Bangs and the severity of buns...

[waves]

Hi guys
I've been skulking around in the background for a long while nw, and have learnt tons from y'all! Big thanks to LHC!!:cheese:

I was wondering if anybody out there culd advice me on the bangs question- to get them or not. I have almost waist length hair. My face is round, and I have a small forehead (both the height- er, is that the word..and the breadth), so people tell me bangs are not for me. But then how do I look less severe in buns or braids??

Thanks in advance!!

[Euphony]

Ugh, it sounds like we have a similar face shape. I have a short forehead and a very round face. I used to always have bangs, I'd never ever been without bangs, up until 4 years ago when I grew them out. My hair is a 'hair' past waist and my bangs are currently at bsl. I've been thinking about cutting bangs back in, I do miss them and now that I wear my hair up more often it would really soften an updo. I've been thinking about thinner, longer (about cheekbone) sideswept bangs. Just something to soften the updo a bit, but should blend in with my hair pretty well when my hair is down. I'm still pretty undecided though.

[Shell]

I thought the same thing when my hair was waist length, and I cut some side swept bangs. It did soften my updos, and I wore them that way until my hair got to tailbone, and then I let them grow out. Since they were so sparse (on purpose) it was easy to grow them and in just a few months they were in my braids and updos. At this point they are getting close to even with my length.

On the other hand, they need to be trimmed regularly, and they can be kind of a nuisance growing out. Something else you might want to consider is how much will you have to style, or will they behave without styling? Mine did, otherwise I'd have never cut them. Only three people even noticed that I had cut them, so maybe they didn't really change my look that much.

I know that I'm quite happy right now without them, but if you really want them, I say go for it!

[Madam Librarian]

I have a round face, I guess an average size forehead (:confused:) and I wear side swept bangs and enjoy them a great deal. I keep them long enough so they will sweep back off my forehead if I want them to, but short enough so they don't get in my eyes when I wear them forward.

I think I remember reading that it is the blunt cut, straight across the forehead bangs that are bad for round faces. I know I never looked good in them.

Do what you like. At the end of the day, you are the only one that needs to be happy with your hair.

[spidermom]

I hear you. I have face-framing fringe rather than bangs, the shortest part at nose-length (but it curls up). When I saw this photo, I knew I had to do something.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/ugly1.jpg

You can see a picture of my face with the fringe in my profile (also had my teeth fixed), also the avatar is me. Much, much better.

[icydove]

You can lessen the severity of buns by:
* parting your hair instead of pulling it straight back
* loosening the tightness of the crown hair after you've made the bun but before you secure it
* separating some of the hair in the front off, making the bun with the remaining hair, then securing the front piece back in a flattering way

Bangs are such a pain to grow out, especially if you wear buns a lot. So just be sure that is what you want before you cut. There are longhairs here that are quite happy with their bangs, though.

[theindecisiveon]

I also have a round face. Or possibly square... Anyway. I had the dreaded straight-across bangs (or a fringe, as we call them over here) for years when I was a kid and it wasn't the best look. I was delighted to grow them out.

However - nowadays I have a side parting and a side-swept fringe and I personally think it makes my face look less round. I like having it, it makes updoes less severe and it's nice to have some hair to play with when it's all tied up!

So my advice is to be careful of the straight-across look, but a fringe swept across can be fun and flattering. Just remember a) hair grows, but b) it takes a while! So don't be afraid to try something different, but don't do it on an impulse.

Good luck!

[heidihug]

I have a very round face and regular size forehead. I do have straight eyebrow-length bangs, but curl them whenever I am going out of the house - just a quick flip with the iron, a ruffle with my fingers and I'm on my way. For dressier, I curl, brush them back and fringe my face with just a few strands, then hairspray in place. I do think that straight across the forehead bangs on a round face does not look flattering.

[atlantaz3]

I spent many painful years growing out bangs. I have an oval face and loved my bangs when I had them. My dh hated my hair then he said I had no style just bangs and hair hanging down on either side of my face. The stylist agreed with him. It took me almost four years to grow out and get to all one length. While I want a change I'm not willing to go through the bang grow out again any time soon.
I have the same problem with skinned back buns. What I am doing lately is a two strand twist on the sides pulling that in the pony and then bunning or flipping etc. It softens the sides and adds some extra detail to the do. I would play with some different twists before cutting bangs.
I would also suggest one of those photo programs your face their hair to see if you like the way bangs look before cutting. You can google for those.

[lavenderblue]

I also have a round face, and a small forehead, and have side swept bangs (chin length) and I like the look of it!

[rhosyn_du]

Another round-faced, short-foreheaded person, here. I recently cut in some long (between nose and chin length, depending on how straight my hair is feeling at the time) bangs, and I love them. I plan to let them get a bit longer, since I'd really like them to be chin length on wurly days.

[waves]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for the answers! Now I'm considering a fringe like what Spidermom has...

I guess half the fun of long hair is the pleasure of deliberating about what you can do with it!! ;-P

[khyricat]

I have a long face, and no bangs- I HATE me with bangs, but there are some great tips here for softening updos and I use a lot of them at the front depending on the look I want.