How to Style Side Swept Bangs Like 30 of the Chicest Celebrities

October 04, 2023By Tarisha Clark

Getting bangs is a big freakin' deal. The commitment to chop off your mane can feel like years of care down the drain, that is, if you aren't in the middle of aboring hair crisis. What if you regret it? How long will it take for your length to recover? The thoughts swirl around your brain and soon the entire room joins in. The next thing you know, you're sitting in your stylist's chair and she's looking "scissor happy" - you've seen the sinister grin I'm referring to.

Getting bangs doesn't have to be this anxiety-inducing intense journey. If you know the perfect bang style for your face shape, trust your stylist, and have a lot of good inspo for them to work from, it'll be just fine.

We can't help much in the trust department, developing a line of open and honest communication between you and your stylist is as crucial as in any relationship. But, we do frequently scour the internet for the chicest hairspiration for you to screenshot or pin.

Lately, we've been totally enamored with the side-swept bangs. Sure, wispy bangs, blunt bangs, and curtain bangs styles have been incredibly popular this year, but we can't sleep on side bangs. They're flattering to every. single. face shape ever. They're an instant-chic addition to any hairstyle. Depending on the style you may only need to lob off a few inches, and they're practical.

Are your bangs getting in your eyes? Oh no, no ma'am, you won't experience that with side-swept bangs. The low-maintenance fringe need only be tucked behind your ear, or secured with a cute hairpin if it gets in the way.

Side-swept bangs are the perfect bang style to play with and we've compiled thirty pieces of solid evidence to back up our claim. Here's how to style side-swept bangs like some of our celebrity hair crushes. You’re about to discover that these bangs are pretty much down for whatever hairstyle you dare to dream up.

Alexa Chung

British fashion designer Alexa Chung's slightly red-toned tousled updo frames her face with errant strands gracing the sides of her face. Her bangs are swept into her bun and secured by a hair tie. This is a great example of an understated-chic hairdo.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's ethereal lob is always the subject of admiration within the hair sphere. This incredible specimen deserves to be studied. It features layers cut to accent her cheekbones and side bangs that provide extra bounce to her already voluminous golden-blonde mane.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has delivered many hair transformations throughout her career but of them, her platinum blonde tapered haircut has to be the most fun. This look is all about layers while adding volume with loose-beachy waves.

Her bangs follow suit taking advantage of even more layers that are expertly swept to the side. This side bangs look definitely requires a generous amount of soft hold hair spray to pull off.

Janelle Monaé

Janelle Monaé's hair is #goals every day. To pull off this lush side-swept bangs look, roller set your wet and detangled natural hair. Once your hair is thoroughly dry, gently brush out your curls with a paddle brush and pin the coils to your liking. Don't be afraid to add some natural hair clip-ins for extra volume!

Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse Ronan's hair evolution has been incredible, to say the least. Her appearance at the Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala brought out this glamorous retro-inspired flipped bangs hairstyle.

Mary-Kate Olsen

Mary-Kate's Olsen's blonde side bangs are cut at an angle and just graze the eye. They're giving us maximum volume, courtesy of the layering.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone is ever the fan of side bangs, having sported the look through numerous hair colors and hairstyles. Her signature red bob and bangs debuted along-side the 2014 film "Birdman" which premiered during the Venice Film Festival.

Kerry Washington

At the 2014 SAG Awards, Kerry Washington dazzled with a prim low ponytail that just grazed her mid-back. She finished the look with sleek swooped bangs swept to the side.

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong'o always finds fun ways to celebrate her natural hair with fun looks. At the 2018 SAG awards, Lupita Nyong'o revealed this tapered cut and dramatic side bang that hairstylist Vernon François perfectly formed with his hand. François told Refinery 29, "No heat was used, just my hands, some hairspray, the Vernon François Pure~Fro Moisture Spray from my collection, some pins and the 3 in 1~Style Comb."

Hailey Beiber

Hailey Beiber attended the 2018 Brit Awards sporting this incredibly chic wavy lob. Her sultry side-swept bangs added depth to the hairstyle and accented her high cheekbones.

Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid's candid "getting ready" selfie revealed a promising side-swept bangs short hairstyle in the making. The bangs style draws your eyes to hers while the remaining short cut removes any distracting from her stunning face.

Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot is forever the prototype of French girl hair. Her golden blonde unruly mane refused to be tamed and beauty girls around the world covet the look 'til this day.

Joey King

Joey King's hairstyles have seen numerous major transformations over the years. She's experimented with short curly hairstyles, long extensions with highlights, and even gone bald for her role in "The Act." For this look, she opted for an ultra-sleek almost Scandinavian feel. Her side-swept swoop bang was tucked neatly behind her ear and accented her flipped lob.

Rihanna

With this hairstyle, Rihanna proved that undercuts are indeed versatile. Pull off this look by securing your long mohawk in a messy bun at the crown of your hand. If length is an issue, have fun with clip-in extensions for both your bun and your long side bangs.

Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham'sluscious-wavy chocolate lob is pretty much brunette hair goals. If you're going for this look, don't forget to invest in some high-quality hair shine serum so that your brunette mane glistens just as much.

Gabrielle Union

Gabrielle Union-Wade'sside bangs and body wave bob feature an ombre color that perfectly complements her skin tone.

Sevyn Streeter

Get Sevyn Streeter's lob lewk by opting for long sideswept bang layers rather than short ones. Look to well-placed extensions for added thickness and have fun experimenting with brown highlights.

Lily Collins

This old-Hollywood glam hairstyle is reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" monumental hairstyle. Lily Collins pulls it off perfectly by nailing the rich brown color and choosing a short choppy side bangs style that she finished with a slim headband.

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel's bangs and long brown hair are legendary among the hair community. Rather than wearing her signature thick blunt fringe, she instead swept her bangs to the side.

Jennifer Lawrence

At the “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” premiere In Paris J. Law wore her hair in this sleek and simple short cut with a soft side bang.

Natalia Dyer

Natalia Dyer's hairstyle at the Burberry x Cara Delevingne launch party felt like a throwback nod to '70s shag hair. If you love Natalia's side-swept bangs, get the look by working with shorter choppy layers and a lot of them for extra volume.

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson is known for her really good bangs, and she doesn't disappoint this time either. Rather than the trademark long hair and bangs look, Dakota is seen here with sporting a bob pulled back into a loose ponytail and finished with errant wavy sections and a short side bang.

Emily Blunt

This feels like a practical decision, but we'll go along with it and say Emily Blunt was having fun with the bobby pins trend. Either way, the look works - really really well. If even side bangs are still too much fringe in your face, follow Emily's lead and pin it back.

Margot Robbie

You can copy Margot Robbie's swoop bang hairstyle in a pinch. Make a deep side part and fill in your swoop bang with matching extensions. Neatly tuck the swoop into your bun and voilà, you've nailed your celeb-approved look.

Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne never shies away from a bold hair choice so the decision to wear a platinum blonde short pixie cut is a shocker to no one. If you're daring enough to take this look for a test-drive, don't forget your darling black headband.

Emma Roberts

American Horror Story actress Emma Roberts arrived at the premiere for the show's Freak Show season with this understated loose honey blonde side bang to low bun hairstyle.

Michelle Williams

Actress Michelle Williams has been slaying short hairstyles for some time now. This absurdly chic short hairstyle features a side bang that just sweeps the top of her brow.

Yara Shahidi

There isn't enough pleading I can do with my natural hair to pull off half of the styles Yara Shahidi debuts on a seemingly monthly basis. I'm both in awe and a little bit jelly. If you have a similar curl pattern, steal Yara's look by finger combing curl definer through your strands, paying extra attention to your side-swept bangs.

Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke was "sick as a dog" according to her Instagram post's caption. We would've never been able to tell without her confession because the only thing that looks sick in this pick is her incredibly edgy side-swept bang.

Emily Ratajkowski

Emily Ratajkowski's long side bang added extra dimension to her medium-length tousled hairstyle. Get EmRata’s look by playing with a medium-length brown wig with loads of impossible layers.