Stacked haircutting became famous in 1976 when Olympic Skater Dorothy Hamill won the gold. Thousands of women were awestruck when the ice skater turned upside down, twirled and turned right side up with her hair falling perfectly back in place.
The wedge-shaped hairstyle was called the Dorothy Hamill for many years after that. It is now often called a wedge or stacked and is still, 30 years later, one of the more popular hairstyles among short hair wearers.

Ms Hamill’s style was shorter than pictured here but based on the same lines.
A Dorothy Hamill or wedge style depends on precision cutting on fine layers of hair. Starting from the nape (bottom), each layer of hair is cut very slightly longer than the one below, until a determined point where the fullest point or ‘weight line’ is desired. From there on each layer rests on the one below causing it to stack out.
The top of the basic wedged style is all one length from the top to the ‘weight line’. There are many variations. Some hair is thick enough that it can be layered on top and still result in the wedge shape. However, more long hair on top results in a wider and more dramatic wedge.

This style holds its shape throughout an active day. Many women love this look because it gives the feeling of longer hair while being as easy to care for as very short hair.