Curtain Bangs - All The Inspiration You Need For 2025

As hairstyles go, bangs haven't always had the best reputation. Unlike full fringes and modern bobs, across film, culture, and even on the football field, the cut has maintained the same moniker over the years: one of drastic decisions or even regret, often the result of a bad break-up or the desire for a major hair transformation.

Curtain bangs, on the other hand, are changing all of that. From the AW24 runways to the front row, curtain bangs have become the coolest - and simplest - way to upgrade your hairstyle. The modern iteration is softer and easier to style than its former Fawcett-inspired or Jane Birkin days, and looks effortless in that air-dried 'I just woke up like this' way.

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What are curtain bangs?

'Curtain bangs are a longer style of fringe where the hair is usually parted down the middle, or slightly off centre, framing the face on either side,' explains Grace Amelia, senior stylist at Hershesons. 'A lot softer than the old-school blunt bangs, curtain bangs have evolved where the stylist works with the clients' natural texture and thickness customising them to their clients hair for a more effortless finish.' The finished result can veer from anything such as eye-grazing, wispy curtain bangs to full mid-length and layered versions - it's all about working with your own hair, styling needs and textures, says Grace.

Depending on the style, cutting curtain bangs will look different for everyone. 'Cutting bangs comes down to preference and hair texture but usually I would start from the tip of the nose and cut gradually downwards towards the cheekbones. It can be cut with whichever tool you prefer,' shares Eva Goulding, stylist at John Frieda x Nicola Clarke salon.

As for the styling references of note? 'We’ve seen celebrities such as Alexa Chung, who is the OG curtain bang girly, Matilda Derf whose fringe and luxe blowdry was a viral sensation after lockdown and Dakota Johnson whose bangs have been a very popular client request lately,' she adds.

Who suits curtain bangs?

As hairdresser Jordan Garrett from Hershesons Fitzrovia explains, curtain bangs can suit anyone and everyone. 'It all depends on the length of your hair (shape vs. length ratio) to get the proportions, the right shape and the weight of the bangs,' he says.

If you're opting for long curtain bangs, these may look best paired with a below-the-shoulder cut so as not to weigh down the face. Meanwhile, if your hair has lots of depth and layers, you can experiment with a fuller fringe.

Think about your hair texture too. ‘If your hair is very curly it’ll be harder to achieve the sweeping 70s look and you might be better off with a fuller shape (see Zendaya or Mariah Carey for reference). If it’s straighter, aiming to keep it sitting away from your face can be hard and you might be better off going for a Jane Birkin type of fringe,’ advises Goulding.

Are curtain bangs high maintenance?

Short answer: yes. 'When it comes to maintaining curtain bangs, it’s most suited to people with a bit of a wave in their hair, where it can be left to work with the natural texture without any styling,' says Goulding. But you'll also require more visits to your hair salon. 'You have to also get it trimmed in between haircuts as you will notice it grows out a lot faster than the rest of your hair.'

How to style curtain bangs

When it comes to at-home styling, the good news is that curtain bangs are relatively low-maintenance. 'If your hair is on the flatter side you can blow dry your hair with a round brush lifting the hair at the root for volume,' says Grace. 'For wavy or curly hair, you might want to air dry them or use a diffuser to enhance natural texture. Using “no crease clips” help with setting the fringe in place whilst it’s cooling down especially if you have a few hairs they don’t want to cooperate,' she notes. You can also straighten your curtain bangs, starting at the root of your hair and bending the tool away from your face - this will help create a soft wave and frame your face.

How to blow dry curtain bangs

'You either drip dry or diffuse,' adds Garett. 'You can rough dry with a hairdryer (with the nozzle off) and, using your hands, stretch the right side diagonal to the left eyebrow and the left side to the right eyebrow - this will enhance the shape of the bangs,' says Garrett.

Finding the right curtain bangs for you is no easy feat - which is why we've done the Pinterest scouring, celebrity hunting and Instagram scrolling for you, so you can take these curtain bangs as inspiration straight to your hairdresser. From Daisy Edgar-Jones at Gucci's Cruise show, Jennifer Lopez out in Paris and Kaia Gerber's chic chignon, find all your curtain bangs inspo, below.

The best curtain bangs styling inspiration