Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is not autobiographical, but the famed author and her female protagonist, Elizabeth, do share certain traits. They both faced the same societal pressures, lived in the same place, and—according to eagle-eyed creators on TikTok—even shared the same style of bangs. Art imitates life, as they say!
But it’s not just the fictional Elizabeth who shares the iconic feminist author’s signature Regency-era bangs—the style actually seems to be everywhere these days. Featuring a disheveled fringe that stops just a few millimeters above the eyebrows, Jane Austen bangs are typically slightly rounded and can be worn either wavy, curly, or straight. To get a feel for the original, see portraits of the writer at The Jane Austen Centre in Bath—or just take a peek at Keira Knightley’s hair in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice.
Bridgerton—which takes place in the same time period—also features the quintessential hairstyle: Phoebe Dynevor’s Daphne Bassett lets her loose fringe fall delicately over her face in a way that calls to mind fresh spring days in the English countryside.
The Regency-style, Jane Austen fringe—a look with neoclassical roots
The Regency era was a time of strong neoclassical inspiration. People went crazy for designs, paintings, dresses, and hairstyles that recalled ancient Greece and Rome. It was therefore pretty common to see soft, lightly-coiffed hairstyles during this period. It was a romantic look that stood in high contrast to the structured corsets and tight bodices most women wore.
The most common way to wear the style at the time featured masses of curls softly framing the face, with the rest of the hair swept into a loose chignon accentuated by a ribbon.
Bangs were not an overly popular style at the time, but the wisps that framed the face were usually worn wavy and curly as a nod to sensual softness of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Jane Austen was clearly a fan—judging by her official portraits, the writer wore her curly hair pulled back into a long, voluminous ponytail, letting two curly strands fall over her face.
Celebrities with Jane Austen bangs
Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, and Millie Bobbie Brown have worn Jane Austen bags on the big screen; Taylor Swift, Leighton Meester, Elizabeth Olsen, and Chapelle Roan have worn them in their day-to-day. Ariana Grande recently wore a version on the red carpet at the Golden Globes; hers were swept to the side à la Audrey Hepburn.
The beauty of these bangs are that they exude personality—they’re intensely feminine yet expressive, channeling the strong, determined, courageous, and tenacious heroines of the Regency period.
Meester, for example, showed up on the red carpet of the Kids’ Choice Awards with short, domed bangs and the rest of her hair pulled back, suggesting the aesthetics of the English 1800s on the red carpet. Roan often wears her hair down in soft red ringlets letting her bangs fall loose for a naturally graceful, modern look. Olsen wears hers in an elegant, versatile way with less wave that allows for slight movement and a glimpse of her eyebrows; Swift lets her curls hang loose across her forehead.
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How to style Jane Austen bangs
Jane Austen bangs are just slightly longer than baby bangs and—as seen on Grande—call to mind Audrey Hepburn’s famous short fringe. Though they may seem tricky to achieve at first, they can actually be worn on most types of hair—though they may not work if you happen to have a shorter forehead. Styling is surprisingly easy, too—just as long as you use the proper products and tools. After all, the goal is slightly messy, romantic, and loose. On straight hair, use a curling iron to curl hair outward, then add texture with a bit of gel, spray, or moose. For curly or wavy hair, blow dry the fringe with a diffuser, separating strands with fingers to create a messy fringe and set with product. It may help to dampen the bangs first. The key in either case? Avoiding using a brush or comb.
No matter how you wear them, Jane Austen bangs offer an appealing alternative to curtain bangs—and may just be the most romantic style to wear this spring. In any case, we think Miss Austen would certainly be pleased.