Beauty BFF Viewer Q & A: Bangs

I love all the questions that come in from viewers of my MSN series, Beauty BFF. I am going to do my best to answer as many as possible on my blog- here is this week's installment:

Q: I have a larger forehead then most people so I’d like to get side bangs to help hide it.  Are side bangs still in style? Would I be able to do something else with the bangs other than just letting them hang on my face?

A: Side bangs are a great idea- and the wonderful thing about side bangs is that you can leave them longer and cut on an angle, as opposed to straight-across styles where the cut needs to be uniform right at or just above the brows. My suggestion would be to have your stylist cut them with the intention of wearing them swept to the side and even leaving a few strands long enough to tuck behind your ear. This way, you can style them with your part or you can let them hang down. Just make sure to keep the bangs light- sticking to trimming the hairs just behind the hairline. If you go too far back and cut a thick layer, it can weigh down the forehead and end up accentuating what you are trying to disguise.

There are some very chic alternative style options as well. Try wearing a thin headband just at the hairline- tuck some of the bangs back behind the band and let a few wisps hang down across the face. Or, for a very sophisticated ponytail, part your hair far over on one-side- an exaggerated version of your everyday part. Sweep all hair back into a ponytail (you can go with something high or tie in low at the nape of the neck- experiment with both to see which you prefer depending on the occasion). Work the bangs across the forehead in the direction of the part and spray with a strong hold hair spray. This will not only keep the bangs where you want them, but also gives a nice subtle shine that adds to the fancy factor.

Here are some inspiration photos of what I have in mind for you- good luck with your fun new fringe! (Oh- and helpful hint- I found these on DailyMakeover.com's Celebrity Hairstyle finder tool- an amazing resource anytime you are going to the salon, I swear by it.) Keep us posted if you go for it...