In With a Bang Inline
Photo: Gianni Pucci / Indigitalimages.com1/10Big Bang Theory #1: Allow yourself an adjustment period.
Catherine McNeil was one of the handful of models who got a fast set of fringe snipped before taking the runway at Givenchy. Although pros like her know how to adapt quickly to a new look (or at least fake it), a real-life cut may require some patience. "If you haven t worn bangs for a long time, you have to retrain your hair a bit. It could take a while for the style to settle in—give it a couple of weeks," says Teddi Cranford, New York City-based hairstylist and founder of the White Rose Collective agency. To style long, blunt bangs, she reaches for a Mason Pearson brush and blow-dries them in a back-and-forth motion from the roots before blowing strands straight down. "Your bangs will fall more naturally than if you try flat-ironing or brushing them down toward your nose and flattening them completely," Cranford says.
Photo: Sonny Vandevelde / Indigitalimages.com2/10Big Bang Theory #2: Work with what you’ve got.
Forget the myth that curly-haired women can t get away with bangs. Models Antonina Petkovic and Mica Arganaraz (shown here) squashed that notion at the last round of shows. The trick is to work with, not against, your hair texture. Avoid harsh lines so that the bangs blend into your hair for an effortless effect. "The classic reference for this is the Freja [Beha Erichsen] bang," says Cranford.
Photos: Gianni Pucci / Indigitalimages.com; Neil P. Mockford / Getty Images3/10Big Bang Theory #3: Come up short.
To pull off itty-bitty baby bangs, there is only one thing you need: Beyoncé-level confidence. (That, or maybe Guido Palau s precision with a pair of scissors—see Versace s Fall 2012 show.) For a slightly choppier version, look no further than model Kiki Willems, who opened Saint Laurent this Spring.
Photo: Sonny Vandevelde / Indigitalimages.com4/10Big Bang Theory #4: Mess with perfection.
Side-swept bangs are always flattering and they re easier to grow out, hence their steady popularity. The red-carpet version tends to be sleek and polished (think Emma Stone and Reese Witherspoon), but at Tom Ford, the look had a Debbie Harry-inspired vibe with a "slept-in, post-sex" texture. Each model wore a custom-dyed wig that hair guru Sam McKnight went to town on with a razor. To rough up a similar cut at home, try lightly teasing it all over with a rattail comb. Finish with hairspray.
Beat the winter doldrums—and switch up your look—with some new forehead fringe.
Photo: Michele Morosi / Indigitalimages.com5/10Big Bang Theory #5: Breathe new life into a classic cut.
Going for timeless Birkin bangs? "Don t wear them dead straight. Give them life and movement," says Cranford. To boost volume and texture, she recommends spritzing fringe all over with hair powder, then blow-drying it in a back-and-forth motion with a brush. "If your hair is already pretty straight, apply thickening spray and toggle your dryer quickly until bangs are 80 percent dry. Let them air-dry the rest of the way," she says
