Wafty Bangs Are the Coolest Take on Curtain Bangs for Fall

The trend for curtain bangs (i.e., the ’70s flicked out fringe that has dominated our social media feeds as well as our salons for the past 10 months) isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s only getting bigger and bigger—literally.

“We’ve seen the curtain fringe leading the trend for 2021, and I’m so excited for this to evolve into a more dramatic bang trend for autumn,” says Adam Reed, hair stylist and founder of Adam Reed London and editorial ambassador for L’Oréal Professionnel.

Drama is indeed the name of the game, with people adding volume and fullness to their curtain bangs. The results are what Jason Collier, celebrity hairstylist and brand educator for Jerome Russell, called the waft fringe or wafty bangs—a retro supermodel style that’s airy, elegant and universally flattering.

“The wavy, sweeping fringe is long and grown out with a shorter inner centre,” Collier says. “This unfussy ’70s sweep and wave is going to be really popular.”

But before you reach for the hairspray and a comb, there’s an art to achieving all that volume (and it doesn’t involve backcombing).

Here, we hit up the best in the business to teach us exactly how to achieve a waft fringe from home.

First things first, you’ll need the right tools for the job. Our experts unanimously recommended a large round brush and a hair dryer, or a hot brush, to achieve the perfect wafty fringe.

“The easiest way to amp up bangs is to use a rolling motion in conjunction with a hot brush. This will instantly add volume,” says Patrizia Manias, founder of Patrizia Manias Salon in London’s Covent Garden.

Christel Barron-Hough, founder of STIL Salon agrees: “Drying your bangs forward with a round brush and tucking in the ends will give you a great bounce, aided with the use of the right products and tools. I find using a slightly larger iron is great to use to add shape that will promote a flick.”

Select the right products.

As always, the key to lasting style is the right product to prep and fix your hair. To help hair stay in shape, Barron-Hough recommends using a thickening and lifting spray, such as Color Wow’s Raise the Root, which will help add volume without your bangs going crispy.

To finish, use a light misting of a medium-hold hair spray or even dry shampoo (this has the added benefit of warding off grease) and a finishing spray if you want a more polished look.

“This style looks even better with a glossy finish,” says Reed. “I love L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Ring Light sprayed over the hair to offer the HD hair shine.“

Keep scrolling for the best wafty fringe inspiration to take your curtain bangs to the next level…

Flicked up. 

This wafty fringe has been flicked up at the ends for a gravity-defying finish.

Shaggy fringe.

Add a sense of shagginess to your wafty fringe by drying hair down over the forehead.

Extra volume fringe.

A fringe doesn’t have to sit flat to your head, as this voluminous wafty look proves.

Full-on flicks.

Take the flick all the down lengths of hair for a true tribute to the ’70s.

Wafty waves.

A wafty fringe blends in beautifully with glossy waves.

Sideswept.

If you’re not a huge fan of a middle parting, you’re in luck—a wafty fringe looks amazing when swept to the side.

Bouncy bangs.

As far as we’re concerned, it’s a matter of the bouncier the better when it comes to wafty bangs.

This story originally appeared on Glamour U.K.