Bangs

[ErinLeigh]

I am thinking about cutting bangs but am torn. Sometimes I feel they make the rest of my hair appear shorter. I know there are many bang threads but I need more!
For those of you with bangs. Do you have...
Blunt. Wispy. Thick. Thin fringe. Side swept. Straight across. Do you have the face framing sides included or do they stop at temple? What is your favorite and least favorite thing about them? Do you feel they make your face seem longer or rounder?

any comments about bangs...why you love them or hate them...have them or don't have them....please share. I have been going back and forth on this matter and want to hear opinions and ideas.

[AmyBeth]

I would love to have side swept, but my hair would never stay side swept. No matter what type of bangs I try, they end up stringy and hanging into my face. And I'm not about to use a blow dryer and mousse, gel or hairspray! I put great effort into protecting my hair from anything that would damage it. AND bangs would thin out the rest of my already very thin fine hair.

[bananahanna]

I would love to have thick straight across blunt bangs but they're so much upkeep and I feel like they never lay right now that the hair in the is all virgin. so I'm currently growing out mine and they're side swept. mine never want to stay straight across.

[schnibbles]

I contemplated cutting bangs for about a year before I did it. I am growing them out (I am all over LHC whining and moaning about how much I hate my bangs. :violin: I'm sure everyone is tired of me..I am tired of me too LOL ) Regarding your question, I can say that my main worry was that they would make my round face look even more round than it already is, but they totally did not. In fact, I think bangs made it look *less* round, by "breaking up" the shape of my face a little. I had long, eyelash-grazing straight across bangs with the longer pieces at the temples. They were deep (thick).
I am going to put a pic in my album of them so I'm not cluttering up your thread.
The constant fixing, fussing, trimming and styling is why I don't have them anymore. Part of my problem may have been that I refuse to use a flat iron or styling products, so maybe that's why they didn't work out. Good luck with your decision. I love bangs on other people. :p

[kganihanova]

I had side swept bangs and growing these out is a nightmare. I love bangs on other people but on me, they make me look about 12. Not great for someone who already has a baby face.

[ositarosita]

I have a curved bang with face framing longer pieces so it blends when my hair is down I have a diamond face shape... they're medium thickness .. my bangs end a little bit past my eyebrows and the face framing parts end at my cheekbones... I was thinking about growing them out but right now I'm going to keep them. I really like them I find them to be really flattering and they make my updos look less severe as well which is something I like. The only thing I don't like is the fact that if I want to wear them out I have to heat style them ( I have to straighten them) but aside from that LOVE

[karenpetal]

Hi ErinLeigh

I have tried different bangs over the years - Fringe (Blunt), Side swept and face framing.

Fringe: I had mine cut just above my brows blunt. This was when my hair was thicker almost 6 years ago.
Pros - Love the look (chic and gurly), I kept the length of rest of the hair (BSL) and could do braids and ponytails. I mainly got these to look girly - just that phase when I was trying different things. Definitely made me look younger :)
Cons - Maintenance - need to make sure they are well trimmed and do not start covering eyes - this can get annoying.
Growing them out was sought of a pain too. But once they were little longer I pinned them back.

Side Swept: Left to right - almost chin length
Pros: Looks very sophisticated.
Cons: If you dont like hair coming in your face DO NOT get these. Not the best with wind - I remember being able to stand only in one direction with wind
Growing them out was fairly easy - would do a little barid and tuck it in with any hairdo.

Face Framing: This was the latest I got before my big chop 1.5 years ago.
Pros: Frames your face - very sauve. I enjoyed the look.
Cons: Very difficult to maintain and grow out. I finally got a Bob chin length and then started all over

Hope this helps - hugs
K



I am thinking about cutting bangs but am torn. Sometimes I feel they make the rest of my hair appear shorter. I know there are many bang threads but I need more!
For those of you with bangs. Do you have...
Blunt. Wispy. Thick. Thin fringe. Side swept. Straight across. Do you have the face framing sides included or do they stop at temple? What is your favorite and least favorite thing about them? Do you feel they make your face seem longer or rounder?

any comments about bangs...why you love them or hate them...have them or don't have them....please share. I have been going back and forth on this matter and want to hear opinions and ideas.

[Cheyne]

I have been wearing bangs for 40 years. I have a high forehead and long nose, so my face looks longer and thinner with one-length hair (which I think looks unattractive on me). I am able to keep them trimmed myself, so no hair appt necessary. Mine are tapered, not straight across, and a bit longer than usual.

[truepeacenik]

I think at shorter lengths especially, you have the flexibility to play with bangs.

I think about face framing, I have grown-out side swepts now. They are just beyond chin, now.
My part is center, for better or for worse, it seems, and that disrupts the flow for side swept bangs.

[Eve 322]

Great thread, I'm seriously considering doing bangs because I have a big forehead with an oval face shape.
Can those with bangs please post a picture? I'm terrified of cutting bands and regretting it, and I think all those of us considering the semi-chop would appreciate it.:-)

[arr]

I have blunt eyelash grazing bangs that get a little longer at the sides. I love them. They especially add interest when my hair is up which is most of the time. They start 2 inches back on my head. I dont feel the maintenance is a big deal at all. I wash my hair every 3 days and my bangs get greasier faster but i just use dry shampoo on them. I flat iron them every time i wash them, im not paranoid about it since i trim them probably every two weeks. Ive learned to trim them myself, just pull them toward the center of my face and snip at an angle, the sides end up longer that way. As long as i have long hair, i will have bangs, i think i would look too blah and severe without them. I may grow them out one day if i decide to cut my hair shorter. No regrets, i love them.

[biogirl87]

Erin, I currently have side-swept bangs and am growing them out. In all of the times when I had bangs cut into my hair, there were very few times when the bangs would be cut into my hair in such a way that they would lay the right way. Part of this is because I do not use any products on my hair, but I think in general my hair does better with no products.

[melesine]

I've had them in the past and I will never have them again. They need regular maintenance, make my forehead sweaty in summer and growing them out is extremely annoying. Even more so if your hair is mid back or longer.

[shutterpillar]

I just got bangs a couple months ago and am growing them out again for no other reason than sheer laziness. They are great and I like how they soften my updos, but I think I'll just start pinning them back once they reach a length where they look strange hanging free. I'm just lazy, that's all. ;) They are face framing side swept bangs, and there is a photo of them in my album on my profile page. I have an oval face shape and (in my opinion) a high forehead. These bangs with the face framing side-sweep have been my favorite so far because they lay well. I've had blunt bangs in the past and they were a pain because they HAD to be styled to look decent. However, that could just be because I have a small cowlick on my hairline and my hair has a slight wave to it.

I'm sure i'll probably repeat the process in another coupe years. It seems to be a vicious cycle of growing out and cutting the bangs. I really do enjoy wearing my hair both ways.

[LauraLongLocks]

I thought about getting my bangs for a very long time before I finally did it. I went for blunt-cut, straight across bangs two years ago. I still love them. I wasn't sure if I would keep them at first, but each time when it came time to decide to trim or grow, I have chosen to trim because growing out is a pain. But now that I've had them as long as I have, I genuinely love them.

Pros:
1. softens updos (which my hair is in an updo all the time), and frames my face
2. reminds me to check the length/ends every time my bangs need a trim and see if the ends are still looking healthy
3. gives me some part of my hair that I can abuse with dye or heat, and it won't matter because it's going to be chopped off
4. I think they make me look younger

Cons:

1. look greasy quicker than the rest of my hair (easy fix... just wash bangs in the bathroom sink after the rest of my hair is pulled out of the way)
2. must be blow-dried so they lay right (but I actually like doing this, so it's not exactly a con for me)
3. must be trimmed about every 4-6 weeks (but I like having an excuse to go to the salon without my kids for a few short minutes for a bang trim)

About face-framing fringe... I had it done, and I am still growing out that stupid mistake. I hate the fringe! All it does is shred my braids and make my hair look shorter when it's laying in front of my shoulders. Same goes for layers in the back. They just shred braids and made my ends look wispy. Never again!

[0xalis]

I had blunt bangs cut in January of last year [did them myself and maintained myself, I'm quite good at it!] and I'm just now growing them out to chin. I look GREAT with blunt bangs, however, they're too much work right now. I'm too lazy with school going on. My bangs naturally part on the right, too, so they like to separate and look weird :( I'm not going to grow my bangs out all the way, because I look really stupid with no bangs. I've never gotten side-swept bangs to actually work.

When you're wearing your hair up all the time, face-framing layers or bangs are [almost] always a good idea!

[Lyv]

I had blunt bangs that have grown out to cheekbone and angled to be side swept. I have had some kind of bang on and off for probably 10 years just because I get frustrated with growing them out, I liked having them when my hair was short and I left it down all of the time but now that it's long I don't like them at all. I don't like the way most bangs look with most updo's and when it's down blunt bangs make my hair look like a helmet lol. I prefer face framing layers or long side swept bangs if you really want bangs, it looks more polished and feminine with updo's but they'll be long enough to hide if you want to tuck them into your hairstyle.

[thistledown]

I have blunt bangs, not really thick though. I loved them. I'd still love them but lately they are sort of drying flat and frizzy no matter what I do *sigh* I think it's due to damage from dye, maybe it's time to invest in a flat iron?
Vanessa

[ErinLeigh]

If I get bangs I know I will have to flat iron them for sure and I am ok with that. But living in a humid climate may pose a problem in keeping them nice looking. I think I am going to grow a few more inches and then cut some side swept bangs at nose length to start. I would do it now but I have so many layers I think it will make my hair look even thinner and shorter.

I think bangs done right are just really sexy yet youthful. I love the look of long hair with no bangs as well..but with my longer face and narrow forehead I think bangs will help my features.

[Haybop]

I have a blunt cut fringe and have done since March - I used to look so stern when my hair was pulled back that the fringe just nicely softens it. The only thing is - looking at some of the LOTR and Game of Thrones hairstyles, I realise they could end up looking different as they don't include the fringe... boo :P

[Pumpkin3826]

I have straight across blunt bangs that hit right at eyebrow level. I love them. I think they make a plain ol' ponytail and bun look a little more elegant. I love Zooey Deschanel's hair! That was the photo I brought in when I got them cut. I have very thick and straight hair so bangs are very easy for me to upkeep. I just trim them myself about every 2 weeks at home. I will see a photo of someone with hair all one length and wish I had that and I will be tempted to let them grow out but overall I think they add a nice feminine touch to anyone's look. I felt with my hair getting longer, I am now a little past waist length the blunt bangs kind of adds a style to it so I don't feel like "cousin it."

[LauraLongLocks]

I thought about getting my bangs for a very long time before I finally did it. I went for blunt-cut, straight across bangs two years ago. I still love them. I wasn't sure if I would keep them at first, but each time when it came time to decide to trim or grow, I have chosen to trim because growing out is a pain. But now that I've had them as long as I have, I genuinely love them.

Pros:
1. softens updos (which my hair is in an updo all the time), and frames my face
2. reminds me to check the length/ends every time my bangs need a trim and see if the ends are still looking healthy
3. gives me some part of my hair that I can abuse with dye or heat, and it won't matter because it's going to be chopped off
4. I think they make me look younger

Cons:

1. look greasy quicker than the rest of my hair (easy fix... just wash bangs in the bathroom sink after the rest of my hair is pulled out of the way)
2. must be blow-dried so they lay right (but I actually like doing this, so it's not exactly a con for me)
3. must be trimmed about every 4-6 weeks (but I like having an excuse to go to the salon without my kids for a few short minutes for a bang trim)

About face-framing fringe... I had it done, and I am still growing out that stupid mistake. I hate the fringe! All it does is shred my braids and make my hair look shorter when it's laying in front of my shoulders. Same goes for layers in the back. They just shred braids and made my ends look wispy. Never again!

Funny, after writing this I decided to grow them out, and I'm not cutting them again. What I discovered was that there are clip-in bangs! So, if I ever feel the need to cut them again, I can just wear clip-ins.