Who knew posting one little picture on instagram with Clara would start a tell-me-more-about-the-bangs frenzy? You guys are a curious bunch, demanding a post about my hair. Haha. There were even conspiracy theories that they weren’t real and I was pulling a Kim K on you guys by flipping my ponytail and faking them. Hilarious! But they are in fact real. Can’t say the same thing about my chest (just kidding). I just got off the sofa on Saturday afternoon, walked into the bathroom and cut them, came back out and sat on the sofa, and waited for John and Clara to notice. They seemed not to mind them (in fact John said they made me look “young and hot” so I’ll take it) and they do very conveniently cover my forehead wrinkles. So… score!
Because I cut them in the bathroom mirror all by myself, they’re definitely not perfect, but they seem to pass as actual bangs in real life, as opposed to looking like a child who took the kitchen scissors to her head. And since many (many) of you guys demanded a tutorial, here she blows.
I guess we should call this the sister post to the how-I-cut-John’s-hair post that I shared here. It’s pretty straightforward so quite honestly the most awkward part was getting these photos taken. Gah, I’m terrible at posing for John. So it went something like this:
John: click, click, click, “Do you need anything else?”
Me: “Ahh, this is stupid. Nevermind! We’re done.”
John: “What? I only took three photos? You sure?”
Me: “Ok, what about one like this? Ahh, too close. Back up! back up! Maybe we need to buy a lens to make my face artfully blurry.”
John: “Um… ok. So we’re done?”
As for the actual tutorial, it goes like this:
All I did was pull the hair in front that I thought should be bangs (which made a soft curved shape at the crown) forward and then I pulled the rest of my hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of the way. My hair might look ambiguously wet/dry in the picture above, but it’s fully dry.
Which leads us to step 2…
I looked up a few pictures on google of people with blunt bangs just to notice where they stopped. The ones I liked most sort of grazed the eyelashes (good thing I looked since my first instinct would have been to cut them above my eyebrows- eeks!). Then I cut them dry while looking in the mirror with the part of hair that I sectioned out just flopping in front of my face. Cutting them dry is key for me since wet hair can look heavier and longer and then dry and shrink up, thereby ruining your life. Well, that’s a little dramatic, but it can definitely pull a fast one on you, so dry hair seems to work best for ending up with bangs at the actual intended length.
Then I dipped my head into the sink to get my bangs all wet and used a blow-dryer to blow them dry in front of my face. This was helpful because after I dried them a few long stragglers stuck out and I snipped them straight across for a more blunt look. I have a ridiculous cowlick, so I’m trying not to be a crazy about how they fall. Although in this instagram picture there was a funny comb-over effect going on since a few from the other side of my head danced over to that side (hence those few guesses that this was a bang hoax I guess, haha).
Thanks to the aforementioned cowlick, sometimes I pull them apart like this. Just if it’s humid and they’re being wonky. Sorry about this bad self portrait, I was past the point of embarrassment after posing for John, seeing the pictures he took, deleting them in horror, and telling him to back out of the room slowly while whispering “it’s not your fault this is just so awkwaaaard.”
I can still pin them all back with two tiny bobby pins and rock my regular old pony (which I did last night for the Austin signing since it was crazy rainy and my hair + humidity = Frizz-fest 2013). So I guess I get three looks from this little snip-fest: 1) blunt bangs, 2)parted bangs, and 3) no bangs at all thanks to Mrs Bobby and her friend Pins.
Anyway, I hope this quick little tutorial helps someone out there save some money on a bang trim or something. Or just gives you all a good laugh at how uncomfortable capturing these photos actually was for me. It might sound crazy but I’m used to taking pictures of the house, not my mug. So it took me right back to high school yearbook photos and I was all clammy and weird about it. Seriously I didn’t know where to look, how to smile, it was a mess. Anyone else tackling some DIY haircuts at home? Or rocking some freshly shorn bangs? Tell $herdog all about it.
Noelle says
Hey Sherry! The bangs look really cute, you have the perfect face shape for them. I am a hairdresser and a little tip for next time, twist your bangs a few times at the bridge of your nose and cut at the bridge or a little hier than the bridge ( depends on how short you want them). It will give you bangs that frame your fame like Zooey Daschanel.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo,
s
Anne says
Cuuuute, Sherry! Very smoky, very Emily Blunt to me for some reason (who is very pretty and funny!). Good look on you! Thanks for sharing your steps.
Rebecca says
Does your hair have a natural part down the middle? I feel like if I cut bangs they would always be the parted bangs. Even when I wear it back in a headband my hair ends up in a part.
YoungHouseLove says
I have a weird cowlick on the side but if I blow them down I can kind of train them to cover it.
xo,
s
Rebecca says
They look great!
Lauren says
Super cute! So funny – I just watched a “Daily Grace” video yesterday where she just decided to cut her own bangs one morning too! Twice in one week – you’re on the early end of a trend coming. :)
Rachel says
To help with your cowlick, blow dry them to the opposite side of which they naturally go and they should go straight. Also to help with the dimension and lay of them cut straight up with your scissors along the ends and it will make it more jagged and help them lay better! I cut my own bangs all the time! It looks adorbs =)
Karen F says
Love the bangs on you – super cute! I got blunt bangs after my first pregnancy, and I loved them – the only thing I didn’t love was having to blow dry them to get them to sit right (I’m a wash and go kind of girl). Also, although I know short bangs are kinda dorky, I can’t stand having my hair in my eyes or hitting my eyelashes (I guess I have long eyelashes). And I have a short forehead, so option #3 is not an option for me! It’s an all or nothing proposition! But I’m due for a change so maybe I’ll give them another whirl :) (I’m sure you’ve inspired many of your female readers to try bangs now!)
My 3 year old took a pair of (kid-friendly) scissors to her hair when she was 2, and managed to cut herself the cutest bangs! I think her hair was hanging in her face and it was annoying her, so she chopped it. I just trimmed them last week by standing her in the tub, twisting the bangs and then snipping vertically into them with haircutting scissors (and I actually did a decent job). She was fascinated, and now wants me to do it every night!
Melissa says
Looks great! I’ve been considering bangs for awhile now – to hide those forehead lines, but haven’t gotten up the courage to do it yet. They look so good on you, maybe I’ll finally do it! Thanks for the tutorial and comments about how long they need to be, that really helps!
Kate says
I was one of the ponytail conspirators on Instagram but I think they look great! I’ve had bangs since I was 10 but they’ve never looked as good as yours.
[email protected] says
Wow, I like it. You look so domesticated. :) I agree with John about the hot part. I’m married with kids, I can say that about another woman, right?
Lindsey says
OMG- that is so brave!!! Somehow I am afraid my hair will melt off or something if I take a scissor to it myself. Must be leftover fear from trying to curl my own long hair as a child by rolling a round brush up nice and tight in it… shudder…
Clara B says
Sherdog where did you get the earings?? Super Cute!!
YoungHouseLove says
Someone found a link to them back in the comments. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Rachael says
Not sure if you saw this, but Daily Grace gave herself bangs after she got stitches (its almost like a Youtube tutorial) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghBCe0KokQk
YoungHouseLove says
Fun!
xo,
s
Barbara says
Yep. Young and hot. Wish it were that simple for me!! You go, Sherry!
Amanda C says
I absolutely love your new bangs!!!! They really suit you :)
Bethany says
My mom used to cut my bangs when I was little (around 6 years old… before the hair went from straight to curly). She had this trick that our friend, a hair dresser, taught her where she would line up a piece of tape so that the top edge was right where she wanted the bang to be, and then she would cut along that line. The line would then be straight, and all the hair stuck to the tape instead of falling everywhere.
Of course as the story goes, there was time when she was crazy busy and didnt get around to cutting my bangs for a few weeks, so I got frustrated with them being in my eyes, and apparently took my scissors from my desk at school and started trimming them myself. Mom says she couldn’t find the heart to scold me… because I had done a better job than her!
Can not WAIT to see you in Miami tonight! I was planning on going alone, but randomly found out some friends of mine were also planning to go. Score one for not being that awkward fan who stands by herself grinning wildly in line. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Woot! Can’t wait for tonight!
xo,
s
Rachel says
Love love love it! It looks fantastic, Sherry!
Adria says
At the risk of being totally awkward, I have to say you are just as pretty in person as you are in pictures! My friend and I went to your book signing in Austin last night, and we had a blast! We were chatting about what made y’all so special (’cause you are, you know), and we decided first and foremost it is because you are both so genuine! Success couldn’t have happened to two nicer people.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much! It was awesome to meet you!
xo,
s
Christina @ Homemade Ocean says
I am obsessed with the new bangs!!!
AND this post just made my day because I never thought I could do bangs because of my insane cowlick. I always worried they would just look stupid (perhaps that is my sixth grade sideways bang photo haunting me)
Thanks for giving cowlicked girls everywhere hope of being trendy :)
Susan says
Adorable! this post has me itching to do something exciting with my ‘mommy hair’ now…
Joelle says
You know Kate Middleton cut her bangs before she announced she was pregnant. Just saying. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Sorry, not prego here :)
xo,
s
leslie says
Wait…doesn’t John let you cut his hair? Why didn’t you let him do yours ;-) looks really cute on you!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo,
s
Spring says
Love the bangs!
I can’t do fringe because I have curly hair and the cottonball effect comes to play every time I convince myself I can wear them. No.
I do, however, cut my own hair. (it’s long and curly, no one will notice if it’s a little uneven. Besides? The professionals never get it even either and they charge crazy money. No thanks) I can remember the last time I went to a salon.
Leah says
Dry is definitely key! I just cut some bangs wet, and I had an awkward two weeks of just slightly too short bangs. Blegh.
As an aside, I like having the parted bangs best. I do mine a little different than yours. I try to go for a face-framing look instead. But it is similar in that I part things, try to figure out where my hair falls, and then do the cut.
Jenn says
I’m getting my hair cut tonight! I’m really interested in adding blunt bangs to the mix… but I’m a big baby. Maybe I’ll go for the innocent side bang?
Jenn says
#thatswhatshesaid
Susan says
You remind me a little bit of Joy from Joy the Baker fame in the mirror shot. So pretty!
Sara says
I like that you can use them three ways! Fun! I went bangs-less in high school but realized I need a little somethin’ somethin’ for my giant forehead, so I rock side swept bangs. I am not the best at cutting them myself, so now when they are really long, I will pull them in front of my face like you did so I make sure I have a tiny bit for one side and a lot on the other! Good idea! I don’t know why it didn’t dawn on me before. As soon as I am home from work and not going anywhere, they immediately go in a bobby pin. Same for exercise. Can’t stand them in my face. Good job!
Jill says
Gorgeous and nicely done! I gave myself a bangs treatment a few months ago on a whim. Did a Facebook poll first where half the respondents said “don’t do it!” Did it anyway with the help of some YouTube tutorials and I’m glad I did!
Tijana says
Love them! You look smoking hot!
I have an awful cowlick too so I have stopped getting bangs. For now. I tried to rock them for about a year but my hair is so fine and light in the front that it just sticks straight up. No amount of coaxing with anything would get it to stick down.
I’ll just rock my brand new perm for now.
Kay says
I love the bangs. Good for you!
Hair cutting horror story:
I have a widows peak that I HATED growing up. I was the only kid in my class that had one. So early in middle school I decided to get rid of it and I SHAVED IT OFF! It was great… for a day. Then the hair started to grow back and grew up and out. I was sporting a forward facing “Alfalfa”.
I apparently had a cowlick right on my widows peak that I had disturbed. ~:(
Tanja says
Wowzers! Those blunt bangs are perfect (and kinda edgy). But no surprise there, you are stunningly beautiful – with or without the bangs.
That snapshot of Clara and you is too cute!
Janelle says
They look great Sherry! I wish I could trim my hair myself. $40 for a cut is CRAY.
Kitty says
You look amazing with bangs! They definitely do, in John’s words make you look young and hot!
I’ve had bangs a lot of my life, all my childhood and most of my teens/young adulthood. These days I have a longer, layered fringe and a sidepart going down and it’s pretty cool too.
If I do decide to reinstate the bangs, I’ll try this way of doing it :)
Elizabeth says
Seriously Sherry you are so pretty you pull off any look!
hollyloo says
they’re adorable, sherry!! so super cute. makes me love my own bangs (that i’ve had my whole life) all over again! thanks!!
Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage says
My poor two year old son is sporting a hair cut I gave him. Let’s just say he’s not ready for his closeup.
I think your bangs look very very good. I might have to go crop my bangs right now. But I shan’t blog about it. I’m not sure I’d be ready for my closeup either.
Christa says
Okay, sorry if this is a repeat question, I scanned the comments but people are so quick!
I must know- do they drive you INSANE being right there at eye level? Like are you constantly reminding yourself to not push them out of your face?
It’s such a beautiful look for you!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oddly enough it’s not annoying so far. I just pin them back if I’m working/painting something :)
xo,
s
Amanda says
SOOOO cute!!! I’ve played with the ponytail-over-the-forehead to see what I would look like with blunt bangs, and I was tempted. Now that I see this I am even MORE tempted! But seriously. You totally rock them
Jeanna says
Love, love, love them!!!! You are such a natural beauty, and this only brings out your eyes that much more :) It’s probably not good for the hairline to always scrape the hair back and have tension on it, so it’s probably healthier too, right?
jenny says
I love bangs, especially because I feel like I have a lot of forehead so they do a great job of hiding that! ;)
I just got my long hair chopped off last night and added bangs too.
Cheers to bangs! ;)
they look great on you.
Ash says
You look adorable. I love the tutorial, but not sure if I’m brave enough to try it myself!
Wrenaria says
Super cute! You have really great hair. I’ve been cutting my own bangs since I was a poor college student who couldn’t afford salon trips, haha. I go back and forth between blunt and sideswept.
Occasionally when I’m at the salon getting a trim/dye I think sure, why not let the pro do it? But then I find I usually end up fixing/tweaking the cut myself the next morning. No one knows how I like it done quite as well as I do. ;)
K (Barking Babymama) says
Oooh, your bangs are perfect! I cut bangs a little over a year ago now, and I will never go back. LOVE them. They make a bun and a ponytail look so much more polished (perfect for you since you rock a ponytail). I trim my own, and then my hairdresser makes fun of them when I go actually get a trim, but I actually usually like my trim better than hers, HA!
Erin May says
I love the blunt cut bangs! I’ve been sporting these off and on for years now, and my most recent chop in December resulted in the sudden realization that I had the exact same haircut as my 4 year old self…Some things never change, right?
Here’s my post about it, including little 4 year old me: http://heyheyerinmay.com/2012/11/28/some-things-never-change/
Thank you for sharing!
Arli says
LOVE the bangs! They really highlight your gorgeous eyes! You’re very courageous to have cut them yourself, and you’re lucky they came out so well. I’ve had bangs several times and used to trim them myself..not always so easy to do in the mirror backwards and with a scissors so close to the eyes. Enjoy the new look!
Brooklynne says
I’ve had blunt bangs for as long as I can remember, and also have a cowlick, so just a heads up – most hairdressers will trim them for free, and mine knows about the cowlick and compensates the trim accordingly. So no wonky bangs, and no cost to you!
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
Super cute! I don’t think I would have the courage to cut my own!!
Jen @ Bungalov says
Cute but I can’t decide how I like you better. With or without bangs that is…Ha!
Steven T says
Kinda odd for me to reply to a post on bangs…but im psyched for the signing tonight!!! Cannot wait to meet you guys!!
-Steve
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha wahoo! So excited for tonight!
xo,
s
Melanie says
The bangs look great! I’m just growing mine out cause I was tired of crookedly cutting them every few weeks, but now I want them again…I can’t stand hair in my face either but bangs aren’t so bad!