Bo Bragason is bringing back this 70s haircut for the new season
You’ve been watching Sterling Point on Prime Video and you can’t stop staring at Oona’s hair? You’re not alone. Since the series dropped in early August, actress Bo Bragason’s wild curls have been driving conversations and reviving a hair trend that’s over 50 years old.
The shag haircut: far more than just a hairstyle
There’s a powerful story behind Oona’s hair. In the 1970s, the shag cut established itself as a symbol of emancipation as much as a fashion statement. Actress Jane Fonda made it her signature, wearing the style while actively campaigning against the Vietnam War. Choosing this haircut was a declaration, a claim to freedom.
It’s no coincidence, then, that Oona, described as free-spirited, rebellious and self-assured, wears exactly this style. The hair extends the character’s personality without a single word being needed. That’s the real power of a well-considered hair choice.
After gradually fading in favour of the sleek bobs of the 1990s, the shag found its way back into salons thanks to figures like Charlotte Gainsbourg and Sophie Marceau, who brought it back into the spotlight. It-girls embraced it, and the trend won back the mainstream.
What technically defines this haircut
The shag is built on a precise architecture. Its secret lies in a system of well-defined layers, with shorter pieces on top of the head and around the face, while length and volume are preserved at the back. It’s this construction that generates the haircut’s signature movement.
DJ Quintero, Bo Bragason’s hairstylist on the set of Sterling Point, explains it clearly in the British edition of Vogue: it all comes down to the layering. With natural texture, those layers create a shape and movement that very few other haircuts can claim.
Lead hairstylist Chrystal Lotz adds that the team played with the natural frizz caused by the humidity of Ontario summers. Rather than fighting it, the stylists let the hair express its own texture, then adjusted the look according to the emotions the character was experiencing in each scene. An approach that is both practical and narrative.
Why this haircut works so well for everyday life
Beyond its history and aesthetic, the shag offers a real-world advantage for those who wear it day to day. Its layered construction means it works with the hair’s natural texture, without requiring a demanding styling routine. Frizz, so often dreaded, becomes an asset here.
That’s exactly what the Sterling Point team put into practice on set. By letting the hair respond to ambient humidity and then adapting the style to each scene, the hairstylists proved that this look holds up in all conditions without losing its edge. In everyday life, that translates to a haircut that works with you rather than against you.
- Precise layers on top of the head and around the face
- Length and volume retained at the back
- Natural texture celebrated rather than corrected
- A style that can be adjusted to suit any situation or mood
- A cut originally worn as a symbol of emancipation in the 1970s
Sterling Point: the spark behind the season’s biggest hair trend
The Prime Video series didn’t just win audiences over with its small Canadian island scenery, which gives fans of Virgin River a certain nostalgic feeling. It also brought back to the fore a haircut loaded with meaning, worn by a character whose personality resonates with the values this style has embodied since its origins.
Bo Bragason, bringing Oona to life with her free, untamed curls, confirms what salons are already beginning to notice. The shag is shaping up to be the most sought-after haircut of the season, propelled by a hit series and by a history that gives it far more depth than a passing seasonal trend.
