30 Mid-Length Haircuts With Fringe Bangs That Balance Edge and Elegance

zooey deschanel blowing bubbles in green dress

@zooeydeschanel / Instagram

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.
01 of 30

Soft Face-Framing Curls

Alanna Arrington with a Blunt Bob with Curly Bangs

Getty Images

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."

02 of 30

Blunt and Textured

Ana de Armas with a blunt textured lob with bangs

@ana_de_armas / Instagram

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.

03 of 30

Loose with Texture

Rashida Jones wavy shoulder-length hair with choppy bangs

Daniele Venturelli / WireImage / Getty Images

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.

04 of 30

Polished and Effortless

lily colliins wearing striped shirt against white background

@lilycollins / Instagram

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.

05 of 30

Long and Straight Bangs With Wavy Lob

Ciara with lob with ultra long bangs

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.

06 of 30

Tousled Lob

Michelle Williams with tousled bangs and 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.

07 of 30

Ultra-Long Sleek Bangs

Gabrielle Union With Shoulder length hair and long curtain bangs

@gabunion / Instagram

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.

08 of 30

Blonde Curls

Miley Cyrus with wavy blonde hair and dark roots and bangs

Amy Sussman / Staff/ Getty images

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).

09 of 30

Wispy Bangs With Waves

Zooey Deschanel with wispy bangs and curls

Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic / Getty Images

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.

10 of 30

Long Side Fringe

Emma Stone with a side swept lob with fringe

Jason LaVeris / FilmMagic / Getty Images

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.

11 of 30

Honey Blonde Bangs

taylor swift standing against newspaper background

@taylorswift / Instagram

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.

12 of 30

Tightly-Curled

Billie Eilish with a curly blonde bob and bangs

Max Mumby/Indigo / Contributor/Getty Images

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.

13 of 30

TIght Coils With Bangs

Hannah Britland with mid length curls and piecey fringe
Getty Images

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).

14 of 30

Choppy Bangs With Waves

Malene Wadel with mid length wavy hair with fringe

Dominique Charriau / WireImage / Getty Images

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.

15 of 30

Pink-Hued Waves

Tyra Banks with wavy mid-length hair with pink highlights

 Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images

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.

16 of 30

Natural Curls

Tracee Ellis Ross with curly, voluminous shoulder-length cut with curly bangs

 Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images

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."

17 of 30

Side Parted Bangs and Waves

Felicity Jones with mid length hair with fringe

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

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).

18 of 30

Soft Waves With Long Fringe

Mila Kunis with blunt mid length hair with fringe

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

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).

19 of 30

Curled Bangs

Sandra Oh curly bangs and shoulder-length hair

John Shearer / Getty Images

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."

20 of 30

Layered Bangs

Alexa Chung with mid length hair with long fringe

Danny Martindale / Getty Images

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.

21 of 30

Straight With Body

Nicole Richie with mid length hair with fringe

Jeffrey Mayer / WireImage / Getty Images

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.

22 of 30

Mid-Length With Waved Ends

Natasha Lyonne medium-length red hair with side-swept bangs

Leon Bennett / Getty Images 

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."

23 of 30

Straight With Grown-Out Roots

Rita Ora straight blonde shoulder-length hair with side-swept bangs

Tristar Media / Getty Images 

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.

24 of 30

Loose Waves With Eyebrow-Skimmin Fringe

Kerry Washington with mid length hair with fringe

Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images

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."

25 of 30

Side-Swept Curtain Bangs

Jennifer Lopez shag with curtain bangs

Amanda Edwards / WireImage / Getty Images

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.

26 of 30

Straight With Curtain Bangs

Jessica Alba with shoulder length lob with curtain bangs

Jason Merritt / Getty Images

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.

27 of 30

1970s-Style Curls

Zendaya curly mid-length hair with bangs

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

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.

28 of 30

Modern Mullet

Rihanna with shoulder length curls with bangs

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

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.

29 of 30

Straight Bangs With Waved Ends

Alexis Bledel with a wavy lob with bangs

Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

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.

30 of 30

Loose Waves

Halle Berry with wavy hair and loose bangs

Jason LaVeris / Getty Images

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.

FAQ
  • Are fringe bangs good for thin hair?

    Yes, fringe bangs work well for thin hair–but you need to take a few things into consideration if your hair also tends to get oily. Thick fringe bangs, taken from further back on your crown, would be most flattering for this hair type. If you take only a small section of bangs for a fringe it may make your hair look thinner. Make sure you spray your bangs with dry shampoo to pump up the volume and keep oil away.

  • What face shape is best for fringe bangs?

    Every face shape can pull off a fringe, however, you can style them differently to best flatter your face. Those with a round face should consider sticking to a longer curtain fringe that hits below your cheekbone. Oval and heart-shaped faces look great with thicker fringe bangs.

  • How can I make fringe bangs work with curly hair?

    Make sure you go to a stylist who is experienced with curly hair. If you cut fringe bangs while your hair is wet, it will dry much shorter so keep that in mind. It is also best to start with a very subtle fringe as you can always cut more.

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