Sometimes it takes a jaw-dropping celebrity moment on the front row to remind us just how good an all-time favourite hair look is. Cue Anne Hathaway‘s throwback to Andy Sachs’ curtain bangs and her The Devil Wears Prada fashion tribute at the Michael Kors spring 2023 show. To cap off the nostalgic moment, the Oscar-winning actress even sat next to Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, who has long thought to be the inspiration behind the film’s character Miranda Priestly.
While curtain bangs are synonymous with the ‘70s, Farrah Fawcett and Brigitte Bardot, Anne Hathaway’s take was an effortless riff on the Y2K hairstyle. By sweeping her hair into a high ponytail, complete with grown-out curtain bangs to accentuate her bone structure, yesterday’s New York Fashion Week moment was nearly identical to her look in the 2006 film. She even dressed like her character, pairing a chocolate crocodile-print leather trench with a matching miniskirt over a black roll neck jumper.
Typically, curtain bangs hit that sweet spot of being weighty but still soft and face-framing. “The grown-out element is what makes curtain bangs so appealing,” says Adam Reed, hairstylist and founder of Arkive hair care. “The hair isn’t precise and neatly all in one place, but it still looks edgy and cool.”
Adam is also quick to point out that while Anne is no stranger to curtain bangs over the years, this iteration “looks really youthful”.
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Ultimately, curtain bangs pack more of a punch than barely-there bangs and are considerably longer than a traditional fringe with the middle tickling the eyelashes and the sides grazing the cheek. Consequently, they’re also considered more versatile. “Curtain bangs suit all face shapes and can be cut into shorter and longer hair,” Adam continues. “It’s also possible to take the middle section of hair shorter and leave the sides for a concave shape that looks amazing gently flicked with a blow out.”
Another fringe benefit is just how low-maintenance curtain bangs are to style at home. “I would recommend applying the Arkive Scene Setter Pomade to damp hair as product will give the look longevity and hold,” says Adam. “Blow-dry your fringe forwards, then blast your hair backwards to break it up for a cool girl finish. Style it into your preferred parting using a large round brush or the GHD Rise hot brush. Spray a little hair spray on a wide tooth comb for a worn-in ’70s feel.”