Peekaboo Bangs: The Low-Maintenance Way To Try Out A Fringe

Bangs are more versatile than they're typically given credit for. They aren't just the blunt kid cuts that keep hair out of our eyes, or built-in sun protectors throughout the seasons. A cute fringe is a quintessential element of fall fashion, and the look can work just as well in the winter under a beanie. When spring comes, it may be time to shed some of the weight of your winter hair. That's where peekaboo bangs come in, as the perfect next step for your hair journey — they can be long enough to pin back or styled so daintily you barely remember that they're there.

Besides keeping the sweat off your forehead, lighter bangs can be fringe's fun cousin, with single strands placed just so for one of the '90s hairstyles making a comeback. Hair experts have weighed in on the best ways to attain and style peekaboo bangs, and we like our options for getting in on the playful look.

Peekaboo bangs are one of the haircuts we'll be asking for in 2023, but are you still wondering whether bangs are right for you to begin with? Hairstylist Zoe Irwin told Elle, "Pretty much everyone suits a fringe, it's all about where the fringe ends." She clarified, "Whether it's a long fringe that accentuates the cheek bones or brow skimming, the most important thing is working it to fit the face shape and the jaw line."

One example of a face framing technique is bangs with benefits, a term hairstylist Caroline Stahl coined in a popular TikTok demonstrating the cut that features the cheekbones. As celeb hairstylist Edson Ibarra told Glamour about bangs, "Not only are they a fun way to add versatility to your face shape, but they can draw out a different side of your personality."

But face shapes aren't the only factor that can help determine the kind of fringe that's right for you. If your hair and eye color are highly contrasted — light blonde hair and brown eyes, or dark hair and green or blue eyes — your bangs could be the feature to make your eyes pop, whether they fall just above or below your brow in elegant strands.

You can also play around with color, whether you include your peekaboo bangs with the rest of your hair or choose to specially highlight them like this TikToker, who rocked Gemini hair, the dreamiest trend to look out for in 2023. Hairstylist Amy Abramite explained Gemini hair to PopSugar, saying, "A two-toned fringe is a bang that's layered on the top half of the style revealing a different color underneath."

Abramite also shared what you should you expect when you go into the salon looking to achieve the look with your bangs. "The top half [will be] tinted one color and the bottom half another. The second step is cutting the top layer of the fringe with thinning scissors to remove weight and add layers to reveal the color underneath." To make sure you've got your peekaboo vibe on lock, she added, "The layers are soft and wispy and colors can be vivid and contrasting or similar and subtle."

Overall, styling your peekaboo bangs can be a kind of choose your own adventure. Hairstylist to the stars Anh Co Tran told Glamour, "My favorite ways to style these bangs are blow-drying them forward and styling them down for a more traditional bang. She also described another potential twist. "You can also style them more like a true peekaboo and push them off to the side for a side-part effect or push the bangs to the side of the face so they can emulate curtain bangs."