Madelaine Petsch is no stranger to Hollywood, but she’s arguably most well-known for her role as Cheryl Blossom on The CW’s Riverdale. That, and her signature beauty look—her long red hair, the hairstyle she’s sported since her acting career took off in the late 2010s. Now, she’s embarked on a new chapter in her hair journey, debuting a “midsummer shag” brought to life by celebrity hairstylist Marc Mena.
Both Mena and Petsch shared photos of her new short hair on their respective Instagram grids, showing off her freshly chopped hair that now falls just below her shoulders, complete with choppy layers and long, wispy side bangs. In her Instagram caption, the actress playfully wrote, “Oops chopped my hair off,” and posted a video of Mena in action. “Okay, here we go,” she says in the clip, squeezing her eyes shut in anticipation as Mena takes the first snip of her once-long locks. (Watch the clip in the sixth slide of the gallery below.)
Madelaine Petsch’s New ‘Midsummer Shag’ Haircut
Riverdale co-star Camila Mendes took to the comments section of Petsch’s post, admitting she felt inspired by her hair transformation. “I’ve been considering a chop and this may have just sealed the deal,” she wrote. “It’s perfect.” This trend isn’t just a passing fad; more and more celebrities, like Cate Blanchett and Lily Collins, have also gotten short haircuts recently.
Celebrity hairstylist Jill Buck predicted this short hair phenomenon in a previous interview with NewBeauty. “We’ve been seeing it more and more, but starting 2024 with a new fresh cut has been the trend of the season and what I think will be the trend of the year. Celebs like Hailey Bieber, Zendaya, Julianne Hough and Jewel have all made the move. There is something so refreshing about cutting off old energy and unhealthy ends. I personally cut 14” off and love it!”
Looking for more short hair inspiration? Explore some of our favorite celebrity short hair looks from 2024 below.
