At the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards celebrated Taylor Swift’s record-breaking awards and Madonna’s crowning of Artist of the Year. But on the red carpet, another trophy was at stake, much more discreet: that of the cup that gets people talking. Between couture silhouettes and stage looks, a hair detail emerged as the real star of the evening.
From Taylor Swift to Lisa from Blackpink, including Dakota Johnson and Pink Pantheress, they have all chosen the same beauty weapon: bangs. Straight or more blurred, it frames the look and immediately gives a back-to-school look. Its massive presence at the 2026 VMAs comes at just the right time with the arrival of fall, a time when we want to change our minds without giving up our lengths.
At the 2026 VMAs, Taylor Swift and Lisa prove that bangs are everywhere
In the photos from the red carpet, the message is clear: bangs signify the look of popstar 2026. Taylor Swift, already accustomed to hair transformations, wore them as a nod to her status as the most awarded artist in the history of the VMAs. Alongside him, Lisa from Blackpink is one of the stars who adopted this cut, while arriving with a particularly graphic high ponytail.
Same observation for Dakota Johnson and Pink Pantheress, who confirm that this hair trend works as well in a rock version as in a more romantic version. When four artists from such different scenes simultaneously validate the same cut at a global event like the MTV Video Music Awards, it feels like an official green light for hair salons.
Why the bangs spotted at the VMAs fit so well for fall
In summer, bangs can quickly become a hair nightmare: heat, perspiration, humidity, everything combines to make them stick to the forehead or swell without warning. When temperatures drop, from the end of September, the situation changes completely. In the fall, the air is softer, the skin sweats less and the bangs stay in place much more easily, without endless blow-drying sessions every morning.
This timing coincides with the desire for renewal that accompanies the start of the school year. After months of tying up your hair to withstand the heat, many dream of a visible but reversible change. Bangs allow you to transform the face without affecting the length, exactly what the looks of Taylor Swift or Lisa at the 2026 VMAs promise: an instant update, which you can let grow back if you get tired.
Adopt the bangs of the stars of the VMAs without regrets
To get through the process with peace of mind, the idea is to recapture the spirit of the red carpet rather than copying it to the millimeter. Asking your hairdresser for slightly tapered bangs allows you, for example, to wear them full like Taylor Swift, then sweep them to the side on days of doubt. The more cautious can also opt for bangs that blend into the length, easy to slip behind the ear or to tie like Lisa with a high ponytail for an everyday VMAs effect.