This trend is a classic blast from the past.
Over the past year, you’ve likely heard murmurs about curtain bangs, a style that’s favored both by your favorite celebs and your hip, neighborhood barista. The popular look is inherently pretty simple: It’s a fringe cut shorter on the inside (closest to the center of your forehead) that gets gradually longer toward the sides of your face. There’s a split right down the middle, like a curtain. The result: A carefree, effortless ‘do that — given the varied length — is notably easy to grow out.
But since the style has been around for a while, you might be worried that dipping your toe (or fringe) into this new territory is risky — will the curtains be drawn, so to speak, in the next few months? We don’t think so: During 2024’s Academy Awards ceremony, singer Billie Eilish debuted a full glam look featuring long, subtle, side-swept curtain bangs that frame her face. A few other celebs donned the style in varying levels of thickness at the award show, including Mary Steenburgen, Sofia Vergara, and Sabrina Carpenter. And even Katie has jumped onto the bandwagon this year by debuting her own subtle side curtain bang.
But before we sprint to the salon, we wanted to know if this easy, breezy trend will hold strong heading into 2024. Plus, we needed insight into how to request curtain bangs from our stylists and — once that post-hair dresser glow has worn off — how to style them at home (just because something looks effortless doesn’t guarantee it’s low maintenance). To get all the best tips and tricks, we spoke to veteran stylist Lauren Bailey-Chaidez, who owns Feverfew, a low-toxic salon with two locations in Los Angeles. Bailey-Chaidez has all the advice you need to make this style work for you.
What are curtain bangs?
Since curtain bangs have been trending for a while, you may wonder if they’re on their last legs. Bailey-Chaidez has good news for those who’ve just now worked up the courage to try them out: They’re here to stay for the time being. “Curtain bangs are still my number one request at the moment. They aren’t going anywhere in 2024.”
That’s not to say the trend is standing still: It’s evolving into a thicker bang trend, too. In fact, you can even think of curtain bangs as a “soft launch” into a bolder look. Because sometimes, easing into a braver bang is half the fun. If you admired Carpenter or Steenburgen’s slightly fuller bangs at the Oscars, you know exactly what we mean.
If you take a closer look at different iterations of the style, the latest obsession with curtain bangs probably won’t surprise you. After all, they certainly weren’t invented in the 2020s. They’ve got a certified retro edge that may remind you of your favorite 1960s and 1970s stars.
“Brigette Bardot and Goldie Hawn are curtain bang queens,” Bailey-Chaidez says. And those two icons are still inspiring contemporary looks: “I’ve been given their photos as a reference many times over my 20-year career.”
Worried that Hawn’s exact look won’t entirely mesh with your face shape? The good news is that while you can glean inspiration from a variety of celebs, curtain bangs come in all shapes and sizes and can suit pretty much anyone with just a little personalization.
What face shapes and hair types work with curtain bangs?
Do you shy away from embracing new styles because you’ve been burned by haircut trends before? You’re not alone — anyone who lived through the wave of the 70s’ feathered hair or the craze of the 90s’ Rachel haircut can empathize. (And we don’t need to touch on the 80s — there’s a decent chance you can still smell the hairspray.)
But think of curtain bangs as more of a state of mind than a prescriptive style that must adhere to certain proportions. “Curtain bangs are popular because they’re so versatile and flattering on everyone,” Bailey-Chaidez remarks. “They can be tailored to each person’s features.” The only hallmarks you need to keep in mind are those parted, fame-framing pieces that get gently, subtly longer.
When you set up that appointment with your stylist, Bailey-Chaidez says you need to stay loyal to the tried-and-true method of bringing in photo inspiration: “Using reference photos is the best way to help communicate what you want. Your stylist can then adjust the shape and length based on your features.”
If you’re hoping to achieve more fluid, natural movement in your bangs, Bailey-Chaidez says you can ask your stylist for a specific technique: “I recommend a straight razor cut to achieve this look.”
How do you style curtain bangs?
Stylist techniques for curtain bangs are as versatile as the look itself. If you know you hate hair maintenance, “you can brush them into place and air dry.” If you need a product recommendation that gels with your wash-and-go philosophy, Bailey-Chaidez loves Hairstory’s Hair Balm for the air dry. “Once dry, add a little bit of Hairstory’s Hair Powder at the root for lift and texture.”
Are you accustomed to blow drying? “I recommend a small diameter round brush. Split the bangs into three sections.” As you blow dry, be careful to place those three sections of hair into place strategically: “Direct the sides to either side of the nose. Then, bring them back to their natural fall and let them cool. This can help achieve that soft, winged shape that Goldie Hawn is known for.”
“When I blow dry, I like to use Reverie Milk as a base,” Bailey-Chaidez says. “It’s a lightweight leave-in I use on all my clients.” She adds that you can finish off the routine with a product more tailored to your specific hair type: “Depending on hair density and texture, I’ll use a lightweight blow dry cream. I like Hairstory’s Dressed Up for fine hair. I use Cult+Kings Style for more coarse, thick densities.”
Not in the mood to style your whole head? We love that curtain bangs can help you look perfectly poised even if you leave the rest of your locks in their more natural state. Bailey-Chaidez says “you can just style your bangs, then pull your hair back into a low pony or French twist.” Like magic, that subtle fringe and those face-framing pieces will instantly compensate for the rest of your head: “You’ll still look stylish and put together.” Who doesn’t love a quick fix like that?
