ON THE FRINGE
From the runway to beyond, fringes are back with a bang this season. By Remy Rippon.
1 GO SHORT OR GO HOME
Baby fringe. Micro-bangs. Whatever you want to call them, ultra-short fringes (sitting at least an inch above the brows) were this season’s beauty standout. At Oscar de la Renta they ran the gamut from ultra-short and shiny to long and wispy, while at Miu Miu models sporting shaggy pixie bangs brought a curious edge to a pretty collection. A word of caution before proceeding: diarise trims every three weeks (at some salons they’re even complimentary) to keep the style more cool, less kid-like.
2 START SMALL
Stay on the fringe of the trend, so to speak, with a ubiquitous style that hovers between side-sweep and full-blown bangs. Take cues from the French girls you covet – think Jeanne Damas, Caroline de Maigret, Lou Doillon – and leave it lengthy enough to just dust your lashes. It’s noncommittal, too: the extra length will ensure it’s long enough to pull back into a pony, or side-sweep within a few weeks.
3 MAKE FRIENDS WITH DRY SHAMPOO
Let’s first dispel a universal myth about fringes: that they are lowmaintenance. While they may not take hours to style each morning, no matter your hair type, a fringe will require an element of daily coercion. If you exercise regularly, you’ll encounter an oil slick between washes, so dry shampoo will be your new confidante. Ditto your hairdryer. Whether you’ve washed or not, a quick blast of heat, followed by a cool blast for setting, will tame all manner of wayward tresses.
4 KNOW YOUR FACE SHAPE
Consult your usual stylist, who will be able to assess the best fringe type for your individual face shape, as well as how far back on the crown to start it. As a general rule, heart-shaped faces suit just about anything, while narrow faces can pull off a fringe that’s ultra-blunt. For a universally flattering style, make it arrow-shaped: longer on the edges and slightly shorter at the centre, like it’s framing the eye line. And remember, wearing a fringe with confidence overrides any rule book.
5 GROWING PAINS
If there’s one bugbear when lopping a fringe, it’s the inevitable grow-out phase. Hair grows at an average rate of 1.25 centimetres per month, but that doesn’t mean you need to forgo trims altogether. Ask your stylist to feather out the ends so they eventually assimilate with the rest of your strands, and choose a part line – middle or side – to sweep once it starts blocking your vision. A good weekly cleanse and mask, which will slough away built-up product, also helps the cause.