The mastermind behind Mika Abdalla’s viral haircut is Marisa Mitchell. Mitchell has been cutting hair for well over seven years and made some adjustments to Allie’s cut on the show. “Mika has always been very grounded in her own personal style, so we’ve done a variation of this look over the years,” Mitchell tells Teen Vogue. “For the show, she really wanted to lean into the shag. Even shorter layers than usual, even heavier on the bang. She knew exactly what she wanted, and I think she nailed it for Allie’s character.”

If you are already planning on going to the hair salon to recreate Abdalla’s haircut, asking for “the Allie” might not get the idea across immediately (at least not yet), but Mitchell assures us that, in these cases, instead of trying to get extra specific with descriptions, an image is worth a thousand words.

“I personally hate giving names to haircuts because I really feel like it’s confusing to the clients. And there’s been a new name for a shag every six months,” Mitchell says. “This is a really textured, tried-and-true shag. It honestly works best on someone who has some natural wave or curl in their hair, like Mika does. It’s not impossible to recreate with straight hair, but you’ll need to be styling it on a regular basis. If you’re unsure of how to describe this to your hairstylist, please bring pictures! We love when you do that.”

Heitkotter, who styles Abadalla’s hair regularly, including in that viral video with J.Lo and Quinn promo, describes the look Mitchell created as “the modern comeback of those iconic ’80s and ’90s layered shag cuts” and admits it feels super en vogue because trends like the wolf cut have “made textured hair cool again.” The key markers? “Fun, sexy, full of volume,” she says. “This cut wants movement, not perfection.”

Also, if you are on the fence about whether the Allie will suit you, Mitchell has a word of advice: “Don’t be afraid to try new styles and don’t believe the idea that you don’t have the right ‘face shape’ or cheekbones, etc., etc., for certain haircuts. That’s all made up! Find a hairstylist you trust and like, and have some fun!”

How to style the Allie