This just in from the style desk of Rurally Screwed: Bangs are it. Big, bushy bangs are where it’s at.
And I’m not talking simply bangs, I’m talking long, thick, bushy bangs — brow dusters!
Justin Timberlake catchers!
I can’t pinpoint exactly when I became aware of the trend — though I realize it’s already probably way over as I write this (hi, 2010) – but I remember looking up from my Elle magazine in bed about a month ago and remarking to Jake, “Has the whole world gone bang crazy right now? Am I the only one left showing naked forehead? I feel so….left behind.” He blinked a couple of times and went back to perusing his favorite fun bible.
I’m curious to try this trend. I’ve been wearing the same forehead exposing, hippie ‘do since the Clinton years and it’s time for an update.
But I’m hesitant because show stopping bangs can look incredibly chic or painfully doofy, particularly on those of us cursed with a gnarly cowlick. Even the name induces a grimace: COW. LICK. Ugh!
I’ve been asking around to a few fashionable friends, and one — who’s lately been sporting incredibly chic brow dusters of her own– told me not to bother because I already have a nice forehead. I felt extremely complimented and rushed to the nearest mirror to admire my nice forehead.
Another friend, a former colleague and beauty editor in women’s magazines, told me she won’t do big bangs because they’re too hard to maintain. This suggests WORK is involved in sporting long bangs, and one thing I am unable to do is WORK at HAIR. Those two words cancel each other out. A pony tail is about as high maintenance as I get.
My own trusted hair stylist up in Baltimore said that in order for cowlick sufferers (my phrase, not hers) to wear bangs, the bangs have to be cut from way back on the forehead, which is kind of the trend anyway yet brings to mind an image of this fellow here…
So this is where I’m at: Lurch or Zooey Deschanel?
What do you think of the big bang trend?
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, I sported brow-dusters all through high school (nickname: Winnie Cooper), but that is because I don’t have a forehead, I have a *five*head. Now my bangs are angled and it works. I can’t go back to the big bushy ones. On me, I look too young. Or, rather, I look like a 37-year-old trying to be young(er).
And yeah, they are a lot of work. They have to stay straight, but not poke you in the eye!
A five head — HA HA HA!
They will always grow out. As long as they are in the pictures they should grow fairly fast. You have to trim them often. Get them cut by your trusted sylist to get them right, then get Jake to trim them. Don’t be shocked at that. My teenage son used to blunt cut my fine straight hair, as long as I swore never to tell. A stranger complimented me wanting to know who cut it. She said it was very difficult to cut the combination of that haircut and my hair. She knew because she was a professional. The only thing my son had ever cut before was a chunk of cat fur when he was three. He is a farrier by trade. Jake should be able to trim them from time to time. Be daring, live wild, give it a try.
“trusted stylist.” Yep.
I recall the infamous evening a young lady attending the business school I went to, asked me to cut her bangs. Much alcohol was involved, and I tried to talk her out of it — I recalled my mother and sister talking about how difficult it was to get it right, and I had no experience at all. But I did have a scissors, so the lady decided I was the stylist.
If you hadn’t heard the homily “Nothing lasts as long as a bad haircut,” please remember it. Trusted stylist — each time, every time.
Thanks for the reminder!
Well, Lurch’s bangs accompany a pixie-do, which is IMO a look that you could probably do quite well.
Zooey’s bangs, yah, I think that’s probably a lot of work. Maybe not SO much so if you have truly and reliably straight hair. But a lot of hair wants to get some wave to it once you’ve taken the weight off of it by cutting it short. Then, despite your best morning styling efforts, a bit of humidity or perspiration or rain has your bangs curling all wonky and weird.
Oh live wild. You know you want to try bangs. They will grow out. There is an adventurer hidden down inside you!
Yes! There is! There really is! Bangs, here I come!
Because you have a thin face, you could absolutely get away with this. (I have the thick hair for them, but unfortunately have a round face.)
I especially liked the red head in the fifth picture. I don’t like bangs that hang below the eyebrows. It looks unkempt.
I love the look. Tried it myself two years ago, but it was more work than it was worth. Because my hair is frizzy and thick in that almost curly but mostly just messy way. But they grew out, so if you want to try it you should! There are always headbands. =)
Good point, can’t forget about the headbands.
Be yourself! You look fabulous (from what I saw on the Katie show, anyway!) I wouldn’t change a thing but that is a comment from a random reader – I’m certainly no fashion consultant.
I used to have my stylist cut some “whispy” bangs that could be blended into the longer layers around my face.. on the days I didn’t want to rock the bangs. I think this is a good 1/2 step. My hair is fine.. but wavy.. which means heat and product is needed for the stick straight styles.. but not too much of the “smoother” because then it just looks like I didn’t wash my hair.
Jessie, take note of the male models, actors, etc. I am convinced they have forgotten how to shave. Watch for it in television shows and ads, in print ads, – its all over the place. I suppose its the “hip” thing to do – that scruffy appearance – but it is sure overdone.
I so agree with you! Clean shaven or nicely groomed beard–either is fine. It’s that stubbly, didn’t bother to groom oneself look that I can’t stand.
I have always been the type to change things up, so if you are looking for a change, go for it! By next year this time it could be totally grown out if you didn’t really like it. I like the look too.
My hair is ringlet curls, so these looks never worked for me, but I cycle between long and short every few years. Get sick of it long, cut it off, grow it back out because too much effort to keep it up, get tired of it long … and so on and so on.
I love my bangs because they are easy- I don’t do anything at all to my hair, and yet I feel like I have a tiny bit of style. My “stylist” doesn’t charge for just a bang trim- I go every 3-6 months.
I’ve always been a big fan of your bangs, Laura. They are so chic!
Big cowlick sufferer here. I’ve tried bangs at various times during my middle and high school days and it never seemed to work. My hair was thinner back then, though. I’ve always wanted to rock some normal looking bangs, and like you, I’ve had an exposed forehead for many years. Much as I’d like to be the redhead in your picture, I’m sure it will never happen like that. I’d be delusional to expect anything remotely similar.
You should try them if you think you can pull off bangs that don’t part like the red sea (like mine). The good thing about long bangs is that if you don’t like them, just stop trimming and they can hopefully be blended into the rest of the hair over time without looking too obvious.
Exactly. And I think you’d look really good with big, thick bangs. (Though you look great without them as well!)
I love the bangs look on the models you posted… unfortunately I have more of a 1.5 to a 2 head, so bangs are out of the question for me, but I think that you should go for it. Can’t wait to see the pictures of sultry-banged Jessie!
just catching up on all my bloglovin posts, and i can’t believe you posted this as i made took the plunge yesterday and made an appointement for a major new hairdo involving BANGS for the first time since a tragic incident in the 8th grade involving me, my cousin, wet hair, and bangs that shriveled up to the top of my five head two days before i moved to a brand new city and school and had to make plenty of brand new friends. it was painful, but i’m taking this “new year new me” seriously. jessica biel and jane birkin are my inspirations….if only i could get their bone structures with my cut…happy hair adventures to you! mine is going to have to involve a pre-cut courage drink!
Make sure to Facebook or Instagram a pic of yourself with your new ‘do. Can’t wait to check it out, C-May!
I was so inspired by your post that I cut my own this weekend.
They actually turned out pretty well. If you go for the more Zoey version which isn’t super thick.. and a little quirky/interesting instead of blunt.
It is pretty easy to do… all you do is grab the front section that are going to be your bangs… and twist them pull down towards your nose.. and clip them about there. then let go.. fluff them out and see what you have… a little shorter? repeat… in tiny increments until they are just about where you want them. Then I will take the scissors and vertically..snip into the bangs to take away the “one blunt” line. Never cut your bangs where you think you want them first because they almost always shrink up.. and shorter hair will spring up more than you think.
Another benefit (for me anyway) is that they hide those fine lines I am getting on my forehead and cloud my crows feet. I actually think it took a few years off my age (47 ugh.. really!)
Wow, here I was thinking maybe I should wait and cut bangs on my next jaunt up to Baltimore but you’ve inspired me….maybe I can cut bangs myself? Maybe? How do yours look today?
I think they look pretty good. The old fall back is.. make them a little longer (and thinner.. )than you think you really want them.. that way if they don’t turn out “great”.. you can have a professional “fix” them for you:)! Again, always remember.. you can always cut more off.. it’s hard to paste it back on!