Haircuts with a fringe are modern classics. We particularly love the mid-length cut, which flatters a range of face shapes and balances nicely with a fringe, which can also add some much-needed face-framing structure. Even better? You've got options with this style. Opt for a soft side sweep like Emma Stone's, a piecey full fringe like Mila Kunis's, or something wispy and barely-there like Rihanna's.
The great thing about having mid-length hair with a fringe is that you can find a cut that suits any hair type, from fine to full to curly. Don't believe us? Just read what the expert stylists had to say and check out our gallery of 28 oh-so-different fringe-adorned mid-length haircuts for all the proof you need.
Meet the Expert
- Marcus Francis is a celebrity hairstylist. His clients include Julianne Moore, Emma Roberts, and Olivia Colman.
- Kim Kimble is a stylist to stars such as Beyoncé, Shakira, and Zendaya, among others. She is also the owner and creator of her eponymous haircare brand.
- Anastasia Stylianou is an internationally acclaimed hairstylist and creative and artistic director. She is a specialist in curly hair.
Soft Face-Framing Curls
No matter your texture—curly hair included—there is a fringe for you. According to Stylianou, "Curly bangs totally work. They're great if you prefer a little softness around the face, or you like to wear your hair up and you still want to keep it interesting."
Blunt and Textured
Ana de Armas' blunt lob gets a dose of texture and a sweep of eyebrow-grazing fringe. This is a look that begs to be styled simply—just air-dry, then spritz in some texture spray.
Loose with Texture
Rashida Jones turns up the edge with her choppy bangs cut at varying lengths. Textured bangs paired with slightly tousled waves make for the perfect undone finish. Not to mention, they complement round- and oblong-shaped faces.
Polished and Effortless
The beauty of a mid-length cut with bangs is that you can style your bangs and leave the rest of your hair untouched; it will still look effortlessly polished.
Long and Straight Bangs With Wavy Lob
Ciara's bangs are proof that fringe can go past the eyebrows and still look chic. Here, her straight bangs are styled with curled hair that hits above the shoulders. Use a medium-barrelled curling iron to replicate the look.
Tousled Lob
We love the casual-meets-sexy vibe of Michelle Williams' tousled lob with wide curtain bangs. The blunt ends keep the look from veering too boho and the curtain fringe helps frame the face.
Byrdie Tip
When trying to decide what kind of bang will work best for you, Kimble advises, that people with smaller faces tend to look good with shorter bangs while long bangs are better suited for those with longer faces.
Ultra-Long Sleek Bangs
Gabrielle Union's ultra-long curtain bangs look sleek and shiny with her mid-length, straight haircut. To replicate the look, use a round brush to sweep the bangs away from the face, so they serve as layers.
Blonde Curls
Miley Cyrus plays up her wavy texture with this adorable mid-length haircut with face-framing fringe. She gives her look a little rock star edge by keeping her roots dark to contrast her platinum blonde. Play up your own wavy texture while also leaving hair soft and shiny with Oribe Curl Gloss ($42).
Wispy Bangs With Waves
Leave it to Zooey Deschanel to make wispy bangs look adorable. Here, her loose fringe is juxtaposed by full waves, with lots of volume left in the ends.
Long Side Fringe
A long side fringe like Emma Stone's is seriously versatile; you can wear it swept to the side or parted down the center if you want to disguise it. Francis instructs applying a shine glaze on wet hair mixed with Better Natured Heat Styling Lotion ($22) before blowdrying. This will lend a beautiful finish with plenty of fullness and piecey-ness, he notes.
Honey Blonde Bangs
Taylor Swift's iconic blonde bangs are the ultimate fringe inspiration. For straight hair types, try adding a little salt spray to wet hair for Swift's effortless, beachy bends.
Tightly-Curled
Hair chameleon Billie Eilish did a complete pivot with this stylish fringed hairdo. With the layered sides and thick fringe bangs, the singer's shag haircut started a new trend.
TIght Coils With Bangs
Actress Hannah Britland shows how great this hair length looks on curly hair. We're totally into the barely-there fringe too. According to Kimble, "Curly hair tends to shrink up so keep hair and layers longer and avoid short and choppy layers to keep the hair looking flowy. These longer layers work best for anyone with 4a to 4c curls."
To keep curls defined, she recommends using curl creams and mousses, one of her favorites being her eponymous brand's Curl Cream ($25).
Choppy Bangs With Waves
A blunt fringe can give the illusion that your hair is thicker than it is. Make like actress Malene Wadel and take the plunge. To soften her look, she wears her hair in loose, beachy waves.
Pink-Hued Waves
Tyra Banks takes the ombré trend to the next level with her pink gradient tresses. To get her look, deep side part hair and then curl sections away from your face.
Natural Curls
Pattern beauty founder Tracee Ellis Ross knows what's best for curly natural hair. In fact, she is living proof. According to Francis, "Texture and sexiness are the epitome of effortless sexy hair. The curly bangs seal the deal. Oval-, heart-, and square-shaped faces can wear this look that is great for thick or fine curly hair."
Byrdie Tip
When it comes to wearing a curly fringe, Stylianou cautions, "Don’t go wild. You only need to trim, say, five curls. The last thing you need is a thick curly block across your forehead, so make sure you keep it random and different lengths."
Side Parted Bangs and Waves
Felicity Jones' strong side part gives her shoulder-length hair a strong focal point and stops her beach waves from looking too casual. Want to get that texture into your tresses? Try Bumble and bumble Surf Infusion ($30).
Soft Waves With Long Fringe
This blunt shoulder-skimming haircut complete with piecey full fringe on Mila Kunis is all kinds of wonderful. "Long bangs and side-swept bangs look great on mid-length cuts because they add an element of fun and youthfulness," says Kimble. Re-create that wave with a medium-barrel tong like the T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand ($325).
Curled Bangs
When it comes to curling bangs like Sanra Oh's, Stylianou dishes out some advice: "I recommend keeping each curl refined on your bangs, apply something with a little thicker consistency, Bouclème Curl Cream ($32) is perfect for this. Its natural lightweight ingredients will sit well on those curls around your face and overall on the hair."
Layered Bangs
Alexa Chung is the queen of the mid-length haircut with fringe. The lash-grazing length of her fringe accentuates her eyes while face-framing highlights brighten her complexion.
Straight With Body
Nicole Richie makes a strong case for the textured full fringe. We're crushing on this bronze hair color, too. "The tousled texture with brow-grazing bangs [adds] a polished yet undone sexiness to this look. It works for fine and thick hair textures since the layers are kept long and the bangs blend into the layers and hair so effortlessly," comments Francis.
Mid-Length With Waved Ends
Natasha Lyonne's fiery red hair and alabaster skin are the perfect combo, just like her mid-length hair and fringe. When it comes to cutting and styling, Kimble says, "A mid-length haircut looks best with full, healthy ends, making the hair appear thick and healthy. You can add layers, body, and even bangs to really flatter the face."
Straight With Grown-Out Roots
Rita Ora's platinum tresses with slightly grown-out dark roots make a statement. Her choppy ends and long, piecey side-swept bangs complete her cool-girl grunge look. Get her smooth finish with Cloud Nine The Touch Iron ($289). Then simply tuck hair behind your ears or pin back with your favorite accessory.
Loose Waves With Eyebrow-Skimmin Fringe
An eyelash skimming fringe is seriously sultry. Ramp up the shine like Kerry Washington has by misting your styled hair with shine spray. Kimble adds, "Use a light holding spray before flat-ironing to add control to the bangs."
Side-Swept Curtain Bangs
Jennifer Lopez's sultry side-swept bangs cascade into loose waves that radiate sexiness. To enhance texture and movement, ask your stylist for long layers and your colorist for honey blonde highlights.
Straight With Curtain Bangs
Jessica Alba shows there's still a place for curtain bangs in the world-worn sleek with a neat mid-length haircut. Francis recommends styling by first prepping damp hair with a heat protectant before blow-drying with a medium-size round brush. "Add a dab of shine serum at ends for a polished finish," he says.
1970s-Style Curls
Zendaya shows us the ultimate way to wear curls is with all-over volume and luster—bangs included. To maintain the shape of her curly mane and to keep her thick strands from feeling too heavy, her cut incorporates long layers.
Modern Mullet
How cool does Rihanna's modern mullet look? A piecey fringe like this one here is seriously chic and pretty low maintenance. Texture spray combined with leave-in conditioner achieves texture and polish while adding long-lasting styling to this look. "The hydration is key with curly hair, which you get from the leave-in," notes Francis. "Apply on damp hair and comb through the hair. Dry with a diffuser and use a small curling iron if needed to add any additional more defined curls," he instructs.
Straight Bangs With Waved Ends
We love how waves and soft fringe bring out the lowlights in Alexis Bledel's hair. Kimble agrees: "Waves in a mid-length haircut give a lot of body and texture to the hair and [add] a lot of style." Long layers and a bit of product like Verb Sea Spray ($20) will help achieve this look.
Loose Waves
Whether she has it long or short, Halle Berry is always our go-to for hair inspo. This layered haircut with fringe bangs is no exception. The soft curls around her face stand out due to her perfectly placed caramel highlights. To copy her look, ask your stylist for fringe bangs that hit slightly below your eyebrows.