There are fringes, and then there are French-girl fringes. Effortless, a little undone and impossibly chic, the latter have long been synonymous with a certain kind of insouciant beauty – think Jane Birkin in the ’70s, with her lash-skimming bangs, tousled lengths and barely-there make-up.

Fast-forward to now, and Dakota Johnson and Daisy Edgar-Jones are making a compelling case for the style once again. At the September VMAs, Johnson wore her signature piecey fringe with a glossy, ’90s-inspired blowout, courtesy of hairstylist Mark Townsend. Meanwhile, at the Australian premiere of Sense and Sensibility in October, Edgar-Jones debuted a fuller, glossier fringe, swapping her usual wispy curtain bangs for something with a little more impact.

The appeal? Unlike the ultra-blunt, graphic fringes of seasons past, the French-girl iteration is all about softness. Slightly longer through the sides, with plenty of movement and a little forehead peeking through, it's a fringe that looks just as good swept to one side as it does falling nonchalantly into the eyes.

How to recreate the French girl fringe

The secret is in the cut. Ask your hairstylist for a softly textured fringe that skims the eyebrows, with longer, face-framing pieces at either side. Johnson's is a little more piecey and lived-in, while Edgar-Jones's latest iteration is fuller and more polished – both offer excellent inspiration.

As for styling, the trick is to avoid making it look too done. Blow-dry your fringe while it's still damp, moving a small brush (like our Everyday Essentials Brush) from side to side to prevent it from settling into a parting. The idea is to create a flatter finish, rather than lots of volume.

For Johnson's more separated look, work a tiny amount of Almost Everything Cream through the ends, and embrace a little natural texture. The best French fringes aren't perfectly coiffed – and that's precisely the point.