I didn't like how my face looked with them. I've had bangs before, it's just been a really long time. She turn the chair around and I looked in the mirror. Tried not to cringe. All I saw was a boxy face with chubby cheeks. I told her they looked cute (they did, just not on me) but inside I thought, "Put them back! Put them back!"
Long story short, I went home, looked in the mirror, pouted and fussed for an hour, then said, "Girl. You wanted a change. Here it is. Embrace your new self."
And you know what? I love them now. How? I realized a few truths about getting bangs.
There are a lot of you who have always wanted bangs but never got them. Here's my advice: if you want to do it, it doesn't hurt to try them out.
But before you get some, I'm offering a few seemingly obvious tips that I wished I had thought of before going in.
You'll look different (Duh. But really... you will.)
I am very aware of my face; I can sense when my skin's dull, if my cheeks are puffy, if my crows feet are getting worse. As women, we know every nook and cranny on our faces and when something's just a tad different, it throws us off completely.
When I first looked in the mirror after my bang trim I thought, "EEEK! Ugly!" I wasn't ugly, I just looked different than the face I have known so (very very very very) well and that freaked me out. But it'll be okay. You'll get used to the different face. And isn't that the beauty of haircuts anyway? To give us a different, more stylish look? Still, don't be alarmed if it takes getting used to; you're still beautiful and you still have the same stunning features. It just looks a little different and that's okay.
You might need to take pictures differently.
When I was done, the stylish receptionist (and my bestie) Caitlin took my photo. I looked at it in horror and deleted it right away. I wanted to blame my face, the angle, the lighting, etc., but what I quickly learned was your face needs to be photographed differently to show off your best angles. So go ahead: Pull a Tyra and practice your model face in the mirror to your heart's content until you find just the right head tilt and smile.
There is always something on your forehead.
This might be the most obvious one, but for real, there is always something on your forehead. Sometimes you forget about it and it's all good. Other times, everything in the world annoys you and having hair on your skin is the last thing you want to deal with so you pin it back and sit on your couch with a pint of ice cream while curled up in your Slanket. Speaking of...
Become friends with hair clips and bobby pins.
I've used the same brand of bobby pins and hair clips since I was eleven. Despite the fact that I lose them every three weeks in someone unknown black hole of hair accessories, they are my best friends when it comes to hair manageability. Find some you like and don't be afraid to use them to alter and manipulate your bangs on a day to day basis.
Hairstyles will also look different. Know what ones look best with bangs.
Like I said, I was super unhappy with my bangs and wanted to cry. That is until I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and I looked dang cute. My face was suddenly sleek and long, much different than the boxy, squat shape without the pony tail. I looked very much like a 1950's housewife and that in and of itself made getting bangs worth it.
I've always looked 'meh' in ponytails before, but I absolutely love how I look in them now. Bangs are cool like that in that they open up a whole new world of hairstyle versatility.
So, yes, now I love my bangs. And I'm actually okay with my face with them, too.
Do you have anything to add?
Anyone here wanting bangs for the first time?
29 comments:
I think you look adorable with bangs. I'm glad you took the (brave) plunge!
I've only ever gotten longish, swoopy bangs, which is totally not the same thing. I'd love to go somewhere in between, though. I can't commit to full bangs b/c my hair is frizzy and curly naturally, but I'd love to experiment more with side swoops. :)
I really love your attitude! The only time I have ever suited a ponytail was when I had my fringe, and it was such a clean look, I think you look wonderful!
you, and your bangs are adorable. i always go through a love, hate, love, and then hate when it comes to getting bangs and growing them out. i always make myself promise to never get them again, and then find myself with them once again.... and the bobby pins - where do they all go?
I think they look darling!
whenever i change my hair - it's a traumatic experience - my stylist knows i WILL cry - EVERY single time - without fail - i cry - i want a HUGE change -i get what i asked for a BAMN the tears - but then after a day i get over it and i dig the new doo .. rock it out girl!
i LOVE your bangs!!! i've always had sideswepted shorter ones but i have decided to grow them out, we'll see how it goes!!
xo,
Sandy
Sandy a la Mode
I LOVE them!!! I am so glad that bangs are back in because they just give so much life to people's faces. A couple months ago, I cut my own bangs... And it went surprisingly well! Very dangerous! I decided to keep them and have been getting them trimmed (by a professional..) ever since.
first, i'll tell you that you look VERY cute with these bangs.
second, i'll say this: I know EXACTLY what you feel! That was ME some months ago, after I got my bangs cut and my chair got turned with my friend ( and an amazing hairstylist) behind it all going "ooooh, so cute!", and ALL i could think was "O.M.G. CHEEKS. CHUNKY FACE. ROUGH ANGLES. NOSE. PUT. ME. BACK.", but that's cut is cut...
I done my best to love the "new look" and I even convinced myself for about 2-3 weeks, but the truth is the truth - I did NOT like myself better with the bangs, and I found that for ME to look good, I need to FEEL confident, which means I need to like what I glance at in the mirror, not after I stand there for 10 minutes finding the good parts about something.
So, out they grow. I also noticed that I became a lot happier once I decided to grow them out. Hair style affects one's quality of life, that's for sure. It's a pain - i had some seriously thick bangs, but I also learned that MY face looks best with softness around it, which, unfortunately, bangs do not bring to my face. It either looks harshly choppy , which is not something that looks good on ME, or - when trying to add some soft wave - it becomes "balloon-bangs galore" and adds too much roundness to my already plenty round face and CHEEKS.
And last - but by far not least - it's a PAIN to get ready in the mornings, and MOST important , to DANCE with. In the mornings my bangs would go on strike that would take extra , at least 20 minutes, to calm down. and after dancing... ehem, let's just say I simply bobby-pined them pretty much permanently. Because carrying a blow dryer, flat iron and shampoo did not particularly made my list for "must haves" in my bag.
So, bangs and me love each other on long distance. like , on someone else.
there are a million typos there. sorry. pregnant brain goes on strike too.
You look ADORABLE! I love it! I just got bangs for the first time since I was a little kid, and it took me a while to embrace them. I'm learning how best to style them, and how to tuck them out of the way with a headband and hairspray on days when I really can't deal with them.
You're so right about not realizing how different bangs make you look. My inner self-image still hasn't recalibrated to include the bangs, so when I go in the bathroom at night for a drink of water and step in front of the sink I always kind of do that "freeze" thing when I see my reflection in the mirror. I'm not sure how long it will take before I remember they're there!
they look great on you!!!! i've given up on bangs, i always try them and i'm NEVER happy and it never goes away, haha :)
I think you look AWESOME. I wish I could rock sideswept bangs but they just don't work for me. I adore my straight across bangs and with my big forehead I don' think I'll ever not have bangs again.
I love your bangs! You look so pretty! I love when I have bangs... :)
xx
b
THe bangs are super cute on you. I am always going back and forth with bangs. When I have them, I love them when the cooperate and hate them when they don't. LOL! When I don't have them (right now I don't), I think I look boring. My husband says I'm always changing my mind about the length of my hair and my bangs. Yeah, well so what if I am?!
LOVE them! You look beautiful!
I always find myself getting bangs whenever I'm feeling bored with my current hairstyle. They make me feel so polished and chic!
Look adorable with them... My hair is too wild for them and have never worked out
I like your bangs. Very nice length and they have some movement to them. I've always worn bangs. Always. It gets boring but my forehead is so large, I need them. I totally understand the shock. I recently had my stylist weave in some darker lowlights to cover gray, and they turned out golden, which I hated...still do but I'm getting used to it. I suppose its all what we're used to and seeing ourselves outside our comfort zone.
love bangs on you! the first time i cut bangs, i pinned them back when i got home. but since then, i've cut them (swooping across and straight across) a few times because i've loved them so much.
Change can be good!
I had bang-bangs (not side bangs) a few years ago and thought I had too much of a round face to pull them off. So I grew them out and now I'm thinking I want to try it again. :) ha. just ready to mix it up again, i guess. hair is awesome like that.
ps. Audrey had bangs.
I love the bangs!! You look beautiful!
Um, I LOVE THEM ON YOU! You look amazing with bangs. I'm hoping I'll get the courage to get bangs soon. : )
First of all, you look fantastic with them! I love it! I had bangs in middle school and haven't had them since. I have been wanting them for a while but I'm too chicken to get them!
Amy
Fashion and Beauty Finds
You look gorg with them lady! If my hair didn't frizz at the drop of a hat, I'd rock them too!
They look great on you! I love bangs. I'm actually growing mine out but I think I might miss them. But they're not the easiest with curlyish hair! Rock those bangs girl.
It's funny, I've experienced the opposite when I grew out my bangs (for a very short-lived time). I hated (and still hate, honestly) how I looked in pictures without bangs. I have a long, narrow face, a crooked nose, lopsided ears, and one eye that squints shut more than the other when I smile... all things that I don't notice with bangs but are screaming for attention without bangs! Oy. So bangs it is. And I LOVE my hair in a pony or a bun with bangs - SO Audrey Hepburn :)
You look great with bangs, and I'm not just saying that. Glad they're growing on you :)
xoxo J
you look adorable, my dear :) i've pretty much had bangs for YEARS now -- i rarely do not have bangs anymore. but it can be quite the shock when you first get them because yes, your face will look different. it effectively changes the shape of your face (much like your eyebrows, and even just a regular haircut.) i almost wonder if you would be willing to go for layers, i think it would look super cute on you if you don't already have it (i've found that for my round face, it cuts the boxy roundness well)
You look fabulous!
I've grown out my adorable blunt bangs and John never misses an opportunity to remind me how much he loved them. Including this post!
So cute - I can't believe you didn't like them at first! I've had real bangs before, though I usually just have long bangs that I can swoop to the side. I mainly just haven't got them again because I don't go to get them trimmed often enough and they grow out!
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