Bangs or fringes are definitely a cool thing! For many decades to be precise. I’ll show you the most famous style icons ever of a fringe, starting with Julius Caesar, to Louise Brooks in the golden 1920s, Audrey Hepburn in the 1950s to the current hip fashion muse and icon Alexa Chung.
An inspiring journey through the times of fringe hairstyles with a guaranteed Wow Effect!
Fringe up your life!
Bangs, known as a fringe in the United Kingdom and Ireland, is a shaped cutting of the front part of the hair so that it lies over the forehead. Bangs are usually cut fairly straight at or above the eyebrows, but it can also be ragged or ruffled, spiked up with hair gel, swept to one side or the other, or cut longer to fall over the eyes. That´s what Wikipedia says about bangs!
Bangs are not simply another popular hair fashion by celebrities around the world – we all have fallen in love with its magical charm. And not just since yesterday.
4000 years of bangs
Ancient Egypt monarchs and their Gods were already wearing fringe hairstyles, apparently later on so the simple people. We can see that on many wall paintings at the pyramids.
Even ancient Greek and Roman men flaunted their short bangs.
Later in the medieval times and in the Renaissance bangs were quite popular for both woman and men.
However, bangs weren´t always in vogue. At the time of Queen Elizabeth I, the fringe was considered a bad hairstyle. The fine ladies actually pulled their hair away from their foreheads.
THE FRINGE GOING FAMOUS
Since the 1920s of the last century the fringe finally started its big breakthrough. So-called “Flappers” – young woman wearing short skirts and listened to jazz – and silent movie actors definitely made bangs famous in western civilization. Since then, the fringe in one way or another is super popular throughout the world until this day.
That’s reason enough to dedicate a little homage to the bangs, its famous pioneers and those who still keep up the spirit. A journey through history – from the legendary style pioneers to the today´s most iconic trendsetters.
NO. 1: LOUISE BROOKS
Louise Brooks, 1920s – seen on Pinterest
NO. 2: BETTIE PAGE
Bettie Page, 1950s – seen on Pinterest
NO. 3: AUDREY HEPBURN
Audrey Hepburn, head up, Paramount Studios, 1953 – seen on Pinterest
NR. 4: PEGGIE MOFFITT
Peggy Moffitt modeling Rudi Gernreich design, 1966, photo by William Claxton – seen on Pinterest
NO. 5: ANNA KARINA
Anna Karina on the set of Pierrot le Fou, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, 1965 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 6: MARIANNE FAITHFULL
Marianne Faithfull, photo by Jean-Marie Périer, 1966 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 7: MIA FARROW
Mia Farrow with Laurence Harvey during the filming of A Dandy in Aspic. London, 1968 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 8: PENELOPE TREE
Penelope Tree, photo by Lord Patrick Lichfield, June 1967 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 9: PATTI SMITH
Patti Smith reading “The Soft Machine” by William S. Burroughs, in the late 1960s – seen on Pinterest
NO. 10: JANE BIRKIN
Jane Birkin, in the late 1960s – seen on Pinterest
NO. 11: CHRISTA PAFFGEN (NICO)
Christa Paffgen….better known as Nico, Velvet Underground, early 1970s – seen on Pinterest
NO. 12: JANE FONDA
Jane Fonda, 1970 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 13: FARRAH FAWCETT
Farrah Fawcett on set of the film “Logan’s Run”, 1976 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 14: DEBBIE HARRY / BLONDIE
Debbie Harry…better known as Blondie, photo by Brian Aris. New York Studio, 1981 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 15: MOLLY RINGWALD
Molly Ringwald, The Breakfast Club, 1985 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 16: KATE MOSS
Kate Moss by Peter Lindbergh, 1994 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 17: UMA THURMAN
Uma Thurman, Kill Bill, 2003 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 18: JACQUETTA WHEELER
Jacquetta Wheeler by Patrick Demarchelier, Vogue, May 2006 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 19: CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
Charlotte Gainsbourg by Casper Sejersen for Nymph()maniac, 2013 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 20: ZOOEY DESCHANEL
Zooey Deschanel, 2012 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 21: KARLIE KLOSS
Karlie Kloss for Victoria’s Secret Swim, 2013 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 22: FLORENCE WELCH
Florence Welch – seen on Pinterest
NO. 23: FREJA BEHA ERICHSEN
Freja Beha Erichsen for Saint Laurent Paris, photo by Hedi Slimane, 2013 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 24: GRIMES
Grimes by Tara Darby, 2103 – seen on Pinterest
NO. 25: ALEXA CHUNG
Alexa Chung, 2014 – seen on Pinterest
BANG MY HAIR, SCOTTY
One of the most outstanding fringes I saw so far on men was definitely Mr. Spock himself ;-) Seen on Pinterest
CONCLUSION
After observing the trend from then to the present I realized one thing: The fringe is wonderful feminine and versatile, it is amazingly timeless – just beautiful – then and now!
Long live the fringe!!
For more inspiring pictures of fringe hairstyles just visit my pinboard “BANGS BANGS” on Pinterest!
Hope you liked this blog post!
Best regards from Majorca!
Sincerely yours,
Silke von Rolbiezki
This article was written by Silke von Rolbiezki, hairdresser, hair stylist and owner of ‘Silke von Rolbiezki Coiffure’ in Palma de Mallorca – has been involved and connected for more than 18 years in the high end hairdressing industry. She has perfected her skills over time with top hair stylists in Germany and Spain. In addition to cutting and styling, Silke is very well known for her extensive expertise in hair coloring.
Text: © Silke von Rolbiezki Coiffure, 2015
Pictures: all Pictures seen on Pinterest – except des profile picture of Silke von Rolbiezki © Soravit Lertphiphat, 2014
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