Bangs have been a big trend for years now, but even hair-fringe pioneer Nicole Richie would hardly recognize the ones we've been seeing this season. Instead of grazing the eyelashes, these new bangs clear the eyebrows, with inches to spare. Instead of swooping to one side in artfully snipped layers, these hang straight down, looking blunt, choppy and a little asymmetrical--like a kid grabbed some safety scissors and went to town.
Sure, these new itty-bitty bangs can look severe, but they're growing on me. They're like a modern version of 1950s pinup girl Bettie Page's playfully sexy mid-forehead fringe.
Ms. Bettie Page herself, in the least saucy photo I could find.
In fact, I've just decided to start referring to these short-short bangs as "bettie bangs," so that, when discussing them here on the blog (as we surely will be in months to come), we can easily differentiate them from their longer, more mainstream counterparts. A technical Bettie-Page bang would curve down slightly in the center and under a bit at the ends, but I think we can loosen up the definition a bit for our purposes.
One A-list wearer of bettie bangs: Christina Aguilera. At last weekend's launch of her new fragrance, Inspire, she showed off her betties by pulling the rest of her hair into a girly ponytail.
Love Christina's pastel makeup here, too.
Then there's Katy Perry, who, of course, has the retro look down; here she is working liquid liner and a red lip with her bettie bangs. I think she looks amazing.
I like Katy's bettie bangs better than her previous longer set.
Also: Model Agyness Deyn's bangs have grown nearly to her brows in more recent days, but during Fashion Week, she was rockin' some betties.
Agyness at the Burberry show in September.
What do you think of the itty-bitty, bettie-bang trend? Love them, hate them? Would you ever get them in a million years? Have you ever gotten a set involuntarily, by cutting your usual bangs too short?
For more new hair terminology you need to know, check out our Hair Dictionary!
