Bangs pictured on Style icon Kara
Have you ever gone to an art gallery and admired beautiful pieces of art but knew that a similar piece of art would never “fit” in with the decorating style of your home? Well, this is how I approach some natural hair styles. Over time I have come to learn that styles that I enjoy on others and even those that I enjoyed wearing when I was relaxed may pose a problem with my natural hair.
During my college years I had a yearly routine for my hair. Right around the start of school in late August I would cut a bang just above my eyebrows. I maintained long bangs during the remainder of the fall and winter and right around February I would stop trimming my bangs. The goal was to allow my bangs to grow out long enough so that they could easily be pulled back into my ponytail during the humid summer months. The shrinkage that I experienced when I went natural made cutting my bangs seem unnecessary. Still, I sometimes missed the style I had grown so accustomed to during my early twenties. So, why won’t I cut my hair into bangs and why might you want to reconsider some styles before taking the leap?
Everyday Hair
What is your “everyday” hair? Another way to phrase this question is: What are the go-to styles you wear 75% of the time? If you have a few staple hair styles that you enjoy wearing be mindful of how a drastic style change may change your routine. For me, cutting my hair a bang would mean that for a while I would likely be unable to wear my sleek banded ponytail (think of the iconic ponytail worn by singer Sade in the late 1980s). The coily nature of my hair would make the shorter hair, even with gel, frizz up. While I might enjoy the shape of a braid out or twist out with bangs, I would ultimately lose patience waiting for my hair to grow out so that I could return to wearing my favorite styles. Likewise, as you consider different hair styles, make sure that you will be okay with the change for at least the next year or longer. Otherwise, you might find yourself unnecessarily frustrated with your hair journey.
Trends Styles
Remember when everyone and their grandmother shaved one side of their head? I personally, thought it was a cute style and some women rocked the style really well. It was, however, very obviously a trend popularized by some celebrities and would likely die out before the head on my hair returned to my desired length. There is nothing wrong with mimicking popular hair trends. In fact, that’s one of the fun parts about being a woman. Still, I recommend knowing what works for you rather than what is temporarily popular. It isn’t that I think anything is wrong with cutting bangs on natural hair but, for me, it simply limits my regular styling routine.
Are there styles that you have sworn off once you started wearing your hair in its natural state?
16 Responses
Geez..I wish I read this a month ago. I went in for a blow out. (Something I generally only do 3-4 times a year because I’m natural and workout, so after the 1st day something is sacrificed–my workout or my blowout.) Anyhow, I went in for a blowout, the weather had finally warmed up and I was ready to switch things up a bit. I had run across an old profile pic (when I had a relaxer) and I had bangs; I thought dang I was too cute..I’m gonna rock that style again. My go-to style 99.99% of the time is a wash and go. So after skipping a week of working out for the sake of my new do, I tried to go back to my wash and go. Ha! Shrinkage isn’t even the right term. Those bangs were straught drawer up (and I have tyra banks five head). I tried my go-to style #2- slick back bun. That to was a non-starter. I slathered a ton of gel on it, but those bangs refused to be held down. So, here I am a month into growing them back and every single morning is a struggle.
I relax my hair every 3 months because that’s how long it takes for the new hair to grow. I really want bangs but I’m afraid that I might not like it and it might take along time to grow back. did anybody ever get bangs while relaxing their hair? Did it grow back or take along time?
Nice article! I once contemplated cutting bangs in my natural hair but didn’t because i can and do get natural bangs with the help of shrinkage and still have defined curls. As for styles that i had to let go of, i had to accept that ponytails and other hairstyles would appear differently on my natural hair than it was on my relaxed hair so i let go off my hair should be sleek and down mentality and embraced a new one. I also had to let go of cornrows because of the tension, breakage and problems that it caused for my natural hair and scalp. I find flat twists to be much gentler and use them instead of cornrows.
I’m sorry but this was the most boring article I ever read on here…sorry again
LOL JustGtnStarted. Sometimes mundane is necessary. But thanks for making literally laugh out loud!
I think another question to consider about bangs is your hair texture. I love my 4a/b hair, but I know bangs in a no-heat braid out state (my usual style) would not lay right. I’d be more inclined to cut shorter layers around my face than bangs.
Always natural(4bc) Ive never cut hair but ive been wearin bangs 90% of the time no matter what style since primary school (at 17 im still not crosseyed). When streched they pass my chin but usually cover my eyes and nose.
Although…i will.never.wear.puffs.
I make bangs with hair pins, so I don’t have to cut it.
Is it me or was this article really pointless. Not trying to be negative but it seemed pretty self- explanatory.
LOOOL! This comment made me laugh way to much for no reason.
i thought so too
They can’t all be winners, lol.
I thought the exact same thing.
come on ladies, don’t be so cruel, reading is always good. The point is simply this: is it worth following hair trends or not? I think it was a fun fast read. I personally like it because being natural, period, has become a hair trend in itself.
No one is being malicious here. Just because someone doesn’t like something or disagrees with something doesn’t make them cruel.
For me I wanted a deva cut so bad even considered going to NY just to go to the salon but when I started looking at pictures it seems like everyone’s hair cut looked the same I want something different now I am pinning every tapered cut I see lol