If it’s your first time making the cut, though, you may want to go a bit longer, says Los Angeles–based hairstylist Aviva Perara.

While curtain bangs-which are a softer take on traditional, straight-across fringe-can vary in length, they’re typically shorter in the center (think: between the middle and bottom of the eyebrow) and longer on the sides, with wispy ends that blend into the rest of your hair. “You can sort of hide behind them, but people can still see your eyes.” “They’re super sultry, because you can be flirty and coquettish with them,” says New York City–based stylist Juan Carlos Maciques. Okay, remind me, what are curtain bangs?įirst made famous in the ’60s and ’70s by actresses like Brigitte Bardot, Goldie Hawn, and Farrah Fawcett, curtain bangs-as the name suggests-are parted down the middle (or, sometimes, to the left or right) and swept to each side, so they perfectly frame your face and eyes, much like a curtain does with a window. That's why we chatted with a variety of hairstylists to find out everything you should know before getting curtain bangs. So, if you’ve ever pondered that age-old question (no, not “ What should I do with my life?” but “ Should I get bangs?”), chances are, you might once again be contemplating making the cut. It’s easy to see why: Not only are soft, swoopy curtain bangs extremely versatile-meaning they flatter any face shape and look equally good on straight, wavy, and curly hair, as well as long and short hair-but they also require much less maintenance than other bang styles, both in terms of daily styling (hello, air drying) and growing out (goodbye, bi-weekly trims). In fact, even Jennifer Lopez-who debuted super-sleek, bone-straight bangs in May of last year-couldn’t resist the trend. Curtain bangs seem to be sweeping (no pun intended) the nation, and yes, they’re all over TikTok (the hashtag alone has over 1.4 billion views). Plus, they can be spotted on popular TV characters (think: Cassie, played by Kaley Cuoco in the HBO Max miniseries The Flight Attendant).

Celebrities like Gabrielle Union, Hillary Duff, Kacey Musgraves, Halle Berry, Gigi Hadid, Elizabeth Olsen, Katy Perry, and The Crown’s Emma Corrin, to name a few, have been embracing them. Just consider tie-dye, scrunchies, super-shiny lip gloss, one-shoulder tops, and the ’80s power shoulder, which, by the way, is continuing to make a major comeback.īut perhaps no trend is having a bigger renaissance than curtain bangs, the wispy, face-framing fringe with roots in the ’60s and ’70s. No matter how uncertain times may be, there is one thing you can always count on (at least when it comes to beauty and fashion): Everything that was once old will be new again.

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