Bangs or no bangs?

[firegypsy]

This is funny because I've been raving about my bangs. I have only had them maybe 2 years but they really made a difference in my appearance. I like them a lot, but their function was more about having my hair look good as it was growing out.

Now that my hair is past shoulder length and I can wear it up all the time it's not as much of an issue. However bangs = instant hairstyle in the sense that if I only throw it in a ponytail, it still looks "done." So they're still nice from that standpoint.

BUT (you knew there was a but right?) now that I AM growing it out, a lot of what I used to do style-wise is harder with bangs. And a crown braid? NOT easy with bangs.

So I'm deferring to the "looks alone" aspect. Because I'm 50/50 split on keeping them or growing them I'm trying to decide if I'm one of those people that look better with bangs, or without. I want to figure it out before my next trim, which would be next week. Anyone up for weighing in with an honest opinion?

****thank you!

[longhairedlady]

I like no bangs, and if you have bangs longer like the first bang pic. :)

[ladylowtide]

Either way looks great on you. I personally favor no bangs. It shows of your face more.

[Bunnysaur]

I like both, but I agree that it shows off your face more to have no bangs.
I personally have to have bangs because of a crazy strong facial bone structure, but your face is softer and could go either way and look great.

[rowie]

You look absolutely stunning! You have so many choices, but in the end go with what will make you happy.

Personally, I like you without bangs because you can show off your facial features more, and with no bangs you'll be able to wear many updo styles comfortably.

[firegypsy]

You look absolutely stunning! You have so many choices, but in the end go with what will make you happy.

Personally, I like you without bangs because you can show off your facial features more, and with no bangs you'll be able to wear many updo styles comfortably.

I think I love you Rowie. lol. I'm suprised the results are leaning towards no bangs! Looking at these photos I'm starting to lean more towards bangs, but you're right. It's harder to do the updo's I LIKE with them.

I also think my face looks a little better with the bangs, but that's partly self consciousness. I kind of like hiding behind them. :o

[Tota]

I think you look way better without bangs.

[julierockhead]

With your pretty face, no bangs! What lovely hair you have.

[shutterpillar]

I like the bangs. :)

[spidermom]

No bangs by a WIDE margin.

I know it's good to have a change now and then, however.

[Mayflower]

I would grow out the bangs so that they'll eventually form a long side swept fringe - slash - face framing layer(s). Just to get a softer look.
I must say (from what I can see on the pictures), your hair doesn't look an i to me! But ofcourse that's hard to tell.:)

[Charybdis]

I vote no bangs. I honestly think you look better without them. :flower:

[Deborah]

I vote no bangs too. I think you look MUCH prettier without them. No contest.

[Ticky]

I vote no bangs, too :)

[firegypsy]

I must say (from what I can see on the pictures), your hair doesn't look an i to me! But ofcourse that's hard to tell.:)

I can't tell what it is, but it's soooo much thinner than it was, that I went with that when I registered. I don't have much of it and I tend to braid it overnight so it gets some body and appears thicker.

*****

it is past shoulder length at this point. How do I definitively tell the difference between i/ii/iii? Sorry for the silly question.

[cfreya]

Definitely no bangs I wish I didn't have a huge forehead so I could rock no bangs but it definitely suits you

[SnowWhite]

I think you look better without bangs!

[firegypsy]

see, my forehead is small and slanty, which is why I think the bangs help. but I have like 1 or 2 votes for bangs and everyone else says no. for summer I think I'll be clipping them back and growing them. I'm like 70/30 now but I can't stand sweating and having hair stick to me. That may be the clincher.

[Macaroni]

Yes to the bangs.

[AutumnJasmine]

You look beautiful both ways, but my vote is for no bangs. I agree with the person who said you should get them cut into side swept bangs when they get a little longer. That will look very pretty on you and make the grow out process easier.

[DarkCurls]

I'd say no bangs, too. It's just one of those things that leap out at you... at me, at least. The no bangs pics really show off your face, they're gorgeous.
And, yeah, crown braids with bangs aren't very easy. :p

[Vampyria]

No bangs. :)

[heidi w.]

I often give more info than requested, and I presume it's a little tedious, but it's nice to understand a subject well.

For my vote, I prefer the no bangs, although bangs look nice enough. (If you wore glasses you might think a bit differently. For me bangs would be too much action around the eyes. OR so I think. That's my opinion anyway.)

For decades I had bangs, and I never really liked them. They made me feel like a little girl. I don't like feeling like a kid. I mean it's kind of good that inherited some good genes so that overall, I look somewhat young for my age. This is becoming a bit of a benefit at age 52.

If you ever get into a big discussion about bangs on LHC or other sites, you might eventually hear about George Michaels (no, not the singer) Theory of Equality or something close to that....Equalization? ..... I can't recall suddenly. Ach!

It does not mean to not have bangs. Although Mr. George Michael clearly had some preferences such as no bangs on women, and all one length of hair on women. Here's his wife, as briefly as I can explain it.

He contended he did studies that proved that two extreme differences in lenght about the head, such as bangs and then pretty long hair, meant that the hair length would not reach its full potential. That the hair length would go so far because it's trying to essentially balance the hair length based on the two extremes. He cited shaving one flank of a dog, while the other side is unshaved; and he cited The Sutherland Sisters, in his book. I do not know what studies he actually performed. He was a trained doctor; I don't know for sure if he actually received a license in the US for being a doctor.....I don't know the actual studies he may have done.

So if you are after having as long of hair as is possible, you may consider this information in light of your questions, whether you should go with or without bangs. I do tend to believe that he may have a point. Lots of stuff that he said about hair care we still do today, and advocate for others on LHC. Most everything we discuss about good hair care: vitamins, diet, good health, how to wash, how to BBB, and on it goes is discussed in his book. If you deduct his attitude, his book has a lot of interesting information. Just because you may disagree with an opinion of his does not mean that it's a good idea to throw the entire baby out.

Just FYI, in case you care.

heidi w.

[froglet]

Another vote for no bangs. I think the bangs look "cute" but the no bangs look is more elegant and I think more flattering.

[firegypsy]

Heidi, I had considered NOTHING like that. I have not read his book, though I would love to. If I can ever find a copy at a decent price I'll be all over it. I had no idea he was a doctor. Huh.

I do wear glasses most of the time. I think I was only wearing them in two of the photos, but yes...pretty much if I'm awake they're on.

I am not sure how I feel about the idea of the hair not growing to full potential because of the bangs, but I haven't read the studies so I any thoughts I may have are thoroughly uninformed and therefore pretty useless. :p And given that I believe, along with Harlan Ellison that everyone is not entitled to their opinion, but rather to an INFORMED opinion it looks like I have some reading to do.

But that throws a whole 'nother piece into this puzzle. And, given the fact that the longest hair I ever had was without bangs or layers it's something to consider. Thank you all. Pending anything crazy it looks like I'm growing. I really appreciate the input. I'm really glad I asked. :)

[MonicaJean]

No bangs, all the way. ;)

[Mesmerise]

I'm gonna go with no bangs too! From what you said, I was honestly expecting you to look better with them, but looking at your pics I think you look better without them!

The good thing about bangs, is you can cut them if you really want them and then grow them again and they don't overall affect the length of your hair, but can really make a difference to your appearance!!

I'm of two minds about bangs now myself... I always thought I looked better without them, although when I was a kid I was told to wear bangs because of my "high forehead" :rolleyes:. Yes, it's high... but I still preferred no bangs. However, a few months ago I cut bangs because I felt that the hair around my hairline was looking too thin, and bangs would hide that. My grandma told me "you look swell!" with the bangs (although she didn't mention the bangs, but it was the only thing different about me). (I forgive her for the "swell" comment cause she's 97 and probably thought it was a hip thing to say :p).

So at the moment I'm torn between trimming them (they're down to the end of my nose now) and just letting them grow out. If it wasn't for the thinner hair at my hairline, I'd grow them out in a heartbeat!

Oh, and I don't generally wear my bangs sitting right over my forehead, nice and straight, as they don't always fall that way and it's too habitual for me to move them back with my hand, so they generally fall to one side more than sit straight.

So anyway, I think many of us have some good reasons for bangs and some good reasons for no bangs, and we just have to weigh up the overall pros and cons!! In your case, I really think there are more pros to growing them out because they'll help with your hairstyles AND you look really nice without them!

[Rocket22]

No bangs for sure.

[swearnsue]

I vote no bangs. Your hairline is really pretty and the bangs cover your face too much. I vote grow them out!

[jacqueline101]

I like bangs.

[KwaveT]

I am definitely another vote for no bangs.

[Charybdis]

it is past shoulder length at this point. How do I definitively tell the difference between i/ii/iii? Sorry for the silly question.

Not a silly question! Put your detangled hair into a snug ponytail with a thin, hair-friendly elastic. It's important to have the ponytail as compact as you can, and to get as much of your hair in the ponytail as you can even if it means the ponytail sits some place silly. Measure the circumference of the ponytail, preferably just above or below the elastic so that the elastic doesn't throw your measurement off by adding thickness.

Here's what the classifiers mean: (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=227)


i - thin (less than 2 inches/5 centimeters)
ii - normal (between 2-4 inches or 5-10 centimeters)
iii - thick (more than 4 inches/10 centimeters)


The most useful function of these measurements, IMHO, is to see whether your hair thickness is changing, and to get an idea of how long your hair will have to be to do various updos. (When you're a iii, you'll be waiting a LONG time to do a lot of styles.)

That's it! Happy measuring! :)

[firegypsy]

thank you! I've looked and looked and someone couldn't find that information. Sometimes we fail to see what is directly in front of our face.

Okay, so all the hairs in a pony are definitely under 3 inches. I measured with a length of ribbon and then with a measuring tape. both were between 2 and 2.5....but of course that doesn't include the current bang situation. I also don't know if it was skewed because I slept in a braid, so even though I was detangled I had "artificial" body.

That suprised me! I really thought it'd be less.

so do I use i/ii (which I think I have now) because I'm closer to the line? Thank you-I didn't realize it was that easy.

[ravenheather]

I'm not seeing pics.

[Venefica]

Here is my advice. I have bangs, and I like my bangs, but even I at times wish I had never gotten them. I got bangs when my hair was jaw length. Now if you are getting bangs you have to be absolutely 100 percent sure that you want them. Now bangs is more work than having all the hair the same length, it needs to be washed more often, it will stand up and make you look like and alien unless you comb it immediately after washing and it will get in the way of things like circlets and the like. On the other hand for me at least the benefit of bangs is that I do not need to bother with finding a right parting of my hair, if that get crooked the bangs will hide it. I can just gather my hair in a bun and go. I like having bangs, and you might like it to, but I recommend getting a few hair pieces with artificial bangs so you can try before you cut. Use the hairpieces for a while and see if that is really the look you want to go for before you make any long lasting decisions.

[firegypsy]

I'm sorry-I took them down. I'll put a few back up:

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa337/BitsieMcCourt/Photoon2012-05-23at0832.jpg
http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa337/BitsieMcCourt/Photoon2012-04-19at0936.jpg


without:
http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa337/BitsieMcCourt/in%20all%20my%20splendor%20and%20glory/Photoon2012-03-07at14583.jpg
http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa337/BitsieMcCourt/in%20all%20my%20splendor%20and%20glory/-13-2.jpg

I'm currently working towards APL and I have the bangs you see in the latter photos. And I'm 90% sure I'm growing them.

[ravenheather]

I vote no bangs. If you do decide to keep them I'd go a little longer and sideswept.

[firegypsy]

I had those before these, and liked them okay....the blunt worked way better for me. I will be growing them out, so they'll be sideswept for awhile! Thank you for the input. I pinned them back today and feel SO much better as it's terribly humid. I also had a moment of feeling like it wasn't too bad a look. So yes to growth!

Heidi W, I have some more questions I'd like to pose as some point, but don't want to take advantage of your generosity in sharing your knowledge. If you don't mind, would you please let me know if it's okay to ask a few? Thank you.

[heidi w.]

Heidi W, I have some more questions I'd like to pose as some point, but don't want to take advantage of your generosity in sharing your knowledge. If you don't mind, would you please let me know if it's okay to ask a few? Thank you.

No problem. Are you able to PM? Anyone can PM me anytime they want. I will answer as best I can on this thread if you like, or if you want a private exchange, PMs work really well for that. I check in about once a day. I'm always around, never that far away.....

Ask away!

And this applies to everyone. I will answer any question that I can that is posed to me. Anytime. I like sharing info. It's fun for me.

heidi w.

[firegypsy]

thank you, so much Heidi. I'm running out but I'll be back. I may pm you one of them, but I figure if it's out in the open perhaps someone else can benefit! I don't like being intrusive and therefore wanted to ask first. I'll talk to you soon!

[battle_angel]

Firegypsy, you have such a beautiful face and you can get away with both- bangs or no bangs, but I've seen other pictures that you posted in the APL thread and I have to say that you look much more feminine and elegant without! And you look absolutely stunning with long hair, I envy you! :P

So no bangs! :)
-Laetitia

[Freyariane]

He contended he did studies that proved that two extreme differences in lenght about the head, such as bangs and then pretty long hair, meant that the hair length would not reach its full potential. That the hair length would go so far because it's trying to essentially balance the hair length based on the two extremes. He cited shaving one flank of a dog, while the other side is unshaved; and he cited The Sutherland Sisters, in his book. I do not know what studies he actually performed. He was a trained doctor; I don't know for sure if he actually received a license in the US for being a doctor.....I don't know the actual studies he may have done.

So if you are after having as long of hair as is possible, you may consider this information in light of your questions, whether you should go with or without bangs. I do tend to believe that he may have a point. Lots of stuff that he said about hair care we still do today, and advocate for others on LHC. Most everything we discuss about good hair care: vitamins, diet, good health, how to wash, how to BBB, and on it goes is discussed in his book. If you deduct his attitude, his book has a lot of interesting information. Just because you may disagree with an opinion of his does not mean that it's a good idea to throw the entire baby out.

Just FYI, in case you care.

heidi w.

I never heard about this, but strangely I trust his point of view... I have bangs (that is too thick, so I'm growing out some hair of it), and since I have them, I definitely think my hair isn't growing very fast. Yet I always had had hair that grow fast...

But even without those instructions, I vote no bangs firegypsy :) I think you look better without :)

[firegypsy]

You guys are exceedingly helpful and I've committed 100%. NO MORE BANGS. They are growing-not that you can tell yet. lol.

Interestingly enough my hair has been growing ever so slowly, but the bangs are speedy little devils. I do wonder if it's just that they're trying to catch up to the rest? I've measured in the past and it's not my imagination. I wonder if the hair at large has slowed, the bangs have sped up and they're just trying to meet? From what Heidi posted it sounds like that could well be the case.

I just assumed I had slow growing hair and the bangs were an anomaly, but perhaps there is more to it.

[Hollyfire3]

I can't tell what it is, but it's soooo much thinner than it was, that I went with that when I registered. I don't have much of it and I tend to braid it overnight so it gets some body and appears thicker.

*****

it is past shoulder length at this point. How do I definitively tell the difference between i/ii/iii? Sorry for the silly question.

The question isn't silly the numbers are measurements of your ponytail. i=under 2 inches, ii= 2-4 inches, iii= more than 4 inches. You put your hair in a ponytail where all your hair will fit into it then take a string or tape measure and wrap it around your hair just below the band or just above it. Measure the string or just look at the measurement on the tape measure, then see which category you fall under.

[Arciela]

I like both! But I say get bangs..they are fun! :)

[faellen]

I had a side fringe cut in in December (sorry feels weird calling it "bangs" when I'm British, lol) and I loved it at first, especially with updos. But I'm growing it out now as it gets in my eyes all the time.

[Changling]

I had a side fringe cut in in December (sorry feels weird calling it "bangs" when I'm British, lol) and I loved it at first, especially with updos. But I'm growing it out now as it gets in my eyes all the time.

OMG YES! I say "fringe" too, and I'm american! Doesn't "bangs" just sound...funny? I have to stop myself and say "bangs" just so people here know what I'm talking about, but it never seems natural!

[GlennaGirl]

I know I'm messing with the program here but I LOVE your bangs. :p I think you look younger with them and they just suit you.

What if you did a less thick bang? You can always clip them back for the no-bang look, and clipped back bangs are very in right now. (I do this, although I don't do the Duff Puff! :p )

Another thing you can do is grow them out and buy clip-ins. Just make sure they really, really match your color and shine level. But that way you could have bangs "on demand."