A phrase more ubiquitous than beret-clad tourists in Paris, 'French Girl Hair' is something your clients might have slipped into consultation conversation recently. (Merci, Emily in Paris).
Effortless, natural, romantic, chic, understated, all these 'je ne sais quoi' adjectives are associated with French Girl hair. But what does 'French Girl Hair' really mean to a hairdresser? And how can you give a client what they want, especially when the phrase can mean such different things to different people?
We asked the experts about their experiences with French Girl Hair, what the term means to them, what haircuts they think nail the brief, what hair colour the French girlies j’adore and whether there were any ‘non-non’s’ that you should be aware of when trying to create the French Girl look in the salon.
Image credit: Janet Maitland
French Girl Haircuts
We asked hairdressers to cite which was the most French Girl haircut to them, and almost everyone we surveyed said… the French Girl Bob.
"Traditionally I would have said the soft crop, but in recent times, the ‘French Girl Bob’ has got to be the most synonymous with French Girl hair," says Tom Smith, evo International Creative Colour Director.
“It has to be the French Girl Bob!” agrees Rachel Valentine for L’Oréal Professionnel. For the un-initiated, “this is essentially a one-length bob that sits around the chin, but worn with a very loose, natural texture” Rachel explains.
But, one cannot talk about French women without noting their penchant for a heavy, grown-out fringe à la Jane Birkin or, more recently, Lilly Collins in the aforementioned Emily in Paris.
“A grown-out fringe is what comes to mind for me when I think about French Girl Hair, as well as a short, round bob… in fact, all the bobs! As well as mid-length, undone layers…” adds Karla Osborne, Freelance Hair By Karla, Hertfordshire.
Something that was cited by a lot of the stylist we talked to was this vision of undone, long layers. Clare Cartwright, from Elysian Hair in Looe, Cornwall, cautions about layering though: “Personally, I would say not too much texturing; you want to keep it clean and simple. Even if you are layering long hair, you want to keep it smart and not too edgy.”
On the other side of the spectrum, it bears mentioning that elfin crops have dominated in France, thanks in part to the fashion empire and boyish allure of Coco Chanel. “I instantly think of Chanel, Audrey Tautou and Marion Cotillard when I hear the term “French girl hair,” agrees Sian Roscoe at Blushes Hair, Oxford.
French Girl Hair No-Nos
And what about any no-nos – or should we say non-nons *titters? Our panel called out anything that looks fake, artificial, or unnatural. “French girl haircuts are never stiff, solid nor straight," explains Tom.
“The main no-no for me would be wearing it dead straight,” agrees Rachel. “When I think of French Girl Hair, I think natural texture but not too styled; almost as if it’s been worn it in a bun, so it has that soft kink you get when you take it out of an updo.”
Similarly, Sian steers away from heavily layered styles such as mullets and shags explaining “they give more of a London, street style vibe. For me, the best way to style a bob to create a French look is add a bit of Indola’s Sea Salt Spray or Light Mousse through the ends once dried.”
When it comes to colour, think au naturel and blended shades. “French girl hair colours are definitely seamless, expensive brunettes—no stripes in sight, almost sun-kissed,” says Karla Osbourne, owner of Freelance Hair By Karla, Hertfordshire.
*We LOVE this Reel by Tom Smith on Emily in Paris hair! Je t'aime!
French Girl Hair Colours
Speaking of which, so what French Girl hair colours are trending for AW 2024? Blondes and brunettes tend to dominate, and it’s all about a more natural finish. There can be a darker root – but for the love of gateau, make it blended.
“Neutral, or softly warm, mid to light brunette or dark blonde shades fit perfectly into the effortlessly French vibe,” states Tom. He recommends evo hue-verse beige, warm natural and cool chocolate shade families as the perfect fit for creating French Girl Hair shades.
Meanwhile, Rachel says: "A rich, warm brown comes to mind for the French Girl Hair trend - I would use a L’Oréal Professionnel Dia Color 5.35 to get that ultimate shine as well as the chestnut brown synonymous with the look."
If blonde is more your vibe, think Old Money blonde rather than platinum, suggests Tori Wiltshire, Hair Lounge, Barnstaple. “It’s got to be effortless, glossy and relaxed,” she states.
Clare says: “Instantly, I think expensive-looking brunettes. Rich, base colours with soft ribbons of caramel and honey running through. ‘Balayage’ is a French word, after all!” Did you know that the technique of free-hand painting was actually invented in France by the Carita sisters in Paris in the 1970s? Every day is a school day…
Sian says: “Colour trends I see coming through for French Girl Hair are rich, golden brunettes, multi-dimensional with a deeper root, something effortless and au naturale. I’ll be using Indola’s PCC Chocolate range because what’s more French than “Chocolat”?!” We agree, oui oui!
