You’re probably living under a rock if you haven’t watched season one of the viral Amazon series Off Campus based on Elle Kennedy’s books of the same name. Ever since then, viewers have been obsessing over the crackling chemistry between Mika Abdalla and Stephen Kalyn, who play the playful and electric couple Dean Di Laurentis and Allie Hayes. Who can resist that iconic On the Floor scene? Let’s just say Abdalla has already given so many of us rom-com girlies some sleepless nights in that green JLo Versace dress. But beyond the romance, another leading lady has gotten the women of the internet in a chokehold. Who do you ask? Allie Hayes’s wonderfully tousled mane.
@romance.and.rose Allie-Cat Haircut Summer! ✂️ #offcampus #booktok #wolfcut #haircut #hairstylist ♬ Still Online – Carter Reed
Abdalla’s haircut, with her wavy and wispy fringe, has officially become a pop culture reference, with many fans calling it the “Allie Cat cut”. With its soft texture and face-framing shape, the look channels the effortless spirit of the French-girl fringe. “It’s the ultimate ‘I woke up like this’ look. Unlike a blunt, heavy bang, the French girl fringe is soft, piecey, and effortlessly lived-in,” says celebrity hairstylist Kim Robinson.
With summer just around the corner, there’s no better time for a complete hair transformation. So we got down to business and spoke to the expert hairstylist to dig deeper into the considerations one should have when asking for this look at the salon, and how to maintain your French girl fringe or ”Aliie Cat cut”, if we may, in our island city’s hot and humid climes.
What is a French girl fringe?
It’s the ultimate “I woke up like this” look. Unlike blunt, heavy bangs, the French girl fringe is soft, piecey, and effortlessly lived-in. It is cut shorter in the centre—skimming just below the brows—and cascades into longer, face-framing layers that hug the cheekbones.
What is it about this particular cut that gives it such enduring appeal this summer?
It’s all about freedom. This cut feels incredibly light, playful, and happy. Since it thrives on natural texture and movement, it allows you to survive the summer heat beautifully without being a slave to high-maintenance hot tools.
What are some things to take into consideration when asking for a French girl fringe at the salon?
There are three key elements to take into consideration. An expert or stylist would want to analyse how the fringe will balance your face’s horizontal and vertical proportions—think of it like mapping a visual graph of how your hair should be sectioned. Next, the texture and density of your hair also informs the approach. This is ultimately how your natural hair would behave, and determine the fringe lays perfectly without looking sparse or blocky.
Then, a professional hairstylist would want to examine any visible growth patterns of your mane, such as identifying cowlicks at the hairline in order to adjust the cutting angle and prevent awkward splitting.
How would a French girl fringe differ for different face shapes and hair types?
At Kim Robinson, for one, we utilise the KR Face Matrix™️ System to tailor the geometry of the cut to your exact facial features and hair type.
For more elongated face shapes, the approach would be to widen the centre section of the fringe to create a beautiful framing effect that balances facial length. Meanwhile for more rounded face shapes, narrowing the centre and shattering the texture opens up the face vertically—as long, angled side pieces will elongate the jawline.
Texture too, holds extreme importance. For finer, thinner hair—that many Asians might be predisposed to—a slightly deeper section might need to be cut from the crown in order to build internal volume so it never lays flat. As for those with more natural layers and thicker hair, slide-cutting the under-layers will help to remove weight, and give the look that trademark light, French movement.
Any product recommendations to maintain the look in Singapore’s humid weather?
In high humidity, less is more—heavy products will instantly weigh your fringe down. To prep start by spritzing a tiny amount of lightweight treatment serum or KR SOS Spray at the roots on damp hair before blow-drying for a weightless “grip.” Follow this by rubbing a pea-sized amount of KR Pro Style Paste between your fingertips until clear, then pinch the very tips of the hair. It gives a gorgeous, textured look that stays light and airy all day.
For someone considering the cut for the first time, what advice would you give?
Start long and commit to the ritual. Ask your stylist for a longer, bridge-skimming version first—you can always go shorter later. Also, remember that a great fringe lives on a three to four week maintenance cycle, so pop into the salon between appointments for a quick, complimentary fringe trim to keep the magic alive.
