How to tell if you look good with bangs
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At some point in a girl's life, she will ask herself this very serious, age-old question: Should I get bangs?

This usually leads to a few follow-up questions. Will my face shape even work for bangs? Can I handle the upkeep? And most importantly, will it make me look like Tina from Bob's Burgers?

Some people believe that girls only get bangs when they want a big change in their lives. While they may want to take an Eat, Pray, Love trip around the world, a lot of us settle for a new look. And what's more refreshing than that?

If you've been debating whether or not to get bangs, we've got the only guide you'll ever need to make this very important, life-changing decision.

Types of bangs

While some might believe that all bangs are the same—going from one side of our forehead to the other—that's not the case at all. There are actually a ton of different bang styles with everything from fringe, side-swept, blunt, chopped to textured bangs. Here are some of the most common styles.

  1. Fringe: The good news about fringe bangs is that it tends to look good on anyone. If you're wondering, "would a fringe suit me?" Consider the look of the cut. It can be described by wispy pieces of hair that fall just above or on the eyebrow. When grown out, they easily blend into the hair due to its layered pieces. Celebrities who have rocked this style include Ariana Grande, Kendall Jenner, and Vanessa Hudgens. 

  2. Blunt: If you're a fan of Zooey Deschanel from New Girl, then you definitely know what blunt bangs look like. They are called blunt for a reason since they are essentially a sharp line of hair cut above the eyebrows. Unlike fringe, when they grow out, the pieces grow out at the same time, so it may require more upkeep. 

  3. Side-swept: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to bangs, but if you want to ease into trying bangs, side bangs are a good place to start. It gives you the look of bangs, without committing 100 percent. 

Consider your face shape

As much as you might like to, it's not practical to shove a picture of a celeb with bangs in your hairstylist's face and ask her to "do this." You have to consider your face shape first.

  1. Round face: Since round faces are, well, round, you want to be able to shine a spotlight on the spot above your eyes, so it gives the appearance of an elongated face. Textured bangs are great for this, since they diffuse the roundness of the face. Also, if you push your bangs to the side, it gives your face more height.

    If you have short hair, what you could do is "high and off the face bangs." It may not sound like bangs, but it is; it just involves sky-high bangs that are textured in front. Only thing is, this style wouldn't work well with long hair. Lastly, the worst bangs for a round face are blunt bangs. 

  2. Heart-shaped face: Heart-shaped faces are known for being in the shape of a heart. Duh. This means that they are wider up top and then narrow down toward the chin. The best type of bangs for heart-shaped faces are side-swept bangs (think of Reese Witherspoon) since they draw attention to your eyes and cheekbones instead of a narrow chin. The worst kind of bangs for a heart-shaped face are thin, wispy bangs. 


    Getting bangs can feel like a rite of passage for women. Go into this big change feeling confident with our guide.