I love the curtain bangs style, and it’s something that almost everyone has shown interest in that has sat in my salon chair lately. They are some of the most universal bangs in terms of who can wear them and are extremely low maintenance compared to other fringe styles. With so many different ways to wear these bangs, I have typed up a complete 70s curtain bangs ideas and style guide to help start you on your search for the perfect bangs.
70s Curtain Bangs Ideas Up Front
Believe it or not, there are many different ways to style curtain bangs, but some of my favorites are mid-length curtain bangs, the wolf cut, and one length with curtain bangs. Anyone can pull them off between the three of these, and they throw you back to that 70s style. They create that wispy style that looks undone yet very trendy and is relatively low maintenance.
What Are 70s Curtain Bangs?
Curtain bangs are a type of fringe that frame your face like a curtain frames a window. Instead of being straight across your forehead or pulled from one side to the other, they are parted in or near the middle and come down your face, curving back towards your hair. They are usually wispier than a regular bang and require less maintenance because they grow into the rest of your hair rather than your face.
Selection Criteria
Trendy
Curtain bangs are a style that was trendy in the 70s and had recently been reemerging in the hair fashion world. Nearly every type of curtain bang you can do right now is in style, from full-on face framing that feathers back to a small curtain bang that simply accentuates the rest of your hair. Curtain bangs give you the oomph that you may need in your hairstyle without committing to bangs completely.
Wispy and Care-Free
A good curtain bang is low maintenance and looks like it just naturally flows with the rest of your hair. All curtain bangs should be wispy instead of blunt and look like you don’t do much with your hair, and it still looks great. You should also be able to go a remarkable amount of time in between bang trims, going around six to eight weeks, if they are cut well in the first place.
A Style for Everyone
We all know that everyone can not pull off bangs, but curtain bangs are the exception. Depending on how you cut and style your curtain bangs, there is a style that looks good on every face shape. For example, if you have a rounder face, you can try long curtain bangs to make your face shape look slightly thinner.
70s Curtain Bangs Ideas
Layered Curtain Bangs
This is the most popular way to make curtain bangs because the bangs blend in nicely with the rest of the hair, you can make them as long or as short as you want, and it’s not too edgy or too subtle a style. I like this cut with mid-length to long hair, but you can do it with any length of hair that you have or want. It is very versatile on who can achieve it this way.
This curtain bangs style is also very versatile in who it looks good on. Since you can adjust the curtain bangs’ length and the rest of your layered cut, it looks good on those with long, round, square, heart-shaped, or oval faces. Keep your curtain bangs a bit longer for those with square or round faces, falling between your cheekbone and chin to create length in your face. Try shorter curtain bangs that fall between your cheekbone and eyebrow for long faces or heart-shaped ones.
Short Curtain Bangs
Short curtain bangs are very similar to a standard straight across bang that covers nearly your entire forehead, and the difference is that they are lightly swept to the sides rather than being brushed straight down over your forehead. Short curtain bangs should also be made highly wispy because if they are too blunt, they can be difficult to style the way they are supposed to be styled.
These bangs are more for those who want something that stands out and those with longer or oval faces. They stand out because they are the centerpiece of your haircut, positioned more in your face than any other curtain bang. Short curtain bangs will also make your face seem shorter and wider, creating an oval face shape on those with long faces or those with a heart-shaped face.
Wolf Cut Curtain Bangs
Wolf cuts are a modern shag hair cut that includes curtain bangs. This haircut is about as close as getting to the oh-so-popular mullet without actually having a mullet. The layers on top are as short, if not shorter than the curtain bangs, and it is choppily layered into the length of the hair. A wolf cut can be as short or as long as you would like.
A wolf cut with curtain bangs is one of the edgiest trendy haircuts you can have right now, so it is not for those who want something subtle. It would be best if you had quite a bit of hair to achieve this look because the thinner your hair is, the shorter the overall length will need to be due to how much layering you will have. However, since it is an edgier look, I feel that nearly any face shape can pull it off, as long as you have the confidence to rock it.
Curtain Bangs with Short Hair
Curtain bangs also look great on those with shorter haircuts, such as a bob or long bob. It’s almost like taking an elegant haircut and turning it into a wispy, lived-in haircut. You only want to make sure that your curtain bangs or shorter enough to create a noticeable difference between the length of your bangs ad the overall length of your hair.
Curtain bangs with short hair are great for those with an oval or heart-shaped face because the shorter lengths will accentuate your face’s chin and cheekbone areas. You could also do these curtain bangs with a longer face, but you must first realize that a bob haircut is not the most flattering on longer faces. The curtain bangs will simply counteract the bob hair cut on a long face but not round it out as much.
Face Framing Curtain Bangs
This is as close as you can get to what curtain bangs were styled like in the 70s without going full-on, Farrah Fawcett. The curtain bangs are cut to whatever length you would like them to be, then the rest of your hair is face framed into those bangs, making them blend seamlessly into the rest of your hair. You can then decide to layer the rest of your hair or not, but I prefer a bit of layering throughout the back of the hair as well.
This cut can work on nearly anyone since you can decide how short or long your curtain bangs are and where you want the face-framing to start. The shorter you go with your curtain bangs, the better it will look on those with longer faces. The longer you go with it, the better it will look on those with rounder or square faces, so you aren’t adding too much more roundness with face-framing layers.
Mid-Length Curtain Bangs
Mid-length curtain bangs are the most universal because you can wear them on any face shape and with any haircut. The length of these curtain bangs should be somewhere around your cheekbones, whether that is right below your eyes or right above your jaw. Mid-length is also the easiest to style because they have more movement than short bangs and more bounce to curl backward than long bangs.
Because these bangs stop right around your cheekbones, they can be worn on long faces, round faces, and anywhere in between. They stop at that sweet spot that makes your cheekbones stand out, and who doesn’t want to look like they have beautiful cheekbones. Whenever I had curtain bangs, this is where I liked to keep them.
Long Curtain Bangs
Long curtain bangs are the easiest to grow out and have the least amount of maintenance, making them an excellent starter for those unsure if they want to commit to bangs. These bangs start at your jawline or right below the jawline but should not be much longer, or else they lose their shape quite a bit. They don’t fall into your face as much as shorter versions, which is excellent for those who love the bang look but hate hair on your face.
People who would benefit from long curtain bangs are people with round faces or square faces because they create the illusion that your face is longer than it is. Another benefit to having long curtain bangs is they can be put back into a ponytail if you don’t want them for a day. The only people who can not have long curtain bangs are people with short hair because it does not create a noticeable difference in length and can look like a random short layer.
Shaggy Curtain Bangs
A shag with curtain bangs is similar to a wolf cut, except it is slightly less like a mullet. The curtain bangs are short and blend in with layers, but the curtain bangs aren’t cut into the sides of the hair like a wold cut. Shag cuts are usually much shorter, with the overall length starting around the shoulders.
This cut does not work well on those with round or square faces because shag cuts with short curtain bangs make your face look even rounder. However, this is probably the best curtain bangs style for those with long faces because it creates a rounder silhouette. Both shag cuts and shorter curtain bangs require more maintenance, needing a trim every six to eight weeks.
One Length with Curtain Bangs
Long one-length hair with the only movement in the style being curtain bangs is a haircut that you probably did exactly the same as it is now in the 70s. This look is best for those with straight hair and creates more of an elegant, sleek look than an edgy, care-free look. I also love the division that the curtain bangs create from the rest of the hair, making them the focal point of the haircut.
For this look, your curtain bangs can be as long or as short as you would like them, making them perfect for any face shape. If you have shorter hair, you may want to keep your curtain bangs short or mid-length to create some clear division, but if you have long hair, it doesn’t really matter how long your curtain bangs are. I especially love this look on long hair because it feels like I’m back in That 70s Show.
Farrah Fawcett Curtain Bangs
Farrah Fawcett was the inspiration for every girl in the 70s that wanted feathered curtain bangs, and she is starting to become an inspiration again for haircuts today. This look is the perfect mix between a shag cut and a wolf cut, and it creates the roundness of a shag cut but has the length of a wolf cut. Farrah’s bangs were also more of a straight across bang that she folded back into the rest of her hair.
This is actually a tough cut to pull off because you need a lot of hair, be able to maintain it, and not mind hair on your face. There are so many layers in it on top of the short bangs that it has to be shaped up every six weeks and requires a lot of styling. However, if you can handle all of that, this is a fun, edgy style that people will definitely notice.
How to Style 70s Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs require a bit of know-how when styling them because if they are not styled correctly, they will just lay flat against your face or look like a thick face frame. I find curtain bangs reasonably easy to style, and you need to know how to correctly do it instead of flailing around trying to figure it out because you won’t. Below are two methods to style curtain bangs that create the same outcome.
Blowdry Method
The blowdry method is preferred because you can get them where you want them to go much easier than the flat-iron method. You also get more voluminous, fluffier bangs with a blow dryer rather than a straightener. You should take these steps to get that fanning, wispy look in your curtain bangs.
- Brush your bangs over your face while blowdrying them, slightly moving the hair left and right across your forehead.
- Section off your bangs by clipping back the rest of your hair or tieing it back with a pony holder.
- Take a round brush big enough to roll your bangs around it one time and lay it on top of your bangs.
- Brush down to the end of your bangs and roll the brush backward away from your face so the brush is laying on top of your head at the hairline.
- Â Blowdry your hair with it in the brush until it is warm, and repeat until the hair is fully dry.
Flat Iron Method
If your hair is already dry and you need to touch up your bangs, you can simply use a flat iron instead of rewetting them and blowdrying them. I would never use this method as my primary method to style curtain bangs because doing it with a blow dryer and round brush looks better, but it works when you’re in a pinch. Follow these steps to create a curtain bangs style with a straightener.
- Make sure your hair is completely dry for this method using the instructions above.
- Section off your bangs by clipping the rest of your hair back or putting it into a pony holder and part your bangs where you want them to separate.
- Take one side of your bangs and clamp your straightener over that section starting at the top of your hair.
- Holding your flat iron diagonally, make a half turn and move your flat iron down over your face and backward, going a mid-speed (not slow, not fast).
- Repeat this on the other side of your bangs.
FAQ’s
Answer: Curtain bangs are unique because they can be done in many different styles that look good on everyone. It all depends on how short or long your curtain bangs are. Generally, rounder and square faces look good with long curtain bangs, and longer faces look good with shorter curtain bangs. Any face shape in between can pull off nearly any style of curtain bangs.
Answer: Face-framing layers usually start below the jawline and create more roundness in the hair, whereas curtain bangs are no longer than your jawline and come down over your face and wisp backward into the rest of your hair. They are also cut very differently, with curtain bangs being an entire bang section cut at a slight diagonal and face-framing being less hair and cut at a more dramatic vertical angle.
Answer: Curtain bangs are typically parted in the middle but can be put slightly off to one side or the other. Although, you don’t want to part them too far to the side because then you would just have a side-swept bang, and the little bit of bang that would be on the lesser hair side wouldn’t be very noticeable. Ideally, you want to keep your part between where your pupils would be if you were looking straight.
Answer: Any hairstylist that keeps up with modern trends will know what you mean when you say you want curtain bangs. However, if they do not for some reason understand what they are, bring photos! I recommend picking out two or three images that you like and maybe one with something you do not want. This gives your hairstylist a pretty clear understanding of what you’re looking for.
Answer: Longer curtain bangs can be put into a ponytail, but they may not go back as easily if they are any shorter than eye length. You will have to put your hair into a high pony for the bangs to stay in the pony holder successfully. If your bangs are too short to go into a ponytail, you can use a headband or clips to help keep them back.
Should You Try 70s Curtain Bangs?
If you like this classic 70s style, you should try out curtain bangs because there is a style that suits nearly every person out there. They are also so easy to grow out that the worst that could happen is you hate them and never cut them again, but I recommend starting with longer curtain bangs if you aren’t sure. My personal favorite styles for curtain bangs right now are mid-length curtain bangs, the wolf cut, and one length with curtain bangs.
Looking for more interesting hairstyles? Check out:
- Root Smudge Guide
- Wispy Bangs Ideas & Style Guide: Which Style Is Best For You
- Black Ombre Hair Ideas & Style Guide: Which Is Your Favorite Look?
