How To Get In On The Baby Bangs Trend
Choosing to get bangs can be a big decision for some, but sometimes fashion is all about taking the daring risk. Bangs, like many other stylistic choices, can come in such a wide variety. You'll see curtain bangs, side-swept bangs, or blunt bangs, to name a few, and now baby bangs are making their way into the trending spotlight. Baby bangs, sometimes known as micro bangs, simply mean tiny bangs, as in really short bangs that usually go a couple of inches or more above your eyebrows. They offer a different look to anyone who decides to sport them.
On this, cut specialist and owner of Interior Hair Kelly Macedo tells Ipsy, "Baby bangs are quite simply tiny bangs! They can add so much style to your look as a whole and can be super chic if done right to flatter your facial features." Anyone who wants to try the look can rock the look, and there are many different ways to try it for yourself.
A blunt, edgy flair
Baby bangs are a trend tagging along for the ride with the '90s and early 2000s style known as Y2K. Additionally, '90s fashion was indeed a grunge era. Naturally, grunge is a style with dark silhouettes and colors often associated with a rocker or goth type of outfit. Think combat boots, ripped jeans, and band tees. Biz Sherbert with The Digital Fairy, a creative marketing agency specializing in internet and youth trend forecasting, explains in a TikTok video that the return of tiny bangs "feels like now they're coming back in a more explicitly grunge way, echoing '90s baby bangs." Sherbert goes on to explain that baby bangs in the '90s were also inspired by Audrey Hepburn's bangs in the '50s.
French inspiration
You can also try baby bangs with a French-inspired twist. Think of an Amélie-esque style. This blunt bang is complemented beautifully with a short, chin-length bob. This iconic look is often associated with a chic French style. Culture and trends expert Rachel Weingarten tells Who What Wear that this style can be dated back in French history and inspired by American actress Louise Brooks. "Brooks paved the way for early feminists to bob their hair, but the style fell out of favor again until it was revived in the 1950s and 1960s during the French New Wave film era," Weingarten explains.
Face framing cut
Kelly Macedo tells Ipsy that she suggests speaking with your hair stylist to get an idea of what kind of framing would complement your face and face shape with bangs. "I look at their face as a whole, not only at the shape of it," she adds. For example, to show off someone's beautiful brows, she may cut bangs short enough to see them. If someone has great cheekbones, she says, she makes sure to add a little length to the sides to help accentuate them.
A textured combination
Similar to the '90s edgy style, you can combine your baby bangs to pair with a textured haircut. In fact, it can be paired perfectly with one of the most trending hairstyles of the year: the layered shag or mullet. These layers help create a balance between texture and volume, and your bangs would look great blunt or choppy. "Through the first lockdown we all became obsessed with Netflix's "Tiger King" and with salons and barbershops often being closed over the last 18 months, growing your hair out was less of a problem," barber Joe Mills tells GQ. "After this, the whole idea of mullets and texture really took hold. What's most interesting is that it suits most hair types and face shapes. As long as you have some length at the back, you're good to go."
Loose, curly bangs
Bangs are for everyone to have fun and try. Your curly hair shouldn't hold you back from trying a baby bang look. Writer Erin Parker shared her experience with getting curly bangs. "Anyone who's successfully taken the plunge with bangs knows the vibe," Parker wrote in Glamour. "That exhilarating feeling when you take a beauty risk that pays off and doesn't end in tears and disaster." With a loose wave or curl, you can create loose, playful bangs for a fun style.
If you have now decided that you want to try baby bangs for yourself, professionals share a bit of a warning: they're very short, and they take a while to grow back out. "Bangs must be styled each day. If you don't wear your bangs, then your bangs will wear you. So bangs aren't something to take lightly," hairstylist and creative director of education at SACHAJUAN Trey Gillen tells Bustle. Regular trims and daily styling naturally come with the responsibility of baby bangs. Still, they can be a lot of fun if you're aiming for that cool, edgy look or are looking to try something new with your hair.