Bangs a go, or no go?

August 27, 2009 1:30 PM

I need hair advice! I have long hair and haven't had bangs since I was 5 years old. Considering how my hair grows, would it be impossible to have any sort of bangs?

This is what my hair looks like. It's actually a little longer than that right now. It's always been very stubborn about wanting to part down the middle, which I'm ok with. Straight across bangs, side-swept bangs, whatever. I'm willing to give thought to all bangs-possibilities.

If you know something about hair - would bangs not look great on my face? Would it be impossible to do, with my strong part? Any advice??

Thanks!

posted by little_c to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (18 answers total)

Hard to say without actually examining the texture of your hair. Is the left side a cowlick, a general upward tendency or is it the result of styling?-- this might be your biggest challenge. And if you hair is naturally fine, you may want to go with something heavier or more graduated--less a ZOMG BANGS! look and more of a short in the front, side -parted or -swept, cascade style (perhaps starting at eyebrow length and then working downards into the length of the rest of your hair, if that makes any sense).
If it is a cowlick, you may have to "work with it", meaning parting your hair at that point and going sideswept. If it's just how your hair happens to look today, you may be able to cut something that's more toward an obvious fringe and after a week or so your hair will get used to the new style and calm down. However, IANAStylist, and your best bet would be to consult one, and probably have your cut done with one as well. Even if you do trims on your own, you may be happier with a more drastic change, and one that has a lot of inherent variables, if the initial style is done by a pro. They can also give good tips on how to make your hair do what you want it to do.
posted by the luke parker fiasco at 1:41 PM on August 27, 2009

I think it will work! Some tips

Find a hairdresser that you trust, preferably one that has given yourself or someone you know a great haircut previously.

Take in pictures of the styles you like. Multiple pictures, from multiple angles. The biggest thing to change is to start the fringe from further back along your forehead, towards the crown of you head. Otherwise, the fringe will be too thin and you'll just keep pinning it back!

Start small, with a long-ish side swept fringe, nothing too short or blunt. Ask the hairdresser to cut the majority of the fringe whilst your hair is dry, rather than wet, so you get an accurate idea of length.

Good luck!
posted by unlaced at 1:46 PM on August 27, 2009

You can probably pull it off.

I didn't have bangs and was actively against the idea of having bangs forever (due to bad memory of trying to grow them out and because of cowlick RIGHT THERE in the middle of where bangs would be) but I got them last year and it's working out well. I showed my hairdresser a picture of the last Bond girl and he basically did bangs like that. Since in that cut, the bangs are kind of long (start in the back, go toward the eyebrows), they are weighty enough that they circumvent all hair parting problems (especially after a week or so when your hair gets used to staying in place).

The easiest way is to talk to your stylist and experiment. Maybe first try straight across bangs, then as they start to grow out, swoosh them over to the side and see how you like that.
posted by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel at 1:48 PM on August 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

I've got a pretty wicked cowlick and naturally wavy hair and I've had a number of types of bangs, and I think I looked good with them. For ease of dealing with, the cascade style was the best, but the most striking was the straight across the forehead fringe. But really, there's not much you can't do with a flat iron if you're willing to try.
Here's some shots of my various hair over the last few years. And honestly, my only real advice is don't try to give yourself bangs. All of mine have been done by a professional and trusted stylist. I loved my bangs, but I'm more and more annoyed with them as I'm trying to grow them out. It's like coral grows faster than my bangs when I want them to grow out. But when I'm trying to keep them at a static length, there's no stopping them.
posted by teleri025 at 1:48 PM on August 27, 2009

Response by poster: Cowlick! That's the word I was looking for. Yes my hair does that cowlick thing totally on it's own, always has. This is encouraging, thanks!
posted by little_c at 1:53 PM on August 27, 2009

I think you could pull off some longer Jenny Lewis-style bangs (here and here and here)
posted by oinopaponton at 1:56 PM on August 27, 2009

I think bangs would be a great update to your look! Find a hairdresser you like, and trust them.
posted by bluedaisy at 2:10 PM on August 27, 2009

I have a five (or six) head so have
always had bangs. Generally I get them cut straight across and sort of "mod" ish and they grow out into sideswept bangs. My hair might be a bit curlier but I have 2 cowlicks on either side and it's not an issue. Make sure to blowdry while very wet or the cowlicks will take over.

I think you'd look great with bangs but your current style suits you fine also.
posted by shownomercy at 2:12 PM on August 27, 2009

I think you can rock the bangs, and I like the bangs oinopaponton linked to. I have bangs and a cowlick in front, and in order to combat the cowlick, I usually have to blowdry my bangs every day. This isn't a big deal, but I thought I would mention it in case you were one of those people averse to daily styling.
posted by bluefly at 2:35 PM on August 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

You can always get a small straightening iron to flatten out the cowlicks-- that's what I do. The hairdryer method never actually worked very well for me. Also, I think you'd look good with bangs, particularly "mod"-ish bangs.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 2:37 PM on August 27, 2009

I agree with everyone else: I think the bangs are a good idea. I vote for the Jenny Lewis ones. Actually, I vote for her hairstyle to magically appear on my head, but that's another story. And if I may be so bold, I think that a darker, richer color would go wonderfully with your new hairstyle.
posted by runningwithscissors at 3:04 PM on August 27, 2009

I'll disagree with everyone and say that bangs are a bad idea. But, I'm not you, and I'm a guy, so who cares what I think! (Or what most other guys think of bangs!)
posted by No New Diamonds Please at 3:18 PM on August 27, 2009

I think bangs would look great on you! They'll emphasize your eyes. Have them cut long - about to the bottom of your eyes. Then you can sweep them to the side or fluff them up. Your cowlick may determine which side you sweet them toward.
posted by zinfandel at 4:32 PM on August 27, 2009

Lindsay Lohan has a similar cowlick and she sometimes has bangs.
I think you just want the bangs to be a little on the long side to weigh down the cowlick. You could consider asking the stylist to cut your bangs dry so the weight of the water wouldn't pull your cowlick flat only to have the bangs sproing up too short afterwards.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 5:21 PM on August 27, 2009

bangs can actually be easy to trim yourself, if you go for a slightly soft wispy style - separate the hair that you want to be bangs, and comb that forward. pin everything else back. trim hair to a little longer than you want your bangs to be, then turn the scissors up so they are at a slight angle to your hanging hair, and make little 1/2 inch cuts upward. the result is that you end up with bangs that aren't all one length, but have a nice variation in length just at the ends.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 5:53 PM on August 27, 2009

Absolutely yes. Blunt bangs right at or above the eyebrows. Any lower and you'll be in hipsterville, which may not be a problem if you wear stripey constrasts like that often enough or are otherwise amenable. Swept bangs I would do a little shorter and choppy, but not too short.

longish
more conservative
too much
also too much
no shorter than this
too wide
swept
just about right
posted by rhizome at 9:36 PM on August 27, 2009

For my wavy hair I get the best results if I ask for "wispy bangs." If the bangs are thick then the wave is too powerful and the bangs look out of control insane. Wispy bangs are also less commitment, since they're easier to brush aside while growing out if you decide you don't like them.
posted by selfmedicating at 4:29 AM on August 28, 2009

I'm a little late to the party but here is my suggestion:Why not buy some clip in bangs and see how you feel in them. I have some that I put in when I am rockin' the Betty Page look and they look pretty natural. People at work alway like my new "haircut". Google "clip in bangs fringe", there are lots of places that sell them from synthetic to human hair, prices range from $20-200. Here's and example.
posted by meeshell at 8:54 PM on August 28, 2009