Who it suits
Curtains work with several face shapes, for different reasons.
Diamond face. Narrow at the forehead, narrow at the chin, wide cheekbones. Curtains drop hair over both sides of the forehead, which covers the narrow part and makes the top half look wider. The length falling towards the cheekbones softens them too, because hair breaks up the widest line of your face instead of leaving bare skin.
Heart face. The two panels cover the outer corners of a wide forehead and drop weight down towards the cheeks. That narrows the top and fills out the lower half.
Oblong or long face. Curtains are one of the best cuts available. They cut height off the top and push volume out sideways at the temples, so the face reads shorter and wider. That is exactly what a long face needs.
Oval face. Curtains work because an oval is already balanced and can carry most shapes.
Straight and wavy hair are the natural fits. Medium to thick density keeps the panels full instead of stringy. Thick hair holds the parting well but needs weight removed, or the curtains sit like two slabs. This is a real issue with coarse Indian hair, so tell your barber.
Avoid curtains if your face is round. Curtains add width and take away height, which a round face does not need. Avoid them if your hairline is receding, since a centre part exposes the middle of your hairline. Very curly hair will not form panels. The front sections will not fall flat and the parting will not hold.
How to ask your barber
Say: "I want curtains. Leave the front long enough to reach my eyebrows. Keep the sides medium length, no clippers. Add layers through the top and thin out the front sections so they fall, not stick out."
Be clear about the length at the front. This is where most curtain cuts go wrong. If the front is cut to the middle of the forehead, the sections flick outwards instead of hanging down.
Ask for the sides to be scissor cut. Say: "No clippers, scissor over comb on the sides." Short clippered sides remove the width that makes curtains work.
Ask for the front sections to be cut at a slight angle, longer towards the outside. Say: "Angle the front pieces slightly shorter than the back so they frame my face." This creates the curtain shape rather than a straight blunt fringe split in two.
What not to do: do not accept a fade or a hard undercut, because curtains need the sides to connect to the top. Do not let the barber cut the front to one blunt length across, which gives a heavy straight edge instead of soft panels. Do not let him cut the front wet without checking the dry length. Hair shrinks up as it dries, especially wavy hair.
How to style it
- Towel dry until damp.
- Make the part with a comb while the hair is still wet. Wet hair sets the part.
- Apply sea salt spray, a light styling cream, or a small amount of mousse through the top and front sections.
- Blow dry on medium with the part already in place. Point the airflow down the length of each section so the hair lies flat and falls forward. Flick your wrist outwards at the ends to give each panel a slight curve away from your face.
- Dry the roots at the part first so the part does not gap open. For more movement, dry the roots upward first, then let the length fall into the part.
- Finish with a pea of light or matte cream on your fingertips, smoothed over the outer surface only. Separate the front into pieces. Do not smooth it into a solid sheet.
Use light cream, or sea salt spray plus cream. Avoid clay and wax. They make the panels look greasy and clumped. In humid weather curtains lose their fall and puff up, and a light cream weighs the ends down enough to help.
Medium-length curtains
This is the standard version. The front reaches the eyebrows or just below, about 4 to 5 inches. The sides stay medium and scissor cut, and the top is layered so the sections fall instead of sitting flat.
It is the easiest curtain length to live with. Long enough to hold a part, short enough to stay out of your eyes. If you are growing curtains for the first time, aim here first.
Middle-part curtains
Here the top is split down the exact centre and the length sits between the eyebrow and the cheekbone, roughly five to six inches at the front. Shorter than that and the panels will not hold a part.
The extra length gives more width at the temples, so this is the stronger choice for a long or oblong face. It is the weaker choice if your hairline is receding, since a dead-centre part points straight at it.
The awkward stage is at the start, when the front is too short to stay parted and keeps flipping up. Set the part while the hair is wet every day and it settles.
Other variations
Off-centre curtains. Part slightly to one side instead of dead centre. Less symmetrical, more modern, and kinder to a thin patch at the centre of the hairline.
Short curtains. The front stops above the eyebrows. Lighter in heat and much easier to grow into, but less coverage for a narrow or high forehead.
Long curtains. Panels reaching the jaw. Adds serious width at the sides, which is very effective for a long face.
Curtains with a taper. Keep the top and front long. Taper the neckline and around the ears only, keeping the sides full. A neater version for office wear.
Maintenance
Trim every 6 to 8 weeks. Curtains grow out gracefully because there are no clipper lines to blur. The sides need shaping around the ears more often than the top needs cutting. The main problem is the front getting too long and covering your eyes.
Ask for the front to be trimmed and the layers refreshed rather than a full restyle. That keeps the length while restoring the shape.
Daily effort is four to ten minutes, mostly blow drying the part in place. The part needs training. If you part it the same way every day after washing, the hair eventually falls that way on its own. A stubborn cowlick may need a few days before it gives up.