We’re only five days into January, and already you’d be forgiven for wanting to pull the curtains on 2021 and hibernate until we’re back in business. But given that our hair is an extension of our mood, the re-emerging 70s curtain fringe couldn’t really be a better fit.
Full, thick and swishy, it’s a haircut that’s made for cosy days working from home in big sweaters and woolly socks. And because it makes such a statement, you can go easy on the makeup and max out the extra minutes in bed before your morning Zoom meeting.
“I’m predicting that curtain bangs [or fringes] will still be going strong throughout 2021, as there’s still plenty of people catching up to them,” LA’s coolest hair stylist, Sal Salcedo, told GLAMOUR. Versatile enough to be swept off to either side to open up your face, or drawn closed across your brows (much like those curtains we were talking about earlier), they’re one of the easiest fringe styles to wear since the slightly longer length at the sides helps to highlight cheekbones. “They require the lowest maintenance,” says Sal, “as they slowly turn into a nice frame that looks good through any stage.”
It’s a style that has legs too, especially given trips to the hairdressers remain tricky. “The best low-maintenance cut will always be a mid to long haircut with a variation in bangs,” says Sal. “These are haircuts that can be worn and grown without too much attention and they stay looking strong with you. I only see some of my clients every 6 months to a year when they have these.”
The question is, how do we achieve it now we’re locked down? If you’re a devil-may-care type, you could give it a bash yourself (like ballsy influencer Alexis Lopez who muddled her way through some hairy moments and somehow emerged with a pretty foxy fringe), just be warned you might come out of it looking like this…
Another way, is to fake it with some genius styling, like hair pro Bianca Gover. A well placed bend in your hair can give the illusion of a swishy fringe, whilst keeping the length. It’s a method often used in between cuts by model Matilda Djerf when her fringe grows out.
As for fringe-owners who just need a little maintenance, follow the advice of celeb hairdresser George Northwood (the man behind some very famous manes such as Alexa Chung, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Meghan Markle), who guided fellow fringe veteran, Claudia Winkleman through cutting her own at home.
The secret is sectioning, point cutting and some very funky-looking scissors to lift away the weight and see off overly chunky sections, he reckons.
Failing that, load up on inspiration from our fave fringes above, ready for when you can get straight back to your stylist.