Anne Hathaway’s Sexy Tousled Bangs Were Inspired By A Screen Legend

Through science or magic, Anne Hathaway and her stylist have solved the greatest going-out hair conundrum of our time — how to strike the perfect balance between sultry, tousled hair and polished, sophisticated hair. At ELLE’s 29th annual Women In Hollywood event, Hathaway turned up in long bangs and even longer waves, nailing relaxed glamour with ease. Anne Hathaway’s tousled bangs, styled by Rena Calhoun, were actually inspired by Jane Birkin’s own legendarily long fringe — and if anyone knows about the art of casual sex appeal, it’s undoubtedly Birkin. The glossy, voluminous waves were a shining complement to Hathaway’s beaded Bulgari gown, creating a head-to-toe glimmering effect very well suited for Hollywood royalty. And fortunately for the legions of Hathawayheads eager to get the look at home, Calhoun was kind enough to share the exact products that helped bring it all to life.

Calhoun explains in a press release that her and aesthetic goal was a less-is-more approach that focused on Hathaway’s natural beauty and radiance. “I love the simplicity of the look, almost as if she just woke up this way, against the elegance of her gown, for the most striking contrast.” She cites Jane Birkin as the inspiration for the effortless undone style, an apt muse for the equally beloved Hathaway.

As always with such an important, endlessly-photographed hairstyle, prep was key for ensuring all-night hold and the perfect shape. To start, Calhoun applied a bit of Virtue Volumizing Primer down the length of Hathaway’s long hair, rough-drying it with a blowdryer. From there, with Hathaway’s hair about halfway dry, Calhoun concentrated the blowdryer on individual sections of hair, shaping them with a round brush to form loose but structured curls. The crux of this sultry bedhead style is in the volume — and Calhoun has the best trick to maximizing it. Those loose curls were pinned to the crown of Hathaway’s hair while they cooled, ensuring plenty of lift and shape-hold. To further amp it up, she teased the crown with some strategic backcombing.

Of course, the bangs are really the centerpiece of Hathaway’s simple yet sultry hair — and they can often be the most difficult to style. To mitigate any cowlicks, Calhoun started by blowdrying the front of the hair in different directions while combing it out with a flat brush before using a 1.5-inch curling iron all over to create waves. As the final touches, she spritzed texturizing spray — a must-have for the tousled look — and locked it all in with Virtue’s fan-favorite 6-in-1 Style Guard Hairspray.

All in all, three products total is surprisingly streamlined for such an impactful look. Recreate Hathaway’s sultry waves at home by shopping the exact products her stylist used below.

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