I just got bangs like Penélope Cruz, and I’ve never had so many compliments on a winter haircut.

      Among all the hairstyles I've contemplated (and actually tried)—like a French bob and highlights—the one I never expected to embrace is bangs. However, something shifted within me as I prepared for a fall trip to Paris, where the haircuts exude style and continually lead the trends ahead of the U.S. I began noticing this stylish, wispy cut everywhere; from ‘60s-inspired Bardot bangs to dreamy curtain bangs. While bangs were undeniably one of the top hair trends for fall 2025, there was a particular style from my inspiration that captivated me. As someone born in the Y2K era, I admired the stylish women whose iconic '90s hairstyles became central to their identities (think Jennifer Aniston's “Rachel” cut or Halle Berry's pixie). Yet, after being compared to a young Penélope Cruz during my early teens (which I don’t fully believe, but still cherish), I turned to the Spanish actress for style inspiration as I carved out my own look. After spontaneously booking an appointment with celebrity stylist Xavier Velasquez, who is known for styling Scarlett Johansson and AnnaSophia Robb, I compiled my inspiration images into a mood board. Most of the photos featured Cruz with her effortlessly chic bangs from the 2001 movie Vanilla Sky, and the stylist was not at all surprised to see my Cruz-inspired hair inspiration board.

      What exactly are Penélope Cruz bangs? “There’s a laid-back vibe about the Penélope references that makes it a standout look, yet doesn’t take itself too seriously—like hair that feels elevated even on the second day,” Velasquez shared with Who What Wear. This wispy, side-swept style draws from Cruz's romantic, cool-girl bangs of the early 2000s. It features curtain bangs framing the face and a wispy fringe in the middle, with the option to style it straight across or parted. The remaining hair is left long, adorned with scattered lengthy layers that provide movement and the illusion of thickness. The overall look is perfectly unkempt, with tousled tips that give off a lived-in vibe, resulting in a style my friends can't stop praising—even WWW Senior Beauty Editor Jamie Schneider remarked I "look famous" after my brow-grazing chop.

      Why are Penélope Cruz bangs in vogue right now? “Bangs are making a major comeback, from pop icons like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter on world tours to Dakota Johnson showing off her classic bangs in this year’s Materialists,” Velasquez noted. Even Saturday Night Live picked up on the trend when Glen Powell led a sketch called "Bob Army," where “bangs” and “bobs” competed for style supremacy. (The bobs prevailed, but just for the moment…) Swift’s and Johnson’s bangs are more dramatically swooped than Carpenter’s ’70s-style fringe, yet Velasquez describes the referenced Cruz style as a blend of both. He characterizes this timeless look as a mixture of “a full bang and a curtain bang,” with a shorter center section and “drama [around] the eyebrows.” If you’re interested, provide your hairstylist with that exact formula to replicate this vintage-inspired look.

      The process: Prior to my appointment, I had grown my hair from a chin-length Italian bob to flowing waves that reached my chest. Wanting to keep the length while shedding some dead weight, Velasquez dispersed delicate, long layers throughout my locks for added movement.

      He then divided my hair into front and back sections, starting nearly an inch from my hairline. He took my natural part into consideration—working with the off-center split to let the style fall naturally each day. While Cruz's style in 2001 was often parted down the center, you certainly can still achieve the look without forcing a center part. He twisted the front sections between his fingers and trimmed them to a length that reached toward my ears. After allowing the newly cut fringe to fall, he shaped the center drop and added the said curtain bang “drama.” The innermost section is the shortest, falling just past my brows when straightened but subtly covering them when swept to the side.

      More cool-girl bang inspiration:

      Emily Ratajkowski's side-parted bangs: If the model and author isn’t already a lookalike of Cruz, she mirrors her with side-parted, swooping curtain bangs. On days when hair in the eyes feels excessive, sweep it toward your temples for a lovely face-framing look like Ratajkowski’s.

      Ciara's long, wispy fringe: I certainly plan to style my fringe like Ciara’s once it becomes a bit longer. Play around with the lengths for a fluttery fringe, allowing some strands to hover over your eyes while others fall to the side. Achieve this look by blow-drying your bangs at a forward angle and applying a touch of hair serum to keep a few sections together