32 Types of Bangs to Try If You’re Craving a Change, According to Celebrity Hairstylists

There are 32 types of bangs? I know, it’s overwhelming. Especially if you’re not even sure you’re ready to commit to bangs in the first place. Not to fret, below, I—along with a team of celebrity hairstylists—will take you through the many variations, one by one, so you can find the fringe that best suits your style.

• Mark Townsend is one of the most highly regarded hairstylists in the industry. His work has appeared on the covers of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar and countless other publications, and his roster of clients includes stars like Dakota Johnson and Mary-Kate, Ashley and Elizabeth Olsen.
• Castillo Bataille is a celebrity hairstylist and brand ambassador for Matrix. The Los Angeles-based stylist, who has worked on editorial campaigns for Marie Claire, Glamour, W Magazine and Cosmopolitan also counts Priyanka Chopra, Meghan Trainor and Liza Koshy as clients.
• Tom Smith is a celebrity hairstylist and a trend forecaster based in the United Kingdom. His clients include Louise Redknapp and Geri Halliwell.
• Jennifer Yepez is a New York-based hairstylist known for creating looks on celebrity clients, including Jessica Alba, Zendaya, Salma Hayek, Blake Lively and Emily Ratajkowski, among others. After starting her styling career at the age of 15 in Ecuador, Yepez worked at John Frieda salon in New York, where she assisted Serge Normant. She is currently the official celebrity hairstylist for L’Oréal Paris.

I'm of the mind that bangs can look good on anyone. But if you’re starting from square one and not sure what to ask for, it can be helpful to consider your face shape as an initial guide. For example:

• Oval shaped faces can generally pull off any type or length of bangs.
• Oblong or rectangular shapes tend to do well with blunt, full bangs.
• Round face shapes can be slimmed with face-framing curtain bangs or side bangs.
• Square and heart-shaped faces are softened by wispier fringe.

We’ll show you some examples ahead, so you can bring them into your next appointment.

• Who Should Consider Them: "They can be flattering on anyone, regardless of their face shape or hair texture," assures Townsend.
• What to Ask For: longer face-framing bangs that open in the center of your forehead

Let’s start with the dominating bang of the last few years: curtain bangs. Split open at the center of your forehead (like a curtain; hence the name), this flattering fringe frames either side of your face with slightly longer pieces at the ends.

• Who Should Consider Them: anyone
• What to Ask For: longer curtain bangs that start beneath the cheekbones

Think of draped bangs as a longer version of curtain bangs. Also parted in the center, this slightly longer variation can just as easily be swept to one side.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with thick hair
• What to Ask For: eyebrow grazing full bangs that go straight across the forehead

Fact: A full set of fringe looks downright youthful. Just barely skimming your brows and snipped in at the ends so they taper to your forehead, this style of bang works best on thick hair.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with oval-shaped faces
• What to Ask For: full fringe that curves to either side of the face

Somewhere between a curtain and a blunt bang lies this full, curved fringe that’s become Jameela Jamil’s signature look. Have your stylist trim your bangs just above your eyebrows, and be prepared to go back for a quick trim every few weeks.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with oval- or round-shaped faces
• What to Ask For: wispy bangs with longer pieces that connect to the sides

Feathered bangs are a great option for ladies with longer, oval-shaped faces. Just about the same length as the aforementioned schoolgirl bangs, these are intentionally wispier and well suited for finer strands.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with slightly wavy hair
• What to Ask For: long, airy, straight across bangs that allow some forehead to peak through

It doesn’t get easier (or breezier) than matching your bangs to your natural waves. There’s no need to blow dry; just work some texturizing spray at the roots and let them do their thing.

• Who Should Consider Them: anyone, as they're easily customizable
• What to Ask For: “If you have a rounder face, [ask for] a wide bang that’s a bit longer” and “if you have really curly hair, cut them on the longer side [as well], so there’s weight to them,” says Yepez. You want to have "longer, softer bits that can be swept aside," she adds.

A side-swept style is instantly flattering to all face shapes, which might be why it’s often the first foray into bangs for many of us. The key to rocking them is to wear them with a deep side part and have them angled so the longest pieces hit the tops of your cheekbones (which slims the roundest part of your face).

• Who Should Consider Them: oval- or round-shaped faces
• What to Ask For: face-framing layers that blend in on both sides

This is a great option for anyone who isn’t ready to commit to styling their hair regularly (because, make no mistake, most bangs will require regular upkeep). Intentionally long and pushed off to either side, you’ll still get a subtle framing like you do with curtain bangs, but less in your face.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with thin, straight hair to add volume and texture to flat locks
• What to Ask For: “Ask your stylist to thin out the ends a bit but not open up the face too much. The idea is to keep the bang area tight and flirty to frame the face,” says Bataille. 

Named after icon Jane Birkin, these lash-grazing bangs are stunning. However, you will need to go in for regular trims to keep them at just the right length. That said, I’d recommend this style when you’re in those initial stages of growing out your bangs.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with oval or rectangular shaped faces
• What to Ask For: long, blended layers in the front

Both Morning Show stars are rocking blended bangs here (though Jen’s are bordering on long layers). Longer, layered bangs are the lowest commitment of the bunch and meld seamlessly into the rest of your hair—which is the beauty of them. There’s virtually no grow-out period.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with curly hair
• What to Ask For: bangs with snipped-in ends

Curls and bangs pair extremely well together if cut right. On that note, make sure your stylist cuts them when your hair is completely dry so you both can see exactly where and how they fall on your face.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with looser curls
• What to Ask For: a few long tendrils that frame either side of the face

And if you’re feeling apprehensive about cutting bangs into your curls, just keep them on the longer side. In general, longer fringe is more forgiving since curls tend to pop up as they dry.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with curly or wavy hair
• What to Ask For: straight across bangs that fall at the eyebrows and have snipped-in ends

I feel confident in saying that Sandra Oh has some of the best bangs in Hollywood. Thick and tousled and blended effortlessly into the rest of her voluminous waves, I'm tempted to get a perm, just to copy the look myself.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with heart-shaped faces
• What to Ask For: long, piecey bangs that fall straight across the forehead

For my pixie-haired friends out there, I’d point you to these pageboy bangs that are roughly the same length as the rest of your hair, minus the back and sides (which you want tapered to your head and neck).

• Who Should Consider Them: those with finer hair
• What to Ask For: feathery bangs that follow your natural part and are angled across your forehead

Another option for my pixies: piecey bangs that are angled slightly across your forehead a la Kris Jenner. Keep them feathery and well-defined with a teensy bit of pomade at the ends.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with angular features
• What to Ask For: curved bangs that fall an inch or so above the eyebrows

Looking like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn, Laura Harrier showed up to the Cannes Film Festival a few years ago with midi bangs that hugged her forehead perfectly.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with longer, oval-shaped faces
• What to Ask For: bangs that fall above the eyebrows

Perhaps the boldest of the bunch, baby bangs fall just a couple inches from your forehead with a few longer pieces mixed in to soften the line. They open up your face and show off your cheekbones, while also minimizing a larger forehead.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with longer, oval-shaped faces
• What to Ask For: soft arched bangs that fall above the eyebrows

In case you’re feeling nostalgic for that bowl cut from your childhood, this updated version is snipped into a soft arched shape, with the shortest pieces falling in the center and slightly longer pieces falling to either side of your face (as opposed to straight across, the way your mom used to do it).

• Who Should Consider Them: those with thick hair
• What to Ask For: heavy bangs with a subtle side-part

Though they’re reminiscent of the MySpace, emo days, this newer iteration of side bang has more movement and blends nicely with loose waves.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with wavy texture
• What to Ask For: n/a this can be a transitional style as you grow out old bangs

Like an upside-down Nike swoop, this style of fringe gives you a beachy vibe (and instant volume to limp roots).

• Who Should Consider Them: those with rounder faces. As Smith explains, “A full bang can easily close the face and make it appear wider. However, this style allows some of the forehead to show through to give the illusion of height to a round face.”
• What to Ask For: heavier curtain bangs that have a defined part and more weight to them

When it comes to Bardot bangs (named after the bombshell French model and actress), the more mussed up, the better.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with heart-shaped faces
• What to Ask For: full bangs with connecting pieces on either side

Notice that nice bump at the crown of her head? This will lift your bangs and your roots to give a boost of volume throughout.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with some wave or texture to their hair
• What to Ask For: full bangs with varying lengths throughout the ends

By this point in the list, you’re probably thinking isn’t this just another curtain bang? And I don’t blame you. The differences are barely discernible, but if you look very closely, the lengths are varied with intentionally uneven pieces breaking up any predictable lines.

• Who Should Consider Them: anyone
• What to Ask For: thinner, wispier bangs that fall across the forehead

So wispy they’re almost see-through, this airy fringe is a popular choice among many Korean popstars and actresses.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with straight hair
• What to Ask For: straight across bangs that graze the eyebrows

Time to break out your flat iron. Sleek fringe is back, baby. Keep them straight but on the thicker side this time around, so they’re not as piecey.

• Who Should Consider Them: those who want to experiment or those with already lightened hair
• What to Ask For: a subtle two-tone color gradation

Really looking to shake things up? Try a two-toned bang, which can look surprisingly subtle when you pair the right shades. (You can also try a temporary tint for a couple days if you’re scared to commit.)

• Who Should Consider Them: those with round faces
• What to Ask For: heavy, face-framing pieces on either side

Have the ends angled so the longest pieces graze your cheekbones (which slims your features overall).

• Who Should Consider Them: curly or wavy hair textures
• What to Ask For: shorter, choppier bangs

A favorite on TikTok, the wolf cut is marked by lots of short, choppy layers and loads of volume that work especially well with curly or wavy hair.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with longer foreheads
• What to Ask For: angled bangs that fall above the eyebrows in the center and taper off to the sides

Another style that’s seeing a resurgence thanks to TikTok? The mullet, with angled bangs that blend into the shorter layers of the cut.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with curly or wavy texture
• What to Ask For: shorter pieces in the center of the forehead, longer pieces on either side

For a softer take on the mullet, you can opt for a shaggier style that doesn’t have quite as much variation in length. The defining point of this look is the bangs, which are noticeably shorter in the center of the forehead.

• Who Should Consider Them: those with lots of baby hairs
• What to Ask For: n/a as you're styling the shorter pieces you already naturally have

For those who are blessed with an abundance of baby hairs, you can enjoy the best parts of having bangs (i.e., an update to your style, a face-framing effect) without having to actually cut your hair shorter. Using a comb and gel or an edge control product, lay down those little hairs into your desired shape or pattern.

• Who Should Consider Them: anyone who is committal and just wants to try on bangs for a day
• What to Ask For: n/a

Still not ready to take the plunge? There are always clip-on bangs, which you can snap in and out as you wish.

• Style them straight out of the shower. "You want to blow dry them while your hair is still wet, because the hairs around our hairline tend to go in different directions," says Townsend. Using a dryer, point the nozzle down and brush the hair from one side to the other repeatedly until they’re set. This will keep them fluffy and natural looking—not flat and matted down to your forehead.
• Use rollers when needed. Remember those velcro rollers your mom used to wear in her hair while walking around the house when you were a kid? Yeah, those are great for fluffing up flat fringe. Just go for a jumbo-sized roller, so you get the intended volume and not an overly curled '80s pageant bang.
• Go easy on the styling products. If you want to use dry shampoo or hairspray for added texture and hold, point the spray nozzle directly at the roots (or use a clean toothbrush for better control over where it’s being distributed). You want to avoid getting too much product on the lengths of your bangs so they don't get weighed down.
• Don't be afraid to wash them more often than the rest of your hair. Just because you prefer not to wash your hair more than twice a week doesn't mean you can't refresh your bangs, which tend to get greasy faster. Simply pull your hair back into a ponytail, lean over the sink and use a pea-sized amount of shampoo to suds up just your fringe. Rinse thoroughly and get to blow drying them, stat.