Chances are you haven’t had a fringe since you cut one in worship of your childhood heroines, Alice in Wonderland and Pippi Longstocking. And that you thought you’d outgrown this super-cute style (along with your old beauty icons).
But lately, this most girlie of hair looks has grown up herself. In fact, some stylish thirty-something and forty-something celebrities have given the fringe a new lease on life.
Take actress Jennifer Garner (above), for instance.
You see, what Jennifer has discovered is that bangs are just as effective as Botox in the anti-wrinkle department. They instantly wipe out any forehead furrows and lines – and all while being totally pain-free. They’re also gentler on the hip pocket, seeing as most hairdressers will happily trim a fringe in-between regular sessions at no cost.
A fringe also gives long hair instant structure (even if you twist it all up into a messy top-knot, having a well-shaped fringe at the front makes everything look that much more styled), so it’s a great strategy for anyone wanting to do something to her long hair … except cut it. What’s more, long hair can visually drag your features down (never a nice thing when gravity is good enough at that particular task), but adding a fringe will give some bounce back to your face.
You can also tailor a fringe to best flatter your features. For example, a narrow fringe – à la Jen – means not only will wide faces be visually slimmed, but that crow’s feet will also be camouflaged.
The actress’s wispy-ended style is also a great way to blur those pesky between-brow creases, without having to resort to heavy, blunt bangs, which tend to overpower and close everything in.
As well as hiding a multitude of sins, a fringe is also a nifty preventative anti-ageing measure, being a physical sun block. Just add dark sunglasses and channel Jane Birkin, and you’ve got yourself one of the most fashionable sun-care strategies around.
TOP FRINGE TIPS
To ensure your fringe sits quite flat against the forehead, as Jen’s does here, dry it with the brush on top (not under) hair, and the nozzle of the hairdryer directed downwards. Move your fringe side to side as you go, which will encourage a little swing.
If you have a cowlick, use your brush (and a firm hold) to pull hair in the opposite direction as your blow-dry. To quickly smooth out any kinks, fire up a mini iron, such as the Cloud Nine Micro Iron.
Fringes can become oily more quickly than the rest of hair, mingling closely as they do with the T-zone. However, it’s easy enough to wash your fringe every day – simply twirl the rest into an updo and cover with a shower cap.
No matter how fine or full your fringe, bangs shift the focal point of the face down to the nose. To bring the attention back to your eyes, make sure to define your lash-line – you could also do what Jen has so nicely done here, and etch some eye-catching shimmer along the lower lash-line.
Tell us, are you tempted to try a fringe?
