Our Favorite Celebrity Side Bang Hairstyles

01
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Reese Witherspoon's Side-Swept Bangs

Reese Witherspoon with bangs
Reese Witherspoon with bangs. Alberto E. Rodriguez // Getty Images

Bangs. We covet them. Especially long, side-swept bangs that frame the face just so. They grow out beautifully, too, just in case you get sick of them and want a change.

This gallery is dedicated to the side-swept bang. I feature 19 of the best of them, all on celebrities. You'll learn how to style these bangs, how to get the right cut and much more.

Here, Reese Witherspoon shows off a style with bangs. Witherspoon almost always has bangs. She looks great with side-swept bangs. Also, note how her hair has layers that are tapered along her face.

Some tips if you have bangs or want to get them:

  • Consider the upkeep. Bangs take regular trims. Ask your stylist if they offer free bang trims or learn how to trim your own bangs.
  • Bangs look best on hair that's naturally straight, but you can pull them off if you have wavy hair and blow them out straight. Bangs do not work well on curly hair.
  • Dry bangs first before drying the rest of your hair. Your bangs are shorter so they dry faster, which is why you want to catch them before they dry all wonky.
  • Once you get the perfect cut, you need to make sure you properly know how to blow dry your bangs. Many, many women suffer from "Bubble Bangs" a bang syndrome that could be avoided if only they put down the round brush and blew their hair dry with a flat or paddle brush. There's a full report in how to blow dry bangs.
  • You may need a good flat-iron.
  • We love the look of thick, heavy bangs and side-swept bangs. Just avoid the thin, wispy, all-one-length bang — it will make your face look "boxy" and dated. A very hot look right now are thick bangs paired with long, wavy layers. Sexy. (You'll see pictures in this gallery).
  • Not ready for the thick bangs? Try side-swept bangs paired with long layers. Layering hair with bangs works best because it's less boxy while allowing your hair to grow out without looking too extreme if you decide to grow out the trend.
02
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Bangs Paired With Long, Blonde Hair

Beth Behrs. Frederick M. Brown // Getty Images

I happen to love long, side-swept bangs. Why? Here's why:

  • Unlike blunt bangs, side-swept bangs don't need to be trimmed every couple weeks. You get them cut and they grow out beautifully.
  • They suit every face shape. Not all bang hairstyles do. But these? Oh yes , you can wear them and so can everyone else you know. They also suit every hair length. They work with pixie cuts, short hair, shoulder-length, bobs and even long hair.
  • They hide a big forehead. Not that you have one, but I do.
  • They never go out of style. You will never, ever see a list of "beauty trends we wish would die off" with side-swept bangs listed on them.
03
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Delta Goodren

Delta Goodren with bangs
Delta Goodren with bangs. Mike Flokis // Getty Images

Note the side part here on Delta Goodren. Her side-swept bangs work perfectly with her long wavy hair. The key to this look is to have long layers cut into your hair. This look is best on women with thick hair — finer hair will fall flat.

04
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Marion Fedder's Gorgeous Side-Swept Bangs

Marion Fedder. Sean Gallup // Getty

Marion Fedder has a deep side-part in this picture. The bangs sweep over her forehead beautifully. This look is great for covering up a large forehead and works on hair that's straight and fine.

05
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Helena Christensen's Thick, Side-Swept Bangs

Helena Christensen. Ben Pruchnie for Getty

I have a lot of hair, but it's thin. So I am envious of women with thick hair, like Helena Christensen here. Her bangs are thick and lush, unlike my wimpy ones which tend to stick to my forehead in hot weather.

If you have thick, naturally wavy hair, as Christensen does, you can wear bangs, you just need to be careful that they aren't too heavy and thick. Your stylist can remove some of the bulk with a razor.

06
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Emma Stone's Long, Side-Swept Bangs

Emma Stone. Jason Kempin // Getty Images

One of the secrets to a great side-swept bang is that it blends in well with the rest of your hair.

To achieve this look, ask your stylist to cut long bangs at an angle. Once cut, the secret to styling these bangs is to blow-dry them. Brush bangs forward and blow dry them as if they were blunt bangs. Brush them from side to side as you blow dry.

Once dried, spritz hairspray on your fingers, then comb your fingertips through your bangs to maintain this lovely feathery effect.

07
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Sideswept Bangs

Angela Simmons. Jason Kempin //Getty Images

Why get bangs? Bangs are the great camouflage of the hair world. They can hide a large forehead and even a short one. They cover up fine lines and scars. They can immediately shave a few years off a look and transform a boring long hairstyle into something that looks purposeful. They bring attention to the eyes. They frame a face.

They are the perfect choice for a woman who wants to change her look but doesn't want to take off dramatic length. A few snips and you can look like an entirely different person.

And if you hate them or tire of them eventually, they grow out. Perfection.

08
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Alexa Chung's Rocker Girl Bangs

Alexa Chung. Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images; Dominique Charriau / Wire Image/ Getty Images

We love rocker girl bangs, like these on British "It Girl" Alexa Chung. They are stylish, yet like many stylish women, Chung's look here is utterly effortless. The key to this look is imperfection. You don't want the perfect blow-dry. Bangs should be partially blow dried and then allowed to be air-dried. Mess them up with your fingers and let time takes its course.

09
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Nicole Miller

Designer Nicole Miller. Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for eBay

When considering bangs, you must consider your hair texture. Curls and bangs don't pair well but they aren't impossible. You'll have to find a stylist who is able to blend in the bangs to the rest of your cut. Never cut bangs when hair is wet, especially if your hair has curl or wave in it.

10
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Rachel Weisz

Actress Rachel Weisz. Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Side-swept bangs grow out beautifully. If you are in that awkward in-between growing out phase where you can't put your bangs behind your ear, you can always pin back your side-swept bangs. This also works if you aren't growing out bangs but just want a change in your look.

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Recording Artist Eve

Recording artist Eve. Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

You can create optical illusions with the right bangs. For instance, if you have a thin face, you can create the illusion of a wider face by getting bangs that are shorter on the sides. To make close-set eyes appear wider, stylist Eva Scrivo suggests asking your stylist to cut the center part slightly shorter than the edges and texturizing the ends to remove some bulk.

12
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Bangs on Short Hair

Kristen Scott Thomas. Fergus McDonald // Getty Images

This hairstyle on Kristen Scott Thomas looks great on her. I saw pictures of her just before she got this cut and she didn't have bangs, which aged her. This look, combined with a lighter color, makes her look years younger.

13
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Ginnifer Goodwin with Bangs

Ginnifer Goodwin. Frederick M. Brown // Getty Images

Talk to women about their worst haircuts and a bad bang job will almost always come up. Bangs cut too short. Bangs that were too high maintenance. Bangs that were uneven. 

If you suffer from a fear of getting bangs, you can fix that by scheduling a consultation with your stylist and starting with side-swept bangs which grow out more quickly and more beautifully than blunt bangs.

14
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Dianna Agron's Non-Bangs Bangs

dianna-agron.jpg
Theo Wargo for Getty Images

For these non-bang bangs, which are really long layers that appear to be super long side-swept bangs, ask your stylist to cut your bangs the length of the nose.

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Actress Halle Berry

Actress Halle Berry. Photo by Claire Greenway/Getty Images

Halle Berry looks great in any hair style, but bangs give her face a softer look that suits her well.

16
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Rachel Zoe's Fringe

rachel-zoe-bangs.jpg
Imeh Akpanudosen for Getty

To get Rachel Zoe's brow-skimming fringe, your stylist should use a razor. According to Allure Magazine, bangs should be cut in two sections: "one that falls directly over the forehead, then longer layers on the sides that blend with the rest of the hair."