It's True: These Are the 6 Haircuts French Women Are Asking for in 2024

When it comes to French-girl hair, the less you do, the better. French girls have a knack for making their hair work around their lifestyle. Another day of dry shampoo? Pas de problème! Overslept? Embrace the bedhead! Plus, they always manage to exude an effortless, undone aesthetic. 

In order to pull off this low-key yet chic hair, there are certain signature haircuts (and products) that French women are utterly devoted to. Roman Sys, a stylist at Trevor Sorbie Covent Garden, explains, "French hair is all about softness and carefree sophistication."

To figure out exactly what it is about French haircuts that gives them that je ne sais quoi, we reached out to the experts to get the full rundown on what types of haircuts we should be asking our stylists for. From short bobs to blunt fringes, scroll below to channel your inner French girl.

1. French Shag

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(Image credit: @SABINASOCOL)

The shag has had a major revival over the past year, and it's French women who have led the way. This timeless French cut is in between long and short hair lengths and features soft, textured layers, exuding a nonchalant French-girl look. "The key is to never overload the hair," says Tiziana Di Marcelli, international education director at Trevor Sorbie.

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(Image credit: @CAMILLECHARRIERE)

Di Marcelli adds, "You want the hair to feel light and airy. Spray leave-in conditioner through lengths while the hair is damp, and let it dry naturally to help define the natural wave or curl."

Get the Look:

2. French Bob

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(Image credit: @aida.bdji)

Hair experts are already saying that the French bob will be the biggest haircut of 2023, and we can totally see why. "A French bob is cut like a classic one-length bob but doubles up on movement and avoids the sharper edges of the classic bob," says Di Marcelli. Perfect for straight, wavy, curly and coily styles alike, the French bob is one of the chicest hairstyles around.

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(Image credit: @FRANNFYNE)

"The cut should do the majority of the work for you, but a fun way of styling this look is to tuck the hair behind the ears and flick up the ends using a tong or your straighteners," adds Di Marcelli.

Get the Look:

3. French Crop

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(Image credit: @SLIPINTOSTYLE)

Along with the bob, a super-short or pixie crop is another classic French style. "For a short, cropped cut on straight hair, you want to create texture with different styling products. For curly hair, hydration is key to keep the curls defined. Leave-in conditioner and curl-defining creams are a good shout," says Sys.

Get the Look:

4. Long and Fringed

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(Image credit: @JULIESFI)

"Think Jane Birkin hair," says Sys. Fringed styles are the epitome of French-girl hair, especially when teamed with super-long lengths.

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(Image credit: @SABINASOCOL)

"It can be fun to style the hair and fringe in waves, too. This style always looks good when the roots are quite flat and the mid-lengths and ends have some texture. It's that less-is-more approach loved by French women who wish to look sophisticated and effortless," he adds.

Get the Look:

5. French Bowl Cut

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(Image credit: @THEVISUELOFGRACE)

While not the most low-maintenance of French haircuts around, the bowl cut is impossibly chic. "Very similar to the bob style, this can be worn slick or messy. Either use dry shampoo to create more volume or a shine spray to get a smooth glaze," says Sys. "Alternatively, it can also be worn curly or wavy for a more undone look," he adds.

Get the Look:

6. Loose and Undone

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(Image credit: @ANNELAUREMAIS)

The key to long French styles, says Di Marcelli, is that you don't want your hair to look as though it has been cut.

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(Image credit: @RUERODIER)

"Cutting the hair dry, in its natural state, can achieve this—working with a feather razor to create those soft edges helps, too. The less product, the better," she says.

Get the Look:

This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Next Up: Without a Doubt, These 20 Haircuts Always Look Classy

Freelance Beauty Editor

Shannon Lawlor is a renowned beauty journalist and has contributed to Who What Wear’s beauty content since 2020. As a leading beauty editor, expert and brand consultant, she has over eight years of experience working for some of the industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear (of course), Glamour UK, Stylist, Refinery29 and Fabulous.

Having also worked behind the scenes with some of the industry’s biggest brands and retailers, Shannon has a unique insight into what people really want from their beauty routines. Understanding that beauty lovers seek honest, open and responsible advice, she has it made her mission to demystify the intimidating world of beauty, taking a no-frills approach to the most relatable topics.

While Shannon is the first to admit she doesn’t hold the answer to every beauty question out there, she is dedicated to sharing her expert insights in a bid to help. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for easy-to-use, foolproof beauty products and has made it her mission to scope out the best of the best.

When she’s not working, Shannon is likely soaking in the bath or giving no-holds-barred beauty reviews on Instagram from her bathroom floor.