Should Men Have Bangs?

The idea of having bangs is already divisive enough when it comes to women’s haircuts, so it’s understandable if you’ve never considered getting a haircut with bangs as a guy. But don’t write off the idea quite yet. Men can rock bangs with confidence and show off a distinctive look. In fact, there’s even a name for men’s haircuts with bangs: the fringe. By taking the time to explore getting a haircut with a fringe, you might just find your new go-to look!

What Is a Fringe?

Most often, men’s hairstyles attempt to push the hair away from the face. But the fringe haircut embraces having some hair over the forehead. This style results in a fun, youthful look that feels equal parts casual and intentional. There are all sorts of ways to get creative with styling a fringe in a way that works for you.

Textured fringe: Also known as the “messy fringe,” this look embraces texture and volume and can be worn with an equal length on the sides and back or with a fade.

French crop: A fringe with a tight fade on the sides typically falls in the category of a French crop. This look often keeps the fringe a little on the short side but can be worn with medium-length hair as well.

Short fringe: While similar to the military cut, where the short fringe differs is allowing just enough length on top to create a defined fringe that frames the face. It’s also a bit more low-maintenance than other fringes.

Flowy fringe with short sides: Growing in popularity with Gen Z, this cut keeps things short on the sides without adding a fade while keeping a decent amount of length on top to messily throw over the forehead.

How Face Shapes Determine if Men Should Have Bangs

As with any hairstyle, the shape of the face will play a significant role in how the overall style will look. Here’s how to request your fringe based on which face shape you have.

Diamond: Men with this face shape wear bolder hairstyles well. But just take care with angular or sharper fringes since a diamond-shaped face tends to already look sharp. Going with a softer, messier fringe will pair with this face shape well.

Square: Often considered the ideal masculine face shape, a square face works well with an angular fringe or short fringe that frames the face.

Oblong: Men with longer face shapes or large foreheads can really benefit from a fringe that keeps a good amount of length. However, it’s best to avoid tight fades with oblong faces since this can make the face seem even longer.

Triangle: Going with a softer fringe as opposed to an angular or short fringe will help balance out the look of this face shape.

Heart: Angular fringes or cropped fringes are great for giving this face shape a bit more definition while narrowing its appearance.

In general, the only face shape that doesn’t quite work with bangs is a round face shape, but you’ll have plenty of options if you have this type of face. The next time you head to your stylist, be sure to ask them which type of fringe you should try out!