Sometimes the only way through an emotional crisis seems to be to the bang—the haircut, that is.
When you’re spiraling through a break-up or any form of breakdown, it seems the only way out is through—which is why I impulsively cut bangs.
Like most young girls, I had tiny bangs when I was five. It wasn’t until I was in grade 11 I got them again, when my mom cut them for me. They were so short, and I cried for days, but apparently time heals all wounds because I’d forgotten all about them.
Four years later, over reading week, I booked a haircut and I knew I wanted a change. Without thinking twice, I asked my hairdresser to take her scissors to my long curtain bangs and leave me with a fringe. At first, I was attracted to how cute they are, their style, and how they’re a perfect built-in accessory. However, after a mere few days, I wanted to shave my head, doused in regret from my impulsive cut.
The philosophy behind the desire for bangs is what truly leaves me scratching my head. I wonder, what about love-life problems leads us to crave an unsatisfyingly impulsive bang? Perhaps there’s the appeal and spunk in the chance of having a new hairstyle to show your friends, but eventually the new phase gets old.
A lot of work lies behind finding the right bang for you. The issue is that most bangs come out of impulse, leaving the chop’s victims—like myself—to make do with what’s left. When the bang looks good, it feels great. But a good bang day is quite rare, and most often I’m left with mediocre, sad bangs.
Every morning, I seem to wake up with my hair sticking up every which way, looking like Carrie Bradshaw gone wrong, making me want to bury my head in the covers and not face the day. It’s all thanks to a reckless bang that my bedhead is even worse.
I miss the days when I could pop out of bed, fresh as a daisy, able to say “Yes, I woke up like this!” Now, every morning it’s a little more complicated. Yes, I woke up, then straightened my bangs, plopped a curler in for 45 minutes, combed them through, cried, and pinned them up with barrettes. It isn’t exactly the YouTube-perfect morning routine I’d hoped for.
After weeks of daily struggles, I took to Google and searched “bang regret,” only to find that many others felt the same way I did. In fact, from my internet scouring, I discovered people often experience immediate regret after making the chop.
Since this is a common problem, here’s some of my advice. It might be annoying but leave extra time in the morning for styling the fringe with a brush and a hairdryer. Invest in a curler—putting a roller in for five to 10 minutes every morning helps to fluff up the bangs and keep their shape. My friends joke that I use my roller for emotional support because I carry it with me everywhere I go in case my cut needs to be retouched.
Some more advice—buy barrettes and clips in bulk. I pin my bangs back every other day and honestly, I’m growing to love it. If you order unique and bright clips, it can add that extra oomph to your outfit. Pinning your bangs back doesn’t have to be boring either—I often use colorful headbands, and I even once used a Jojo Siwa bow. The world is truly your oyster.
Bangs are a commitment. They’re cute and fun, but they start to get up in your face. I’m glad to have had a change and a style upgrade, but the haircut has proven to be quite high maintenance, requiring a lot of styling time each morning.
So, some advice for myself—next time you need a change, please pick up running or get on Duolingo to learn a new language. I’m banning you from impulsive bangs. My final words to you, reader, are these. If you want to bang, take it slow, and get to know each other first—you never know what you might wake up to.
Tags
Advice, bangs, Break up, fringe, haircut
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