My New Fringe

 I've mentioned before how changing my hair is both intimidating and requires permission from multiple parties (the head of my program, the head of the costume department, the head of wigs and make-up, the directors of whatever shows I'm in...). It's not a decision to be taken lightly. (Especially since I'm probably getting new headshots taken within the next few months.)

I've had this fantasy since I was a Nick-at-Nite-watching child to have bangs like 99 did in the early seasons of Get Smart. Long blunt bangs, coming down from a triangle on top of my head, supported by a huge, teased, 1960s style pony-tail. Once, on a midnight whim in undergrad, I grabbed a pair of scissors and tried to do it myself. I cut my own hair through the entirety of my college career (and actually did a pretty good job, considering), but I just did not have the necessary skills for bangs. They looked amazing for the first three days. And after that, it was the biggest mess of awkward you have ever seen. Awful. Terrifying. I shudder at the memory.

But my fantasy of these perfect bangs remained.

On April Fool's Day, I decided that my brilliant prank would be hair-related. So I cleverly brushed the back of my hair forward to simulate bangs. And I clipped in purple and pink streaks. I received shocked reactions from my classmates who were worried for my safety after making such a rash hair decision (yeah, they totally bought into my little scheme). But from the people in power? Nothing. No shocked expressions. No comments. In fact, when the head of my program saw me, he said, "You look really nice today." In the end, my fake bangs got far more support than anything else. And when I revealed the April Fool's Day prank, many people were disappointed. They liked the look.

So a few weeks after that, I asked permission from the powers that be to go ahead with a haircut that included bangs. And (to my surprise) my request was granted the week before I left for London.

I looked up all sorts of salons in London, hoping that I could get a chic haircut there... But I kept chickening out. At one point, I went to TopShop and bought fake bangs (yes, they sell those... although in London, that hairstyle is referred to as "fringe", not bangs). Every time I wore them (including in Cinque Terre, Italy in this picture), I got pretty much the same reactions... Females LOVED them and said I should make the bangs permanent (some preferred long blunt bangs, some preferred side-swept). Males HATED them passionately, but could never really articulate why. It didn't exactly make the decision of whether to take the plunge any easier.

An additional complication with bangs for me is that I have wavy hair. Bangs look best straight, and I'm a low-maintenance kind of girl. Was this condemning me using products, flat-irons, and blow-dryers? Because that's not how I roll...

(If you don't believe me on the "low-maintenance" thing, here's proof: the last time I got my hair cut or colored before this? May 22, 2009. Yeah, it had been over 14 months since I'd stepped foot into a salon. I can hear the women gasping over the internet right now.)

When I got back to Connecticut (which is where I'm staying and working for the summer), one of my coworkers got side-swept bangs that looked AMAZING on her. So I made a hair appointment. (Of course, three days later, she was already hating them... but I decided to risk it anyway.)

 I got my hair cut yesterday. I can't fully tell how it's going to end up looking, as my hair has been blow-dried straight at the moment... but right now, it looks sensational. My bangs are quite long, so they can be easily pinned back. And I'm thrilled! Tomorrow I'll go back to my waves. We'll see what happens. *fingers crossed*

-- Angela Sauer

Comments

[Michael]

Cuuuute!!

[Ann Hu]

More BANGS for your buck! Looks ADORABLE!