Bangs can be polarizing — especially if you’ve cut your own before only to be met with disappointment and an uneven fringe. While DIY-ing the look might not be the best move, don’t discredit the hairstyle completely. There are so many different ways to rock bangs, and there’s one iteration in particular that’s having a moment right now: the “French girl” bangs.
These are wispier than the more traditional full bangs you’re used to. “They’re most often cut straight across,” says Blake Reed Evans, global Redken artist and owner of Shear Art Salon. “It’s a thin enough section of hair that you can still see your forehead through it.” French girl bangs are meant to lay effortlessly on your forehead for that I woke up like this vibe.
While wispy bangs are far from a new hairstyle, they’ve experienced a resurgence as of late. Just look at supermodel Bella Hadid, who’s recently taken on the French girl bang, and other it-girls like Selena Gomez and Dakota Johnson — all of whom prove that the Parisian-style fringe is très chic.
If you’re inspired to make the chop, chat with your stylist about placement. “To achieve the look, a stylist will map out how your hair naturally falls,” Evans says. “This is the ideal placement for this soft fringe.” Note that this might differ based on how dense your hair is, he adds. “The section will run from the corner of the eye to the corner of your other eye,” says Evans. “Using a point cut method, and maybe some texture shears, the fringe will be shaped based on your personal taste.”
Getting bangs can feel daunting, but don’t fret — Bustle spoke with Evans for intel on how to style French girl bangs in four easy steps.
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1. Apply Some Mousse
Styling the French girl bang starts fresh out of the shower. On damp hair, apply a root volumizing mousse to the scalp area of your bangs. Evans recommends the Redken Guts 10.
2. Blow Dry
Blow dry your hair in a criss-cross motion using a comb. This will help ensure that there are no cowlicks or grow patterns in your hair, says Evans.
3. Bevel The Ends
Use a small round brush to bevel the ends of your hair. If you aren’t super skilled with a round brush, Evans says you could also try using a 1-inch flat iron.
4. Spritz Some Dry Shampoo
Once your hair is dry, spritz some dry shampoo onto your scalp to help create an intentionally messy. effortless look. As an added bonus, it helps eliminate any excess oil so your ‘do can stay fresh for longer.
Something to note? It may take some time to get your hair used to leaning forward in this style, says Evans. For the job, he recommends sleeping in creaseless clips (he likes the ones from Kitsch) for the first week or two. After some training, you should be good to go.
