Fringe

It might be shark week on Discovery Channel, but it is Fringe Week here on the blog! Get excited. Each day I am going to discuss a different style of fringe and how to make it work. Today? The straightforward look. It is bold and fabulous. Cutting bangs as intense as these takes some preparation and thought, because they definitely change your whole look. Here are some things to consider.

• Are you willing to move to a middle part? While you can pull off straight across bangs with a side part, true straightforward bangs require a middle part. 
• Do you have cowlicks or crazy growth patterns along your front hairline that will make styling difficult? If so, it might be enough to choose a different style. Hard to handle growth patterns will make your mornings a nightmare. These trouble areas become more apparent when you cut shorter bangs because the hair gets shorter and lighter, allowing it to stick up more freely.
• Are you prepared for the maintenance? These beauties need frequent trimming, and you can't get by with faking it very long. Soon enough you will have the good ol' tube bang from the 90's.  Most stylists offer free bang trims between appointments, but will you make the time to stop in and get it done? This is a huge consideration. This kind of fringe does not grow out gracefully like a wispy side swept look. They are sort of a commitment. 

SO if you decide you do want this new look, you will need to decide how thick you want them. This is something you should discuss with your stylist. It is important to let your hair be the boss here. If more hair wants to come forward as part of the fringe but you insist on leaving it out, you will be fighting long hairs that push themselves forward forever. Might be worth going a bit thicker and letting them in as bangs. 

And what is the biggest styling secret when it comes to bold, straightforward fringe? Right out of the shower they must be blow dried while you comb them straight down in the way you want them to fall. You don't need to dry all your hair, but styling the fringe while it is soaking wet will fight cowlicks and get your bangs to lay straight and beautiful without the aid of a flat iron. This technique is also helpful in training your hair to go a different way than it has been. Say you are going from side bangs to full frontals (as I like to call them). Blow drying the hair in the opposite direction it is used to laying will help to train that hair to go the new way. 

If I am being honest, there are few things I love more than this kind of fringe. It is such a statement. It takes guts to pull off, and adds so much style and attitude to any do. Other perks? The rest of your hair doesn't matter as much. Your fringe is what will get noticed. So whether your hair is perfectly curled, or up in a bun, you will look styled and finished. Bold fringe is the fastest way to dramatically change your hairstyle without any damage or too much commitment. Love. Happy fringe week!