Bang-Bang!

Bangs first emerged in ‘50s Hollywood and went on to fall dreamily over the foreheads of the rich and famous. Mridula Vinod shows you how to try the hair trend that has stood the test of time.

- Mridula Vinod

The term ‘bangs’ traditionally refers to a haircut that is bang-off, i.e. straight across the front of the face. Today, the term applies to many forms of hair styling that are somewhat related to the original description. While bangs have more varied forms, the term fringe is quite specific. It refers to a short row of hair on the forehead, resembling a fringe trim you might see on shawls, scarves or even a carpet. However, the word ‘fringe’ is more commonly used in the UK, while ‘bangs’ is used universally.

Hairstyles that feature bangs have come and gone out of fashion as frequently as other styles and trends, but their versatility to adapt keeps them in vogue. In the ’80's and early ’90's, curly, teased bangs were all the rage. 2005 onwards saw a massive resurgence of the bangs thanks to the thriving pop culture scene—music videos, sitcoms and the emergence of ‘new’ social media.

Bangs can make an ordinary haircut edgy. It has the ability to add dimension to a face, making a client look younger by drawing attention to their eyes. And it can be cut to flatter all face shapes. This is precisely where the skill of a hairstylist lies—in matching the right bangs with the shape of a face.

THE GOAL

Whatever your goal— making a round face appear longer, softening a square face or elongating a heart-shaped face— bangs can help you get there.

Hair texture plays an important role in deciding whether bangs suit a person—hair that is too fine will need extra maintenance, which, if not followed, may spoil the look.