After a long year of not getting my hair cut, I’m more excited than ever to get back into the salon. Admittedly, I’m not the adventurous type, so I’ll be resurrecting my grown-out bangs, but you’ve come to the right place if you’re itching to try something new. It’s a truth universally acknowledged that French girls are the epitome of style, so why not take a little inspiration from chic Parisians?
To get the scoop on French haircuts that are popular with L.A. girls like me, I tapped David Pierre, founder and creative director of The Hair Atelier in West Hollywood, California. The French transplant is knowledgeable about hair trends on both sides of the Atlantic, so I knew he’d be the best stylist to ask. Scroll down to see his expert opinion.
“Curtain bangs or any sort of fringe, in general, will automatically feel like a touch of Paris or the south of France in the summer,” Pierre told Who What Wear. “Curtain bangs must be cut at a heavy angle with a good amount of texture.”
Yes, even I’ve been inspired to embrace this popular French haircut.
Curtain bangs look so good when the rest of your hair is kept one long length.
Tie the rest of your hair back to let your sweeping fringe take centre stage.
“Highly influenced by the ’70s and paired with some Brigitte Bardot curtain bangs. My favourite!” Pierre told us. “With this look, I love to embrace the texture and even some frizz! This is the best effortless sexy look for the summer. It’s all about creating the right amount of ‘diffused layers’ and texture for each type of hair you work with.”
These layers fall in all the right places—so chic.
A shag haircut doesn’t have to be reserved for long hair—it looks great on shorter styles too.
This centre-parted style looks like its just stepped out of the ’70s.
Layers add movement to mid-length cuts.
A feathery fringe adds extra texture to this French girl-inspired shag style.
“Girls still ask for it, with or without bangs,” Pierre said. “It’s like they let their hair grow long throughout the pandemic and want a drastic change! We should rename it ‘let go of 2020.’ Cutting the right length for the right person/silhouette is key! It’s not about the layers nor the fringe/framing you pair it with but the length. I use neck length and jaw lines as reference points.”
A bob might be a classic cut, but it doesn’t mean that your colour has to be!
Beach waves pair perfectly with a bob for effortlessly tousled texture.
A full fringe looks amazing with this shorter style.
A bob doesn’t have to be high-maintenance—embrace your natural texture for a laidback feel. Just like a French girl would.
Up next: from wolf cuts to bubble braids, these 6 hairstyles are trending right now.
