I Got Curtain Bangs… and I’m Totally in Love
Back in March, which now seems like ages ago, I tweeted, “If I’m in quarantine any longer, I might do some impulsive sh*t like cut myself bangs.” I mean come on, is anyone really escaping the clutches of quarantine without some major personal change? Fast forward to August, and there I am sitting in the hairdresser’s chair wondering if this change constitutes a quarter-life crisis.
A little background on curtain bangs for you: These bangs are parted down the middle and frame both sides of your face. This style was particularly popular in the 70s (think Jane Birkin!) and is making a huge comeback in 2020. Celebrities like Dakota Johnson, JLo, Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid have all been seen rocking this laidback look.
While celebrities may be amping up their bang game in 2020, French women have been doing it for much, much longer. Many can be seen sporting variations of bangs: whether it be a forward fringe or more of a sideswept do, they absolutely own this look.
In fact, my inspiration to make the move to curtain bangs came from French entrepreneur, model and influencer Jeanne Damas. I’ve always admired Jeanne for her quiet confidence, classic style and effortless hair. And seeing as I’ve become quite fixated on the French lifestyle, I figured getting bangs was the obvious next step for me.
In full transparency, it was definitely a last second decision fueled by a questionable late night Dunkin’ run. I’ve only recently begun to understand and explore my style (I’m all about classic fashion with lots of pastels, skirts and dresses thrown in), and curtain bangs seemed like the perfect addition to my look. I noticed many women rocking the curtain bang, and while it may only be a passing trend among influencers right now, I’m always down to try something new.
The Day Of
After my midnight epiphany (and a few mixed thoughts from friends), I found myself at the hair salon the next morning. I went in with a camera roll full of inspo pics because I was determined to achieve a very specific look, and I walked out with a fresh set of bangs. Easy breezy beautiful baby. My thoughts? I was overjoyed. I’m always about changing up my look (especially for a new school year), and these bangs were the perfect way to do so.
Afterthoughts
My biggest concern was styling my new hair on a daily basis, but after watching a few TikToks and YouTube videos of how to style them (Check out Maggie McCormack, she’s incredible), I’m a certified pro. I use a Conair hot air curling brush to dry them in a sweeping motion across my forehead, and they lay beautifully every single time.
These bangs are so easy to pull aside or tuck behind my ears if I need to. They also look great with so many different hair styles. For example, a simple bun pulled back with a jaw clip looks so much more sophisticated with my bangs sweeping across my forehead. Even a half up hairstyle somehow looks chic.
Another thing to note is that curtain bangs require a middle part. Prior to bangs, my hair fell in a naturally deep side part. The concept of ditching the side part was a bit daunting for me because, let’s be honest, middle parts can make or break your look. Luckily curtain bangs frame the face and allow the middle part to fall naturally, so the change wasn’t bad at all!
The Verdict
Overall, I love my curtain bangs to death. They’re surprisingly low maintenance, draw attention to the face and make me feel like the French girl I’ve always aspired to be.