this soft, shaggy, textured cut. Pair this hairstyle with long curtain bangs if you want to highlight your cheekbones. Ask for a straight razored cut from your stylist. This styling will add texture and movement to straight hair that is medium to fine. The straight-razored cut will remove and slice hair, allowing your natural hair bend to shine.
#22: Sleek Layered Cut with Face Frame
A sleek layered haircut, framed boldly, is perfect for someone seeking a stylish, layered look. The layered haircut is trending and is also known as the butterfly haircut. The haircut features many layers around the face, paired with a soft, sleek blowout to create a 90’s-inspired style.
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#23: Medium Wolf Rachel Haircut
This is about a medium Rachel haircut that resembles a wolf style. If your hair has a medium to thick texture and you want a modern haircut, ask your stylist for a shaggy wolf cut. This cut should include medium-length layers around the edges. Achieve this look with a beveled cut and crown layers that reach at least to your chin.
#24: Modern Rachel Cut in Copper Shade
Consider the Rachel cut in a modern copper shade. It’s a flattering style for individuals with medium to thick hair density who are looking for face-framing layers with a lot of texture. This cut very much resembles the traditional ‘Rachel cut,’ but it has been given a modern twist with a fresh copper color. When worn curved in towards the face, this style gives off the iconic Jennifer Aniston vibe. If you prefer a more ’70s style, you can opt to flip the layers away from the face.
#25: Golden Brown with Shoulder-Length Layers
The Rachel hairstyle is trendy again, but this modern beautiful style is close to a shag hairstyle. This style features textured layers that can be brushed either away from the face or towards it using a round or flat paddle brush. These features give this modern blend its trendy hairstyle vibe.
Ready for a chic new look? The Rachel haircut is a timeless classic that never fails to turn heads. In an exclusive chat with us, veteran hair stylist Ohndrea Elliott shares her pro-tips on rocking this iconic look, regardless of your hair texture, face shape, or lifestyle. Get ready to channel your inner Rachel and redefine your style!
Meet The Expert
Ohndrea Elliott
Ohndrea is a licensed stylist with over 9 years of experience.
You can find her at The OKC Colorist Salon in Oklahoma City, OK
The Rachel Cut and Your Hair Type
“Ohndrea made it clear that many hair types suit the Rachel cut. It’s a cut we love,” she said. “Fine hair gets help from layers and volume this style adds. Wavy hair looks like it just came back from a beach trip. For curly or coily hair, the layers bring out the volume and give it more move. Thick hair is just right for this cut, with layers giving it a lift. Elliott also added, “It’s vital to keep the ends soft to avoid a shelf-like look in the layers”.
Rachel Cuts and Face Shape
According to Elliott, this style is for all face shapes. “An oval shape fits any style,” she stressed. “A long face works well with a medium-length cut packed with volume. Square faces get a softer look from layers around the jaw. Heart-shaped faces also match a mid-length version. There, the volume is around the jaw.”
“Feeling good and loving how your hair looks is a must. That makes up a large part of getting the whole look just right!”
Useful Rachel Style Tips
Elliott offered some great tips. “Use a round brush when you blowdry. This will add movement around the face,” she shared. “Use a volume-boosting mousse at the root. After each section use Velcro rollers and pin that section away as you dry the rest.”
“Finish off with a dry texturing spray. This will make the movement sharp yet keep it light. If you can do this once, the days that follow will be a breeze. You just have to wake up, spray some dry shampoo on your roots to freshen them and go. This is since the style already has movement built in!”
Photos of the Most Iconic Rachel Haircuts
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