Baby Bangs Are Back! Here’s How To Make Them Work For You

Bangs or no bangs? At some point, we’ve all stood in front of a mirror and asked ourselves that very serious question. A well-cut fringe can be the icing on the cake when it comes to revamping your hairstyle. Not to mention, adding bangs to your ‘do can emit tons of positive vibes (think: empowering, emboldening, fun, and flirty). But when it comes to making the cut, we know that figuring out how short to go, how to style them, and how to grow them out can cause all kinds of hesitation. Babe, we believe in you. If celebs and influencers can rock them, so can you, and the latest hair trend in bangs is pretty user-friendly. Enter: Baby bangs. These super short bangs, also known as micro bangs, are quickly picking up speed among red carpets, runways, and real-life (that cute chick with a bomb micro fringe at the coffee shop—it's you!). Ready to make the chop? We’ve got some tips from our expert along with some bang-spiration (yeah, we said it!) below.

About the Expert:

Kelly Macedo is the Cut Specialist & Owner of Interior Hair. 

So What Are Baby Bangs?

“Baby bangs are quite simply tiny bangs! They can add so much style to your look as a whole and can be super chic if done right to flatter your facial features,” says Kelly Macedo,  Cut Specialist & Owner of Interior Hair. Unlike traditional bangs which tend to stop at your brows or below, baby bangs are hiked up, typically stopping a few inches above your brow line. They can be choppy, blunt, soft and tousled, pin-straight, super textured, and more. 

Can anyone rock baby bangs?

It’s got a lot to do with preference. While some people are really into the look of a super short fringe, others may just not be into it. The key to finding the right style for you? Have a real conversation with your stylist and let them study your features. “I look at their face as a whole, not only at the shape of it. If they have great eyebrows, I highlight them by cutting bangs short enough to see them. If they have amazing cheekbones, I might suggest going a little longer on the sides of the bangs to accentuate them. If they wear their hair up often, I add in little pieces to enhance how it frames their face when their hair is pulled back,” says Macedo. 

Some awesome advice for the bang newbie: Let your stylist know you’ve never had bangs before so they can give you the tools you need to love your look. And once you’ve got your cut, Macedo recommends feeling it out over 3 weeks. “When your bangs start to lay a little different or you begin to notice that you're missing how they were when you cut them, note the timing of how long it's been. This way you know that you like your bangs up until that point and that’s how often to schedule a trim,” says Macedo. Kind of genius. 

What are some go-to baby bang styling tips?

“I'm a big air-dry advocate, especially if you have a little texture. Wavy or curly baby bangs kill me! They're too cute. For air-dry girls, if you have a good cut, you don't have to do anything. Wash and go, baby,” says Macedo. For blow-drying, Macedo recommends using a flat brush to brush your bangs all to one side and then all to the other side. This technique, called flat-wrapping helps flatten any cowlicks or stubborn pieces. And for pin-straight bangs?  “I don't always suggest flat ironing baby bangs because oftentimes they can get too straight and poke out instead of lying flat. But if you must, make sure to bevel your flat iron so your hair has a little bend,” says Macedo.

The best way to get the look you want? Pull some photos of looks you love and take them to your stylist. “This will help them see what you like so you can discuss the bangs that will work best for your hair texture and your styling needs,” suggests Macedo. 

Check out these looks below for some ridiculously cute baby bang inspo!

1. The Blunt Bang Chop

Want to really make a statement? These baby bangs are not for the faint of heart. While this blunt, polished cut paired with a super short, choppy fringe takes guts to pull off (Emma Roberts used faux bangs here), we love the bold, “It’s my hair I do what I want to,” vibes it exudes.  “This style is definitely a commitment and works best for an oval face shape,” says Macedo. She also suggests leaving the bangs longer on the sides, not short like we see here. “Taking the bangs that far back on the sides can be pretty tricky to grow out,” she says. 

2. The Jagged Edge

We’re feeling serious rocker chic vibes from Emma Watson’s fringe. Seriously, there’s nothing baby about them. “This type of baby bang is my favorite. Uneven, "chewed" and jagged is how I would describe this version. Depending on your facial features, this could work for a heart-shaped face, round face, or oval shaped face,” says Macedo.

3. The Textured Chop

The red wavy hair, the perfect piecey texture, and the chin-length, jawline-sweeping lob—we’re obsessed with everything about it (and our girl crush Zendaya, of course). “These are cute and a little choppy but not too drastic. This look works well with a round face or oval face shape,” says Macedo.

4. The Playful Baby Bang

Ok, this jet-black pixie shag on Demi Lovato is giving us serious bang FOMO. And leave it up to Demi to pull off cropped bangs like a boss babe. The fun part? These bangs are extra micro and paired up with a choppy short haircut that’s all business in the front and party all around. Again, we love this look for all face shapes, just chat with your stylist to lock down your perfect length.  

5. The Flirty Girl Fringe

We consider Ana de Armas’s style the perfect foray into baby bangs for the baby bang virgin. “This version is much more wearable than others and could work for any face shape,” says Macedo. She also suggests adding a few face-framing strands to soften the look so when you put your hair up, you’ll have little pieces that blend downward into your hair from your bangs.

6. The Wispy Baby Bang

Calling all curly haired people! When it comes to bangs, you can absolutely kill it too (exhibit A: Alanna Arrington). These carefree wispies are all about effortlessly playing up texture, embracing it, and we are absolutely here for it. This windswept look works best with medium-length strands and any face shape. 

7. The Bendy Baby Bang

The key to adding some oomph to your fringe could be in your flat iron. Instead of ironing your bangs pin-straight, using your iron to add a little curve can add tons of depth, dimension, and shine, like Sofia Boutella. “What makes these special is the bluntness of them and the little bend that using flat iron gives. This look would be nice on a heart, oval, or square shaped faces depending on your features and hair length,” suggests Macedo.

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