36 Curtains Hair Styles That Prove the ‘90s Heartthrob Look Is Back (2024)

• Andrea Jaclyn is the co-founder ofBOMANEin Los Angeles.
• Sal Misseri is the owner ofReverie Salonin Chicago.
• Andrea Hans is a New York-based stylist and the owner ofBroome Street Society.

Flipped Out

With some hair types, their waves only shine through once it reaches a certain length, and flipping out may be a part of the grow-out process. But those curves and flips can give you a signature look that's all your own. Embrace it.

Shaggy Curtains

Getting that extra-long, perfectly weighted curtain length could take some time. “Embrace the grow out!" says Jaclyn of this overgrown cut. "Keep your hair parted down the middle to begin training it into the curtain style.”

Braided

Travis Scott proves that hair can be styled two ways and still look classic—here, the curtains style gets an upgrade, thanks to the addition of braids.

Low-Maintenance

When you're a K-pop superstar like BTS's J-Hope, your busy schedule may not permit a high-maintenance hairstyle. "The curtain style has that ‘undone’ vibe and has more range in lengths," says Misseri of this low-maintenance style. "One can easily go eight to 12 weeks between cuts, depending on how fast their hair grows.”

Short and Tight

Even if your hair is on the shorter side, you can let some of it fall forward to emulate that curtain-style flair. "Men’s curtain styles come in many lengths," says Jaclyn. "Start playing with it and let it do its thing."

Rinse and Go

Longer strands have the potential to feel drier because the scalp's natural oils have to make their way further to the ends of your hair. “So shampooing daily isn't always necessary," says Hans.Regardless of your daily perspiration, Hans suggestssimply rinsing instead of shampooing."You can restyle (with less product) and not over dry or over wash your hair."

Curls Galore

The great part about curtain-styled cuts is that any length and texture can wear it well. To lock your curls into a curtain style, Jaclyn suggests adding a bit of curl cream to enhance the texture. We like Davines Love Curl Cream.

Interior Shaping

Curly hair looks great in a curtain style, but it still requires some special attention to uphold its texture and shape. "Personally, I think the curly version is cool," says Hans, "but it could feel like a lot to someone who isn't used to all of the volume on top." Her advice: "Make sure to schedule your cut with a stylist who knows how to create interior shape. This will make daily styling easier for you."

Subtle Moves

If your hair is struggling to get into that perfectly face-framed curtain position you're hoping for, comb your strands forward while wet and place some no-crease clips like Mr. Smith Non-Marking Clips to help the hair hold its new placement. Use your hands to scrunch in some Davines This is a Texturizing Serum throughout as it air dries for subtle, natural-looking movement. You'll be sporting curtain-perfect hair like BTS member SUGA in no time.

Volume on Top

When your parents are David and Victoria Beckham, we can only imagine you'd have some seriously fashionable influence over your life (hairstyles included). We love the way Brooklyn wears his wavy curtain cut cropped up high with an effortless and unofficial parting draped across the forehead.

Extra Movement

Look to Timothée Chalamet for all your wavy hair needs. Adding extra movement, or keeping movement intact, is a small feat to face. "Simply apply product to towel-dried hair and use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to distribute the product evenly," saysMisseri. Try Kevin.Murphy Motion Lotion to encourage your curls.

Mussed-Up Texture

If you're looking to add a little texture to your style, Jaclyn suggests using Davines This Is a Forming Pomade. It will give your waves the perfect hold and that perfectly mussed-up effect.

Loc Drape

Iann Dior proves our point with this loc curtain-style drape: no matter what your length, hair type, or texture, a curtain look always looks cool.

Lock It In

When you have curly hair like Jack Harlow, you know that locking in moisture is key to achieving the perfect style. To do so, Hans suggests, "Use an anti-humidity leave-in product on towel-dried hair before you leave your house for the day, such as DavinesOI All in One Milk."

Blended Shape

Growing out your hair isn't a hands-off process. It still takes some regular maintenance and a few touch-ups to give it a little help on its way out. While it's much less maintenance than a shorter cut, Hans says, "It's still important to do regular neck trims or clean-ups. After about two clean-up appointments, you'll probably need a whole haircut to re-create the allover shape.”

The One-Sided Curtain

Zayn Malik proves that even if you have a stubborn, or preferred, side parting, you can still rock that curtain-heavy look by letting that long length up top fall forward to frame your face.

K-Pop Craze

We're not saying that having a curtains hairstyle is a requirement to be in a boy band, but based on the look remaining in fashion, all signs point to it being true. Nearly every member of the biggest K-pop boy bands are sporting this look fashionably, like Lucas from Super M seen here.

Invisible Parting

When your hair is always waved and curled to perfection, not even a major gust of wind can show much of a parting glimpse. When Noah Centineo's hair has length, it falls into more of a face-framing curtain, but sometimes that natural parting is hard to see through his thick, texture-full strands.

Angled

Without a natural center part, your hair may take some training. Hans suggests using a tail comb to adjust the part while your hair is still wet. And if you suffer from fine or flat strands? "Add a texturizing dust to the roots once your hair is dry, and use your fingers to work in at your scalp and create that natural-looking lift."

Overdirected

Maybe you have a natural middle part like Adam Driver but prefer to wear your long, lengthy curtain style off to one side. The over-directed strands do add some major volume.

Highlights

We're thrilled to know that highlighted tips haven't made their way back into fashion again, but that's not to say we aren't fans of some sun-kissed strands. When worn on a curtain-style haircut, it looks especially effortless. The natural waves don't hurt either.

Weightless Waves

Longer lengths can sometimes weigh down a curtain-worn cut if it isn't cared for properly. When it comes to conditioning, Jaclyn advises, "Use a lightweight conditioner like DavinesDEDE Conditioner to ensure your hair will not be weighed down and lose volume."

Tucked

Some curtains need tie-backs, and some curtain hairstyles need a good tuck behind the ears. Not everyone likes hair in their face, we get it. To keep your length from falling drab, Hans says, "Comb the front away from your face on both sides of the part, so it will create that C shape naturally as it dries.”

Shaggy and Long

Johnny Depp has long been a fan of lengthy cuts, but the curtain style on him circa the early 2000s is one of our favorites to date.

Layered

Misseri's style tip for straighter hair types? “Wash and blow dry," he says. "I find if you leave too much moisture in straight hair it can go from wet to greasy-looking very quick. By removing moisture, you will keep the texture and have a better-looking curtain style.”

Center-Parted

As Dev Patel proves, longer, layered cuts can still look reigned in — thanks to a center part. Use a shine spray for further sophistication.

Matured Mane

The curtain cut and style was a signature look for a young, early to mid-’90s Leonardo DiCaprio. Before he began slicking his hair back for every red carpet appearance, he wore a dapper young curtain cut. Here, he pushes it all to one side as he matures from his classic bowl-cut style.

Heartthrob-Worthy

If Brad Pitt, the king of all Hollywood heartthrobs, wore a perfectly fallen curtain cut for years, is there any more convincing that needs to be done about this style? We think not.

Curved Ends

In an ode to the old Dawson's Creek theme song, we don't wanna wait for this trend to be over. Thanks to Gen-Zers, we don't see that happening anytime soon. James Van Der Beek's curtains hair takes shaped in the form of some bangs that curve in towards his face, just above his brow line.

Clean-Cut

When to shampoo and condition is a big question when you have more hair to work with. Misseri advises washing whenever it feels heavy or oily, which of course depends greatly on your scalp health and lifestyle. "If your hair and scalp is dry, you will wash less often. For thicker, coarser hair, condition every time you shampoo. For finer hair, I would condition only every few shampoos.”

Slicked Down

While he is sporting a much closer crop now, back in the day, David Beckham was rocking some seriously long locks. His look here shows a slicked-down curtains haircut look for a formal event.

Long and Piecey

It's hard to imagine Keanu Reeves with any style but his long, shaggy mane. His hair comes down to his chin, but it's his shorter bang pieces that frame his face in a perfect curtain-y way.

Messy Crop

It seems that no matter what his hairstyle is, Cillian Murphy always finds a way to showcase his killer bone structure. A far cry from his extreme undercut in Peaky Blinders, Murphy's messy crop is shorter in the back and on the sides, allowing the top of his hair to land him in the curtains haircut category.

Boy Band

Were you even in a '90s boy band if you didn't have curtains hair? Nick Carter donned the style in the early years of the Backstreet Boys before moving on to buzzcuts, bedhead, shags, and spikes, ultimately landing on a jagged cut with shorter sides.

Side-parted Flow

When he's not starring on Outer Banks, Chase Stokes is busy perfecting his hair. This flowy haircut is parted off-center, and can easily be styled down the middle for a true curtains hairstyle.

Perfectly Piecey

Conrad– err Christopher Briney– gives us Jack Dawson vibes in more than one way, but especially with how his past-his-brows dirty blonde hair falls into perfect pieces to frame his face. If strands start to get greasy from an oily forehead, a spritz of dry shampoo at the roots and brushed through will earn you at least a day or two before you have to wash.