17 Curly Hairstyles With Bangs, Paired by Hair Length

For years, I believed curly hair and bangs simply didn’t mix. A hairdresser told me so when I was fifteen, and I believed her for over a decade. Then I met a curly-haired stylist who looked at me, smiled and said, “Who told you that?” Forty minutes later, I had bouncy curly bangs, and I’ve rarely been without them since.

The secret to curly bangs isn’t luck. It’s choosing bangs that suit the rest of your haircut. Curly bangs with a pixie look completely different from curly bangs with long, flowing curls.

So I’ve paired these 17 curly hairstyles with bangs by hair length: pixies and crops, bobs, shoulder-length cuts, long hair and updos. For each style, you’ll find the bang type, a shrinkage check (because curly bangs always shrink), and a few stories from my own curly bang journey.

The Shrinkage Rule for Curly Bangs

The most important thing to know before cutting curly bangs: they shrink. A curly bang that looks perfect when wet can spring up to your hairline once it dries. Tighter curls often shrink even more.

That’s why curly bangs should almost always be:

• Cut dry, curl by curl, so your stylist can see where each curl naturally sits.
• Cut longer than you think, especially the first time.
• Trimmed gradually, since it’s easy to take off more but impossible to put it back.

Curly Bangs With a Pixie or Crop

Short cuts with curly bangs look playful, bold and full of personality.

1. The Curly Pixie With a Micro Fringe

A short curly pixie with tiny, springy bangs sitting high on the forehead. It’s quirky, confident and very fashion-forward.

Bang type: micro curly fringe
Shrinkage check: micro bangs on curly hair shrink quickly, so ask your stylist to start a little longer and trim gradually.

2. The Coily Crop With a Fringe of Coils

A tapered coily cut with coils left slightly longer at the front, falling forward like a fringe.

Bang type: full coily fringe
Shrinkage check: coils can shrink dramatically. Cut them with plenty of extra length.

3. The Curly Mixie With a Long Fringe

A curly mixie (a pixie-mullet hybrid) with longer curls at the nape and a long curly fringe at the front.

Bang type: long curly fringe
Shrinkage check: moderate, since the longer fringe has more room to shrink.

Curly Bangs With a Bob

Bobs and bangs are a classic pairing, and curly versions are especially charming.

4. The Rounded Curly Bob With Full Bangs

A rounded curly bob with full, bouncy bangs. It’s playful, vintage-inspired and incredibly cute.

This was my very first curly bang cut. The stylist cut each curl separately, and when she finished, my bangs fell into perfect little spirals. I remember texting my sister a selfie with ten exclamation marks.

Bang type: full curly bangs
Shrinkage check: cut them to about eye level when dry. They’ll likely spring up to the eyebrows.

5. The Curly Shag Bob With Curtain Bangs

A short, layered curly shag with curtain bangs that part in the middle and sweep to either side.

Bang type: curly curtain bangs
Shrinkage check: curtain bangs are forgiving, since they blend into the layers.

6. The Curly Lob With Cheekbone Bangs

A shoulder-skimming curly lob with longer bangs that fall around the cheekbones.

Bang type: cheekbone-length curly bangs
Shrinkage check: low to moderate. A great choice if you’re nervous.

7. The Asymmetric Curly Bob With Side-Swept Bangs

An asymmetric curly bob with long, side-swept curly bangs falling across the forehead.

Bang type: side-swept curly bangs
Shrinkage check: moderate.

Curly Bangs With Shoulder-Length Hair

Shoulder-length curls with bangs are easy to style and full of movement.

8. The ’70s Curly Shag With Full Bangs

A full, layered curly shag with heavy curly bangs, inspired by the 1970s. It’s bold, voluminous and very fun.

Bang type: full, heavy curly bangs
Shrinkage check: moderate to high. Keep them on the longer side.

9. Layered Curls With Curly Curtain Bangs

Shoulder-length layered curls with curtain bangs that frame the face beautifully.

A friend of mine with loose curls chose this cut after years of wearing her hair one length. She said it made her curls look “twice as bouncy.”

Bang type: curly curtain bangs
Shrinkage check: low to moderate.

10. The Curly Butterfly Cut With Bangs

Short face-framing layers and bangs blended into longer layers, creating lots of volume and movement.

Bang type: layered curly bangs
Shrinkage check: moderate.

Curly Bangs With Long Hair

Long curls with bangs look romantic and effortless.

11. Long Layered Curls With a Wispy Fringe

Long, layered curls with soft, wispy curly bangs. It’s light, airy and very flattering.

Bang type: wispy curly bangs
Shrinkage check: low, since wispy bangs are lighter.

12. Long Curls With Eye-Grazing Bangs

Long curls paired with longer bangs that brush the eyelashes, inspired by effortless 1960s and ’70s style.

Bang type: eye-grazing curly bangs
Shrinkage check: moderate.

13. Long Coily Twist-Out With Bangs

A long coily twist-out with twisted bangs at the front, falling forward over the forehead.

Bang type: twisted coily bangs
Shrinkage check: twist-outs stretch coils, so shrinkage is easier to manage.

Curly Bangs With Updos and Ponytails

Bangs make updos look softer and more playful.

14. The High Curly Puff With Bangs Out

Gather your curls into a high puff, leaving your curly bangs falling forward.

Bang type: full or curtain curly bangs
Shrinkage check: not an issue for styling, since bangs stay out.

15. The Low Curly Bun With Bangs

A soft, low curly bun at the nape, with bangs framing the face.

On busy workdays, this is my go-to. My bangs make even the simplest bun look intentional.

Bang type: any curly bangs
Shrinkage check: not an issue.

16. Curly Half-Up With Bangs

The top half of your curls gathered at the crown, with bangs left down.

Bang type: curtain or full curly bangs
Shrinkage check: not an issue.

17. The Curly Ponytail With Curtain Bangs

A mid-height curly ponytail with curtain bangs framing the face.

Bang type: curly curtain bangs
Shrinkage check: not an issue.

The Morning Bang Refresh

Curly bangs often need a quick refresh even when the rest of your hair looks fine:

1. Wet just your bangs with a spray bottle.
2. Apply a tiny amount of curl cream or gel.
3. Twist or scrunch each bang into shape.
4. Clip them in place with a duckbill clip while they dry, or diffuse them quickly.
5. Remove the clip once they’re dry.

It takes less than five minutes.

The Overnight Bang Wrap

To wake up with better bangs, try this:

1. Apply a little leave-in conditioner to your bangs.
2. Gently twist them into one or two loose twists.
3. Wrap a silk scarf around your hairline.
4. Unravel in the morning for defined bangs.

Trimming Curly Bangs at Home

Between salon visits, you can carefully trim your curly bangs:

1. Trim dry, with your curls in their natural shape.
2. Cut one curl at a time, taking off just a tiny amount.
3. Cut at the bottom of each curl, following its natural shape.
4. Step back often to check the overall look.

If in doubt, leave it for your stylist.

Growing Out Curly Bangs

If you decide to grow out your bangs:

• Pin them to the side with decorative clips.
• Twist them back into a small half-up twist.
• Use headbands to push them back.
• Ask your stylist to blend them into face-framing layers.

Final Thoughts

Curly hair and bangs absolutely go together. The key is choosing bangs that suit your hair length, cutting them dry and a little longer than you think, and learning a few quick styling tricks.

Whether you have a curly pixie, a bob, long flowing curls or love a curly updo, there’s a perfect pair of curly bangs waiting for you.

Have you ever tried curly bangs? Let me know in the comments below.