Bangs (hair)

An example of bangs

Bangs, also called a fringe outside North America, is a shaped cutting of the front part of the hair so that it lies over the forehead. Bangs are usually cut fairly straight at or above the eyebrows, but it can also be ragged or ruffled, spiked up with hair gel, mousse or wax, swept to one side or the other, or cut longer to fall over the eyes.

Terminology

The term bangs originally referred to a hair cut bang-off (straight across at the front), although the term is now applied to diverse forms of hair stylings. It is probably related to bang-tail, a term still used for the practice of cutting horses' tails straight across. The term fringe refers to the resemblance of the short row of hair to ornamental fringe trim, such as that often found on shawls.

Common Styles of Bangs

• Straight Across or Full Bangs: Hair combed straight down with no interference opposite to the side-swept. Can be a bit wispy or blunt depending on the cut.

• Sideswept Bangs: Hair is cut slightly longer than straight across bangs, usually a length that could cover the eyebrow until the eye area when hair is brushed/combed to fall going to one side of the face. Could be as thin as see through bangs or as thick as blunt bangs.

• Blunt Bangs: Hair cut straight across the forehead in a blunt manner. Similar to straight across bangs but thicker and sometimes looks heavier.

• See-Through or Wispy Bangs: A type of bangs that are considered as the opposite of the blunt style. It is done by getting thin layers of hair and trimming it with a thinning shears or a thinning razor. Usually it acts as a versatile, less-commitment & considered by some as bangs "that suits all types of faces". It can be worn onto the front or by brushing it on one side. Commonly it is in the form of irregular point-cut (done by holding the shears vertically to point against the tip of the hair) rather than a horizontally-straight cut. This style was popularized by Korean actresses Song Hye-kyo & Yoon Eunhye. And unlike the typical straight across or full bangs, See-through can easily be concealed due to its thinness without even being noticed of the trimmed portion. Unlike straight across or sideswept that has respective lengths See-through could be of eyebrow length or even as long as side swept or even peekaboo bangs in which it could reach an eye level and unlike typical bangs that requires high maintenance, this style doesn't need high maintenance such as brushing while being heavily blow-dried ironing and/or styling. Instead just a simple light combing with a narrow-teeth comb after shower and light blow-drying is enough to be able to wear it nicely.

• Arch or Round Bangs: A type of bangs that is more of a rounded-shape part that forms a shape on an arch. More likely similar to full bangs however this bangs goes longer as it approaches the two sides of the forehead. Similar to a crescent moon shape pointing upward. Usually it is being done by twisting the hair on the fringe area using your dominant hand and substituting it with the non-dominant hand to form a cross hair and underneath the fingers is the amount of hair that must be cut out. Usually this fringe/ bangs style is thicker than straight across and above eyebrow level compare too brow-skimming fringe cut.

• Parted Bangs: Hair parted down the middle or slightly off center. This type of bang cut is somehow similar to sideswept in terms of length and with see-through in terms of styling and thickness.

• Baby Bangs: Hair which is usually cut above the brows, it is normally bluntly cut across the middle of the forehead and can be shorter. Usually compliments a child's short haircut or a bob cut.

• Brow-Skimming Bangs: Bangs style that hits below the brow and can look "heavy" or "light" on the face.

History and development

Short-cut bangs

Bangs occur naturally in many styles of short hair-cuts.

Hairstyles that feature bangs have come and gone out of fashion as frequently as other hairstyles, and they can be worn in any number of styles. Influential people with bangs in modern times have included silent movie actress Louise Brooks, 1950s glamor model Bettie Page, the Beatles and actress Elizabeth Taylor in the role of Cleopatra.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, a curly, teased bangs were in fashion. In 2007, bangs saw another massive revival as a hair trend, this time thick, deep and blunt-cut. In October 2007, style icon and model Kate Moss changed her hairstyle to have bangs, signalling the continuation of the trend into 2008.

In the 1970s, English actress and singer Jane Birkin help brand the iconic look of brow-length bangs and long hair.

See also

• Bowl cut
• Mop top haircut