It’s Birkin Bangs Season. Here’s How To Get Them Right
A visit to Paris means being surrounded by good bread, great pastries, and even better hair. Decades after her cameo on Serge Gainsbourg’s “Je t’aime... moi non plus” had staid listeners clutching their pearls, the influence of beauty icon Jane Birkin’s look – a sun-kissed, artfully undone mane with a longish fringe – can still be seen all over the city.
Birkin, an actress, singer and designer who passed away in 2023 aged 76, was actually born in London, though she lived mostly in France. The Hermés Birkin bag is famously named for her, and her laid-back French Riviera wardrobe of Breton tops, denim cut-offs and basket bags has informed how millions of women dress.
Still, her fringe was possibly Birkin’s most defining signature, and the look is especially popular in the summer months. This fringe can be worn in different ways: full but still soft, or swept to the sides to appear closer to curtain bangs. They look undone, cool and add interest around the face – plus they work as well with hair worn up as down. This sort of fringe requires upkeep (regular trims are important), but when cut well, it’s flattering even when slightly grown out.
Birkin bangs work in straight, wavy and curly hair, and should be graduated into the rest of the haircut, so it looks natural rather than too angular or defined. To style? Well, take hairstylist Larry King’s recent advice and always blow dry your French bangs forward, ideally using a round brush. Then, part them, and let them fall naturally into the hair – they’ll look even better on the second day.
In need of some inspiration? Take any one of the below images along to your next salon appointment.
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