I’m not going to beat around the bush—Princess Kate has one of the best heads of hair I’ve ever laid eyes upon. As a beauty editor, I spend a lot of time looking at hair, and Kate’s lengths are, without question, my favourite to look at. Her now iconic thick, voluminous, blown-out hairstyle has become one of the most defining hair trends of recent years.
So, when Kate stepped out on a royal engagement yesterday with a new haircut, you better believe I took notes. Yes, the Princess of Wales, my hair icon, has curtain bangs. Fringes are back, and she knows it.
(Image credit: Getty Images/Karwai Tang / Contributor)
While fashion lovers have spent the last few hours admiring her McQueen trouser suit, I’ve been staring longingly at her new ’70s-esque hairstyle. It’s everything I want my hair to be. Her trademark loose, bouncy waves are now subtly framed with sweeping curtain bangs. Think Farah Fawcett, but Farah Fawcett as a princess in 2023. The look is polished, it’s full of volume, it’s expensive looking, and above all, it looks effortless.
(Image credit: Getty Images/Max Mumby/Indigo / Contributor)
It appears that Kate has also had a colour touch up for the upcoming season—opting for warm, honeyed balayage.
And truthfully, despite the fact I’ve opted for the same, super-long, relatively shapeless balayaged hairstyle for well over a decade, even I’m feeling tempted to try out curtain bangs for autumn. They’re low fuss, don’t require constant upkeep (unlike autumn 2023’s other major fringe trend, wispy bangs) and they add an element of pulled-together chicness that I crave from my day-to-day hair look. Thank you Kate, once again, for the inspo.