Bangs are officially back for 2021 with - well, a bang.
Whether it's a 70s curtain bang that sweeps to both sides; a soft side-swept fringe à la Taylor Swift or trendy baby bangs that sit right above the eyebrows - we're here for it.
Why are bangs making a comeback?
According to Amber Swift, salon director and head technician at Charlie Miller Holy Corner, it's all to do with having to wear a face mask.
Amber told Who What Wear: "Wearing masks is going to continue to be non-negotiable, and many of my regular clients have been having fringes cut in to complement them.
"Generally easier to maintain in the colder months, as heat can often present styling problems, fringes help to frame and define the face, so I see the logic in wanting one to complement your mask."
Should I get bangs?
There are two reasons for our new-found love affair with bangs.
For one, it's not just the best moisturizers that are elevating our beauty game right now. With face coverings a regular feature of our day to day lives, it seems that a face-framing haircut is on the cards, too.
Two, is the way bangs make the face look super feminine but edgy at the same time.
"Fringes make the eyes pop! Cut around cheek bones and blended into the rest of the hair, they create the perfect balance between cool and modern and ‘peek-a-boo’ softness," explains Christophe Potin, Artistic Director & Academy Educator at London's Aveda Lifestyle Salon and Spa.
Then there is also the fact that bangs are a great way of updating your look without sacrificing the length of your hair.
How you pull it off, however, depends on the right style of fringe in terms of length, texture and face shape.
"Overall, longer, sweeping styles suit most hair lengths as they open up the face around the eyes, especially when wearing a mask," says Potin. "They are also easier to maintain should social distancing measures be put in place, again."
These are Potin's recommendations for the different types of fringe that might suit your hair length, texture and face shape:
- For medium-length bobs - "A round fringe - think Daisie Edgar Jones from Normal People; pretty and very on trend."
- Shorter and straighter hair types - "Opt for a more '60s shape. From heavier, more rounded fringes like Mary Quant to uber short like we’ve seen on Beth Harmon from the Queens Gambit."
- Curly hair - "Bangs aren't just suited to straight hair. If you have more texture, look to the '80s for inspiration, starting with iconic styles from Flashdance or Dirty Dancing."
- Heart-shaped faces - "Suit any style of fringe; you can be more adventurous and try a micro fringe with a sharp modern cut."
- Round faces - "Look good with longer middle-part fringes with a slight flick around the eyes. This helps to add elongate the face."
- Oval-shaped faces -"Suit poker straight, blunt or choppy bangs."
