Why ‘French girl hair’ is the ultimate cool summer look & how to copy it – from ‘Birkin bangs’ to underdone bobs
MESSY, sexy, can’t-be-bothered hair is the look of the moment — and the French have been doing it forever.
From Bardot to Birkin bangs, that laid-back Parisian vibe is back in a big way.
Brigitte Bardot’s messy-chic French look is back inAlamy
TikTok is obsessed with Daisy Edgar-Jones’ French girl lookgetty
TikTok is obsessed, searches for “French girl haircut” have exploded, and even celebs like Daisy Edgar-Jones are calling the look their ultimate inspo.
But what actually is French girl hair and how do you get it without spending hours with straighteners or forking out hundreds at a salon?
Well, the magic is in the mess.
French girl hair is never too neat, too bouncy or too “done”.
Less is more
French songwriter, Louise Verneuil, asks for an ‘easy cut’
Think cool, tousled, soft texture, and just the right amount of volume that says “I didn’t try,” even though you definitely did.
Paris-based hair pros say the whole aesthetic is about pretending not to care.
Louise Verneuil, a French singer-songwriter told The Times: “I guess French hair has an assumed nonchalance,
“It suggests you don’t have time but still look cool. The French way is always ‘less is more’.”
The songwriter said she doesn’t ask for a glam blow-dry or anything too neat when she visits her hairdresser.
She goes for an “easy cut” to suit her hair and mood.
Louise added: “I prefer something timeless — something fun, not too perfect, that mixes all the movies, books and heroines I love.”
So no poker-straight strands, no chunky highlights, and definitely no extensions down to your bum.
Instead, it’s lived-in layers, soft waves, maybe a curtain fringe or a bit of bend through the mid-lengths.
French actress, Isabelle Huppert is a great example of how to achieve this look, with her tousled mid-length look.
Some women even go a week without washing, tying their hair into a messy bun or low chignon when it starts to look greasy.
But don’t be fooled, while it may look scruffy, it actually starts with really healthy hair.
French women invest in good care and keep styling to a minimum.
Hairstylist Sam McKnight told The Times: “French women really look after the health of their hair.
“They purposefully underdo it on the styling front.”
A diffuser is a secret weapon if you’ve got natural waves or just rough dry your hair and twist sections as you go.
Ditch the hairbrush and use your fingers to add texture, volume and that perfectly imperfect finish.
Birkin Bangs
Jane Birkin’s iconic hair-do features wispy bangs and soft, messy hairGetty
And of course, no French-inspired hair look would be complete without a signature fringe.
Jane Birkin‘s iconic hair-do featured a soft wispy fringe and messy hair.
To get the “Birkin bang” you’ll want to go short in the middle, longer at the sides, and then softly frames the eyes.
It’s wispy, windy, and looks best when it’s just a little out of place.
Underdone bobs
Isabelle Huppert wears a stylish long bob
French haircuts tend to be timeless, boho and a bit undone, not too sharp, not too polished.
Think chipped-in bobs, grown-out pixies and shoulder-length chops that have a bit of rock ‘n’ roll about them.
French actress, Isabelle Huppert is a great reference for this look.
And just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean chopping it all off.
French girl hair isn’t really about trends or tools.
It’s about confidence, coolness and pretending you didn’t try, even if you totally did.
How often should you be washing your hair?
Anabel Kingsley, Consultant Trichologist and Brand President at Philip Kingsley spoke exclusively to Fabulous.
You take your hair and scalp to the same places you take your face, and it gets just as dirty.
Your scalp is also a living tissue; it sweats, produces oils and sheds skin cells.
You wouldn’t leave two days between washing your face, and you likely wouldn’t wear the same outfit more than a few times before washing it – apply the same thinking to your hair.
It is a myth that washing your hair too often causes your hair to get greasier.
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