If you’ve ever stood in front of the mirror waffling on whether you should get bangs, we’re going to go out on a limb and provide a definitive answer: Every girl should give bangs a try at least once. There, we said it.
If you need a little inspiration—or just want to look back on decade after decade of cool girls wearing the hell out of a fringe—these 30 iconic sets of bangs, on everyone from Joan Jett to Alexa Chung, should provide a bit of fodder for your next haircut … or at least your ongoing daydreams of a fringe of your very own.
MORE: These Are the Perfect Bangs for Committment-Phobes

If you've ever needed a little bit of fringe inspiration, these 30 iconic sets of bangs—on everyone from Alexa Chung to Anna Karina—will have you in front of a set of shears in no time.
Parted down the middle or swept to the side, Brigitte Bardot's long, face-framing bangs are the sex kitten standard. Add a cat-eye, and you're well on your way.

If you're into the French New Wave vibe, you've probably brought this very photo to your hairstylist at least once. Anna Karina is the quintessential Parisian girl we all want to be, and her piece-y, eyebrow-grazing bangs are what we assume is the gateway to a life filmed in black and white.

With soft layers and mussed-up texture, everything about Alexa Chung's signature fringe is on point. She's since grown hers out for the most part, but that hasn't stopped girls everywhere from requesting "the Chung" in the salon chair.

Joan Jett was the original queen of rock 'n' roll bangs—and the "fashion mullet."

The straight, shiny bangs Uma Thurman wore as Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction defined a generation of copycats who lusted after the cool, vampy look.

Naomi Campbell's fringe may have been her signature hairstyle of the '90s in the supermodel heyday, but the flattering look has lasting appeal.

It was the haircut heard around the world when Kate Middleton cut long bangs into her gorgeous, bouncy hair. But once we saw her wearing them as part of her much-lusted-after voluminous blowout, it was pretty clear that she'd made the right move.

Farrah Fawcett's feathered hair is closely associated with the '70s, but with the revival of the shag, it's safe to say that this look is back.

Helena Bonham Carter has a unique look that's very much her own, and it almost always involves a short, piece-y fringe cut into her dark hair.

For bangs like '60s-chic royalty, look to Marianne Faithfull, who wore hers parted slightly down the middle and so long they almost covered her eyes.

As a model in the '60s, Peggy Moffitt became best known for her Vidal Sassoon five-point cut, as she was one of the very first to wear the iconic style.

Katie Holmes marked the end of her Dawson's Creek days and the beginning of her Mrs. Cruise days by opting for this short, retro cut, complete with sleek, straight bangs.

Is there a fringe more famous than Bettie Page's super-short baby bangs? We think not.

If there's one thing we remember about Sarah Jessica Parker's look when she first hit the Hollywood scene, it's her adorable curly bangs.

Arguably the best-known celebrity bangs of the past few years, Zooey Deschanel's signature fringe had quirky girls everywhere picking up the hair scissors.

Natalie Wood's classic long bangs are the kind that we still covet decades later.

Selena's wavy, piece-y fringe, topped with voluminous curls, was a huge part of her trademark look.

Everything about Audrey Hepburn's look is iconic, but the baby bangs she wore to complement her pixie really stands out—and they made her eyes stand out too.

Beyoncé pulls off just about every look with aplomb, but we especially loved her with these retro-inspired straight-across bangs.

French singer and actress Françoise Hardy defined effortless '60s chic, and we think her long, naturally parted fringe may have had something to do with it.

Mia Farrow famously had her long, blond hair chopped into a pixie by Vidal Sassoon, complete with a short, sweet fringe.

The face (and hair) of the flapper generation, Louise Brooks wore thick black bangs that worked perfectly with her razor-sharp bob.

Youthquake icon Penelope Tree's long bangs and super-straight hair were the calling card of '60s London.

Stevie Nicks complemented her wild curls with equally wild bangs.

When we think bangs, we think Jane Birkin. Her wispy, frequently askew fringe is only one component of her signature look, but they're the perfect icing on the (very stylish) cake.

Always cool, always a little messed up—Kate Moss's brow-grazing bangs have set the gold standard for all to follow.

Actress Veronica Lake—who was only 4'11"!—wore her glossy blond hair in a deep side part with a curtain of long bangs.

Freja Beha Erichsen leads by example, broadcasting to curly-haired girls everywhere that they, too, could wear their bangs with a bit of texture.

Another fan of the ubiquitous '60s look, Jean Shrimpton frequently wore her short, face-framing bangs with a bouncy, luxurious blowout.

Short, wavy bangs were a key part of the look that made Clara Bow the very first It-girl.