The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word BEDHEAD
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
B
E
D
H
E
A
D
More clues leading to the result BEDHEAD
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Shock of retirement?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case shock of retirement? = bedhead.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BEDHEAD mean?
BEDHEAD noun- The condition of having unkempt hair, generally as a result of having just woken up from sleep.
- A vertical panel or board at the end of a bed where the pillow is placed.
- The end of a bed where the pillow is placed, the head of the bed.