Wafty curtain bangs are the evolution of this year's hottest hair trend, and they add tons of volume

The trend for curtain bangs (i.e. the '70s flicked out fringe that has dominated our social media feeds as well as our salons for the past 10 months) isn't going anywhere. In fact, it's only getting bigger and bigger – literally.

"We've seen the curtain fringe leading the trend for 2021 and I'm so excited for this to evolve into a more dramatic bang trend for autumn," says Adam Reed, hair stylist and founder of Adam Reed London and editorial ambassador for L'Oréal Professionnal.

Drama is indeed the name of the game with people adding volume and fullness to their curtain bangs. The results are what Jason Collier, celebrity hairstylist and brand educator for Jerome Russell, called the 'waft fringe' or 'wafty bangs' – a retro, supermodel style that's airy, elegant and universally flattering.

"The wavy, sweeping fringe is long and grown out with a shorter inner centre" Jason says. "This unfussy '70s sweep and wave is going to be really popular."

But before you reach for the hairspray and a comb, there's an art to achieving all that volume (and it doesn't involve backcombing).

Here, we hit up the best in the business to teach us exactly how to achieve a waft fringe from home.

Invest in a round brush

First things first, you'll need the right tools for the job. Our experts unanimously recommended a large round brush and hair dryer or a hot brush to achieve the perfect wafty fringe.

"The easiest way to amp up bangs is to use a rolling motion in conjunction with a hot brush – this will instantly add volume," says Patrizia Manias, founder of Patrizia Manias Salon in Covent Garden.

Christel Barron-Hough, Founder of STIL Salon agrees: "Drying your bangs forward with a round brush and tucking in the ends will give you a great bounce, aided with the use of the right products and tools. I find ssing a slightly larger tong is great to use to add shape that will promote a flick"

Select the right products

As always, the key to lasting style is the right product to prep and fix your hair. To help hair stay in shape, Christel recommends using a thickening and lifting spray, such as Color Wow's Raise the Root, will help to add volume without it going crispy.

To finish, a light misting of a medium hold hair spray or even dry shampoo (this has the added benefit of warding of grease) and a finishing spray if you want a more polished look.

"This style looks even better with a glossy finish," says Adam. "I love L'Oréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Ring Light sprayed over the hair to offer the HD hair shine."

Keep scrolling for the best wafty fringe inspiration to take your crutain bangs to the next level...