Thanks to stylists like The Hair Bros and Michelle Thompson, not to mention innovative salons like Blue Tit London, we’ve become obsessed with curtain bangs, side-swept fringes and even bold baby bangs. But as we enter summer, fringes are going through a refresh.
From the ‘no commitment’ fringe to bottleneck bangs, here are the hottest fringe styles invading London salons this summer.
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The ‘No Commitment’ Fringe
At The Hair Bros‘ Chelsea salon, fringes are in very hot demand. But what if you like to switch up your hairstyle often? Bangs are notoriously difficult to grow out — but with the no-commitment version, you don’t have to worry about that annoying in-between look.
“This is a fringe that doesn’t always have to be worn as a fringe,” wrote The Hair Bros on Instagram. “It’s no secret that cutting a fringe can be extremely daunting so try easing yourself in with a shape that’s short enough to be worn as a fringe yet still long enough to part into a Bardot-esque shape,” which can be easily tucked behind your ears.
The key to nailing this fringe is to ask your stylist to blend the edges into the rest of your hair so that it’s quick to tie up or clip away should you want to keep the bangs off your face.
Bottleneck Bangs
You might’ve spotted the bottleneck bob when it went viral recently but bottleneck bangs can work on all hair lengths. The style sits between a curtain fringe and a fuller fringe. Slightly parted in the centre, it isn’t sleek like curtains. Instead it boasts lots of piecey texture and is tapered at the sides. It’s easily styled with a round brush and a hairdryer when damp, or a pair of straighteners when dry. Take inspiration from this cut created by @juane_hairartist on Instagram.
Bitty Bangs
Curly bangs don’t have to be heavy. With the warm weather right around the corner, they’re becoming a little choppier and more scattered. We love this curly crop by award-winning afro and textured hair specialist Michelle Thompson on Instagram.
A moisturising curl cream will define each lock of hair. Try Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Coconut Curling Cream, £7.99, or Aunt Jackie’s Curl La La Defining Curl Custard, £5.99, and use a diffuser to dry your curls into place.
The New ’90s Fringe
The bitty fringe of our youth is back but this time it’s chic, rather than straggly. Best on thicker hair, it consists of finer pieces in the middle and more voluminous sections at the side, which blend seamlessly into the rest of the hair. Look to this cut by @_danieladidenko_ on Instagram.
With finer, more piecey fringes like this one, it pays to invest in a round brush (which you can use while blow-drying) or a large hair roller to give the middle section a boost. Also grab good dry shampoo, particularly if you tend to touch your hair often. Try Andrew Fitzsimons DISCREET AF Dry Shampoo Spray for All Hair Types, £9, or the excellent Kérastase Fresh Affair Dry Shampoo, £25.15.
The Lived-In Fringe
Cutting with the intention of it feeling really lived in is stylist Roxy Estella‘s thing. One part of The Hair Bros, she says you can elevate your haircut by taking some of the weight away from the edges. “This will only help to encourage your hair to move, therefore getting the best out of your natural texture.” It’s perfect for those with natural waves or curls who want to embrace air-drying this summer and let their hair do its own thing.
Of course, a great styling product is a must. Try NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Texture Wave Cream, £13, which lends hair an accidentally perfect vibe when massaged through lengths and ends. Use your fingertips to pinch and rub the ends of your fringe for more of a mussed-up texture.
The Faux Side Fringe
“I love how malleable afro textured hair is,” wrote Michelle on Instagram, having given actor and model @thisispriscilla a perfect silk press. She created this beautiful faux side fringe by sweeping a section of hair from one side to the other and tonging the ends. Use the ghd Soft Curl Tong, £139, to give your faux fringe shape and movement and finish the look with a generous blanket of hairspray to keep everything in place. Try Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong Hold, £17.25.
The Mussed-Up Fringe
“I simply hand-scrunched with a diffuser to get this look,” said shag and texture specialist Caroline, based at The Grove Vancouver. The long, shaggy fringe is intentionally messy and voluminous to juxtapose the longer lengths. This look would work well on straight, wavy and curly hair types, as Caroline’s Instagram feed proves.
The Soft Fringe
This fringe, created by Roxy for Floor Brinkman, is serving Kate Moss vibes. It consists of “soft pieces in the centre and curtained edges,” wrote Roxy on Instagram. “It’s a good starting point to delve into the world of fringes.”
Roxy says that the soft fringe is cut with the intention of growing into something that you’re bound to love rather than loathe throughout the year. In other words, it just keeps on getting better.
So how should you style it? You don’t need poker-straight hair, says Roxy. “Use a tiny bit of product and padded clips to air-dry, or diffuse [using a hairdryer] to get the most out of your natural texture. As the hair gets longer in a few months, use rollers in the front pieces and enjoy a more ’70s curtain look.”
’70s Drapes
’70s hair is exaggerated and fun, much like these voluminous bangs dreamed up by @chelseamcqueenhair at Blue Tit Clapton. Unlike a classic curtain fringe, this one has extra volume at the root, created by a round brush and concentrated heat from a hairdryer. The best thing about this fringe is that it doesn’t need styling from scratch every single day. Simply run your fingers through your hair, lift up the roots and give them a spritz with a texture spray like THE HAIR LAB by Mark Hill Texture Hairspray, £9.99.
The Elfin Fringe
The elfin fringe occupies a cosy space between a full fringe (straight across) and baby bangs (a couple of centimetres higher than the brows). There’s something so cute about this style by the talented Paige McNeil at Pink Dagger Studio. Snipped into at the centre for a lived-in feel and swished out at the sides, it complements this mixie cut (a mullet-pixie combo) perfectly.
Curtains Reimagined
If you’re into the idea of curtain bangs but the chore of daily styling puts you off, try the “rockstar energy” version by Neil Grupp at Suite Caroline Salon. Cut slightly lower than traditional curtains and at a less severe angle, they subtly frame the face and give straight hair a cool edge.
The Nu Wave Fringe
Coined by The Hair Bros, the ‘nu wave fringe’ embraces natural waves and kinks so that you can ditch the heat styling entirely. It’s also great if your hair is on the curly side, like this cut on makeup artist Ava Gillies by stylist Francesca Inverarity. There’s something about air-dried curls that’s so naturally beautiful and effortless, and this fringe pulls everything together.
Face Framers
This shag cut by @loveyohair and two-dimensional copper colour by The Hair Bros’ Francesca are a match made in heaven. The fringe hits a sweet spot between bottleneck bangs and a curtain fringe thanks to the slight centre parting. The short pieces melt comfortably into the longer lengths at the side, while the blonde money pieces scattered throughout the fringe give it thickness and depth.
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