We love revisiting classic looks that have stood the test of time. As for our current squeeze for trending beauty nostalgia? It’s got to be Birkin Bangs. The 1970s have been inspiring current hair trends since the beginning of the 2020s (see also: curtain bangs, shags and boho braids), but there’s something about a cosy fringe as autumn hits that really gets us going. This one just happens to have some extra icon energy thrown in.
What are Birkin Bangs?
Jane Birkin was the ultimate OG influencer. The ‘60s and ‘70s style icon was the inspiration behind the Hermes Birkin bag, but perhaps even more famous, was her signature swishy fringe, which became the hairstyle of her generation. Interest in the woman and her signature style has undulated over the years but she still remains one of the ultimate original cool-girls.
A Londoner, who lived in Paris, Birkin blended her Brit background with the effortless French style of her adopted city. Her uncontrived beauty moments make her as much of a muse today. In fact, in Glamour’s recent interview with Daisy Edgar-Jones, the actor named Birkin as one of her biggest fashion inspirations. “I mean, Jane Birkin, always,” she told us. “If I’m ever making a Pinterest board of, like, ‘this is how I want to style myself,’ she’s always — I mean, my hair, I think just, like, subconsciously, I’ve always been trying to channel her. I think she has this kind of effortless, relaxed French cool that is just my ultimate.”
Birkin’s trademark fringe was famous for its eyelash-skimming length and piecey texture, cut softly with no harsh line. They key was to look a little messy, like she’d let it air-dry and rake her fingers through it for some movement on the way out the door.
Why are Birkin Bangs trending?
Birkin’s style in general (but her hair in particular) has a timeless feel. Her srtyle is fairly traditional, unlike a fleeting trend, but the personality makes it feel modern and translates to today.
It’s not just Jane Birkin who was fond of the cut. Both Taylor Swift and Dakota Johnson have made the haircut their signatures, too. Likewise modern muses like Daisy Edgar-Jones and Margot Robbie have flirted with the style. And, of course, the fringe remains a French-girl signature. French model, Louise Follain is a long-time adopter, and Parisian it-girl Mara Lafontan has been serving up Birkin-esque fringe inspo for years.