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Nailing trendy shoulder length hair with bangs is easy when you know which versions best suit your face and how to style it with that effortless vibe. Check out our guide to see the cutest examples of shoulder length cuts with bangs below!
3 Keys to Trendy Shoulder Length Hair With Bangs
- Layering in your bangs + cut are essential for the trend
- Bang length doesn’t matter, but make sure it suits the type of cut
- Choose from blunt, point-cut, choppy, or softly layered cuts
We’re seeing trendy shoulder length hair with bangs absolutely everywhere lately. Luckily, it’s one of those trends that has a lot of range – you won’t look like a carbon copy of every other girl when you wear it.
Long hair has its perks and short hair is undeniably cute, but there’s something extra special about shoulder length hair. It’s truly the best of both worlds! When you add bangs to the combo, you’ve got an unstoppable, gorgeous look.
There are really only 3 basic keys to wearing this trend. If you can keep these in mind, you’ll love the way your hair frames your face and you won’t end up with a dated, out-of-style look.
Layers Are a Must
First up is layering. It can be throughout your shoulder length cut, only in your bangs, or in both, but you absolutely need some type of layering to pull off the trend.
Layers prevent hair from stacking up in thicker areas and appearing too bulky. They release weight from the ends of the hair and allow for more movement, swing, and volume.
Make sure you’re looking at layered shoulder length cuts (even invisible or interior layers work!) or go with layered bangs to master this look.
Pick Bangs That Suit the Cut
When it comes to trendy shoulder length hair with bangs, you have so many options that it can be alarming. Blunt, wispy, split, curtain, side-swept, micro, and bottleneck bangs – how can you possibly choose which type of bangs will work best?
Start by taking a look at the cut. You’ll want to carry the same vibe of your shoulder length cut up into the bangs so it all looks cohesive.
For example, a blunt, precision lob would look kind of crazy with super-choppy, shaggy bottleneck bangs. But it would look amazing with similarly blunt bangs or a very softly layered side-swept bang!
Add Texture to the Ends
Adding a little texture to the ends is the final key to nailing this trend. Since your mane will end at or near your shoulders, the ends will be well within view and should be in harmony with your bang type.
Precise, blunt ends help add an angular, structured look to your cut and look nice with shorter bang lengths. Point-cut or wispy ends go great with choppier layered cuts and any length of bang.
Softly layered, curved ends are ideal with wavy texture and long bangs. Opt for choppy, uneven ends if you like the edgy or boho vibe and won’t be rocking straight-across blunt bangs.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best examples of trendy shoulder length hair with bangs to see it all in action!
20 Trendy Shoulder Length Hair With Bangs Examples
Get a feel for the different ways you can wear the trendy shoulder length hair with bangs look by taking a look at the options below. These are 20 of our favorite versions of the style! Which one can you see yourself wearing?
1. Shoulder Length Layered Waves With Micro Bangs
Edgy micro bangs take on a softer vibe when paired with a trendy shoulder length cut. This layered cut is meant to be styled tousled up with waves or curls. Micro bangs complement the medium length cut nicely when they’re cut unevenly and styled in chunky, open pieces.
2. Shoulder Length Swing Cut With Full Side-Swept Bangs
Swing cuts have soft interior layers cut precisely to encourage the hair to bend and swing at certain points. Concentrating those layers near the ends helps create a vintage curved-end look. With full side-swept bangs across the forehead, this is a bold and trendy take on the style!
3. Voluminous Curvy Curtain Bangs
Adding body and curve to curtain bangs helps them take on a sultry, feminine vibe that beautifully frames your face. We love how trendy shoulder length hair with bangs curves away from her face and helps create additional volume on the sides!
4. Long Layered Bob With Side Bangs
A lob with side bangs and lots of blended layers through the ends takes on a similar look to a collapsed bob. This example features full side bangs with soft layers to frame the face and break up the shoulder length of the cut.
Cutting the bangs deep into the side removes a lot of bulk and makes this flattering for oval and round faces especially.
5. Feathery Long Bangs With Blunt Shoulder Length
A little point-cutting through the ends is the only change made to the precise, blunt-cut ends in this shoulder length look. Long, feathery bangs swept back on the sides give it an ethereal, angelic vibe that’s only heightened by a bright blonde color.
6. Tousled Layers With Medium Curtain Bangs
Pairing shoulder length locks with medium-length curtain bangs and a side part is such a cute way to rock this trend. Layers lighten up the look and add movement. Customize the length of your curtain bangs to hit at the tops of your cheekbones or slightly lower to define your jaw!
7. Blunt Shoulder Length Waves With Wispy Bangs
Wispy bangs don’t have to fall across your forehead. Part them with your hair and let them add a little texture and volume on the sides for a pretty look with shoulder length hair! Waves add texture and bend that helps layering within the cut stand out.
8. Medium Length With Interior Layers and Blunt Bangs
Interior layers remove bulk and weight to “collapse” the ends of a lob or shoulder length cut without appearing heavily layered or choppy. Try this look with blunt bangs to frame your face! Split the bangs open as they grow out for a cute, French girl look.
9. Choppy Shoulder Length With Razored Side Bangs
Razoring side bangs creates closely-packed, short layers that make the bangs appear a little thicker and more voluminous. If you love to style your hair with extra volume, this is the way to go! Choppy layering through the ends adds character and shape to the look.
10. Vintage Shoulder Lob With Soft French Bangs
Split bangs take on an effortlessly chic look with a shoulder length cut and leave the forehead open. That’s perfect for round, oval, and square face shapes that don’t want to cover the top half of the face with bangs! Curl the ends for a feminine, vintage look and dry your bangs with a large round brush to copy the look.
11. Medium Length With Long Feathered Bangs
Keeping your medium length haircut trendy and not frumpy is easy with lightweight, airy long bangs! This type of fringe is versatile and long enough to tuck behind your ears if needed. Style them feathered back for a delightfully fresh look.
12. Glam Shoulder Length Curls With Long Bangs
Hot rollers are an often-forgotten style tool that makes voluminous, glam styles like this so easy! A side part with extra lift at the roots and layered long bangs to curve out on the sides makes this medium-length cut super flattering.
13. Point-Cut Medium Length With Soft Bangs
Shallow bangs that don’t cut too deeply into the hair are a great way to ease into the trend if you haven’t worn bangs in a while. You don’t have to style these bangs across your forehead! Instead, blend them into the style and part them along your usual line.
14. Shoulder Length With Long Layered Curtain Bangs
Waves and curtain bangs are the natural pairing for the trendy shoulder length hair with bangs look. Graduated layers start short around the cheekbones and stagger down to blend the curtain bangs into the length. This is a flattering look for all face shapes!
15. Blunt Shoulder Length Cut With Piece-y Bangs
Blunt length and blunt bangs can be a heavy combo, even with shoulder length hair. Try a wispier blunt bang and style it in chunky pieces that spread open for a lighter look! This cut is ideal for straight hair and works well if you have a little natural bend.
16. One Length With Petite Side-Swept Bangs
Can’t stand a lot of layers in your hair? Try the trendy shoulder length hair with bangs by going with a one-length look and petite side bangs! These lightly layered bangs gently feather back and curve over the forehead to help shape the cut without layers throughout the length.
17. Shoulder Length Waves With Long Side Bangs
If you love a longer bang for versatility in styling, this is the perfect way to rock the trendy shoulder length hair with bangs look! These bangs begin at the jawline to draw the eye there and help visually sculpt the area.
Curl, wave, or wear your bangs straight depending on your style for the day.
18. Choppy Medium Length Shag With Bottleneck Bangs
Medium length shags look amazing with choppy bottleneck bangs that shape and sculpt the hair on top. This is a great look to minimize a larger forehead or create a more oval shape for a round, square, or heart face.
Short layering begins up top with the thinnest section at the ends for a look that’s full of movement.
19. Shoulder Length Lob With Wispy Blunt Bangs
A long bob with the ends curved under is such a classic look that it never goes out of style. Make it trendy with wispy blunt bangs styled in chunky pieces that don’t obscure the forehead fully! This look is ideal for dense, thick hair.
20. Bendy Shoulder Length Cut With Face-Framing Bangs
Bangs that frame your face without sitting on the forehead are definitely trendy. Go a little longer with the bang length for the most style versatility and choose loose, bendy waves over tight, defined curls to nail this look with ease.
Things to Consider
Mastering any trend is a lot easier when you know exactly what the look entails and the steps you can take to achieve it. Here’s what you should keep in mind for the trendy shoulder length hair with bangs look!
- Shoulder length isn’t an exact thing. Shoulder length can actually refer to any medium length cut, from just above the shoulders to just past them. You might find that you like your length slightly above your shoulders so the ends won’t bend or rest there. Length slightly longer than your shoulders can give you more of that long hair feel, so consider what you’ll like best!
- You need a professional for this. Some trends are easy enough to create yourself at home, but unless you’re a skilled hair stylist with serious cutting skills and a great pair of shears, this is one for the pros. Layers, bangs, and textured ends are all difficult to pull off for amateurs and better left to an experienced stylist.
- Bring photos of your favorite examples. Your stylist may have their own ideas about what “trendy shoulder length hair with bangs” means, so be sure to bring a few photos to the salon. You can point out the features you like in each and easily show the bang type, exact length, and type of layers you want in the pictures.
Will You Try Trendy Shoulder Length Hair With Bangs?
This trend is one of the best in a while and it’s versatile enough that anyone can wear it! With so many variations on the look, you won’t look like you’re wearing the exact same hairstyle as everyone else if you try this trend.
Go with blunt, choppy, wispy, or softly layered ends. Choose side-swept, textured, split, curtain, or blunt bangs to suit your face and cut. Style your trendy cut with natural texture, loose waves, or relaxed curls to really embody the spirit of this trend.
If you’re looking for other ways to style your shoulder length hair, check out these medium length hairstyles next for more inspiration!