3 Ways To Wear Curtain Bangs With Short Hair

This is the summer of endless hair trends, which range from standout colors like copper and platinum to cuts like the shag, the bob, and the mullet. If you’re on the market for a chop, know that curtain bangs — another major trend — can be combined with virtually any type of haircut. And, because of the sweltering heat, a big chop is a popular move this season, which is why Bustle spoke with expert stylists for intel on wearing curtain bangs with short hair.

As the term indicates, curtain bangs fall across the face like half-open curtains to frame your features. The style reigned as the look of French bombshells in the 1960s — think women like Brigitte Bardot and Anna Karina — before it expanded its reach to stars like Goldie Hawn and Jean Shrimpton. Now, the curtain bang is going through another renaissance and gracing the bobbed cuts of celebs including Dakota Johnson, Yara Shahidi, Zendaya, and Rihanna.

There’s a good reason why this style of fringe is so appealing. “[Curtain bangs] are the most versatile type of bangs, so most hairstyles go really nice with them,” says Ashley Streicher, celebrity hairstylist and R+Co Collective member. Another perk? They’re easy to grow out. “As soon as you can get a little length to them, they can immediately become face framing layers because of their shape,” Streicher explains.

If you’re ready to experiment and combine two of the summer’s trendiest styles — a bob and curtain bangs — here are three styles to consider, according to hair pros.

1. The Shag With Curtain Bangs

The shag is about ease and effortlessness, which makes it ideal for a bob or lob-length cut. “The cut is created with a razor and has choppy ends with lots of layers and texture,” Anabel Santos, stylist at Sally Hershberger NoMad, tells Bustle. Curtain bangs are a seamless addition to the look, she adds, since they simply play on the style’s existing layered structure.

To style, Santos recommends working a texturizing paste from the roots down to the tips of your hair for “messy, yet elevated volume.”

2. The Blunt Bob With Curtain Bangs

You could also opt for a straight short cut. “A blunt bob, or a bob that is the same length all around, is made sweeter with the addition of curtain bangs,” says Santos, adding that they frame the face and help ease you into a cut that can seem intimidating. When pairing with curtain-style fringe, Santos notes a blunt bob can be any length you want, but she suggests wearing it just below the chin.

To style your curtain bangs-bob ‘do, Santos says to begin by blowdrying for volume, place and set your bangs with a shaping balm, and then use a hair oil to tame any frizziness.

3. The French Bob With Curtain Bangs

The French bob is a classic cut to pair with curtain bangs. Santos says this variation of the bob features a blunt cut where the ends fall somewhere between the earlobe and the chin. Adding curtain bangs to the look adds to its flexibility and ease: “It can be loose and casual one day and polished and chic the next,” she tells Bustle of the style’s versatility.

When it comes to styling the cut in your daily routine, you’ve got options — if you’re going for an elegant vibe, Santos recommends using a texturizing paste to set your bangs and to keep your strands smooth and in place. If you want a more casual look, she advises blowing it out and then using a volumizing mousse to zhuzh it up.