Let It Be Known: Bratty Little Side Bangs Are Back (and Better Than Ever)

The “bratty little side bang” (BLSB for short) has attitude. She’s bold, defiant and bratty in the complimentary, Charli XCX–anointed sense. And by all accounts, she’s back—ready to take over spring and summer hair trend mood boards like the early 2000s diva she is. Cue the iconic hair flip.

“I am endlessly inspired by what I’ll call an ‘early 2000s hot suburban mom,’” says content creator Natalie Shine, who actually coined the BLSB during a trim back in January. Think Julie Cooper from The O.C., whom Shine credits as a key reference. Like the majority of beauty fans, she was craving a haircut refresh to kick off 2026, and it's no secret that nostalgic styles—including side fringes and side partings—have skyrocketed in popularity as of late. “The side bang was calling,” Shine says. And so the BLSB was born.

Shine isn’t the only one to hop on the side-bang bandwagon. Plenty of celebs (such as Bella Hadid, Zoë Kravitz, and Quenlin Blackwell, to name a few), designers (such as Sandy Liang and Tory Burch), and beauty insiders (like makeup artist Lila Childs) have cosigned swoopy side bangs over the past few months, and top hairstylists only expect the trend to soar as we edge closer to warmer weather.

“We’re in a moment [where] huge waves of early 2000s nostalgia are coming back in full swing,” explains celebrity hairstylist Sky Kim. “We’re seeing it across fashion, beauty and culture—but the difference now is that it’s more self-aware.” Campy, if you will. One who dons a BLSB is plugged into the Y2K reference and likely has the low-rise jeans and frosty eye makeup to match it.

But what separates the BLSB from its early 2000s predecessor? “It’s shorter, slightly piece-y, and sits higher on the cheekbone or just at the brow, almost like it’s been flicked into place,” says Kim. “It doesn’t try to blend perfectly into the rest of the haircut, which is what gives it that attitude.” According to celebrity hairstylist Chris McMillan, it's also full of fluffy volume. “It’s not as literal as it was before,” he shares. See, while Y2K side bangs were typically flat-ironed into submission and, as a result, flopped lifelessly over the eye, “this year, the ‘bitchy little side bang’ is sexy and messy,” McMillan says. “It’s all about a flirty, voluminous hairstyle.”

Kim agrees—gone are the days of heavy, uniform, smoothly tucked side fringe. "The 2026 version keeps the reference but strips away the stiffness—it’s lighter, airier. Also, older bangs just came with really chunky highlights and layers," she says.

To ensure your BLSB appears fresh and updated while retaining just the right amount of nostalgia, she recommends lightly prepping the bangs with a blow-dry primer or touchable hair mousse (“Something that gives control without stiffness,” she says) before blow-drying from side to side with a small round brush. Shine personally separates her bangs into three layers before blow-drying (a key tip she learned from her stylist, Aurora, at Yves Durif Salon) to encourage bounce. Finish with hair spray for that side-part hold and a bit of hair oil to enhance the shine.

A final tip? “Keep the bang at the right length and don’t over-blend,” Kim suggests. “Isolate the bang to let it have a moment.” While traditional side bangs tend to be softer, more romantic, and long enough to melt into layers, the BLSB has enough personality to stand out on its own. It’d be a sin not to embrace the attitude.

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