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.
Anna says
We love you and you’re beautiful in every single picture! Always!
Sydney says
It looks great on you! I alwasy thought bangs were a nice way to change up a look! What I really wanted to say was, you have BEAUTIFUL skin! If you don’t mind, what are some of your daily regimens? Happy New Year!
YoungHouseLove says
I have sensitive skin so I don’t use soap on my face ever (just water) and I use organic makeup (Organic Wear from Target).
xo,
s
Chrissi says
I remember that you said in a post a while back that you wash your face with Dr. Bronner’s. I read some reviews and they said that it hurts like crazy if the soap gets close to your eyes. I was wondering what your experience has been so far with it? I am thinking about switching since I discovered that they sell it in austria too- yay!
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah I used to but broke out more. I have decided my skin is so sensitive that water only really works best. But it never hurt my eyes (I close them of course).
xo
s
Meredith @ La Buena Vida says
When I was a kid, my mom used to have my bangs permed. And only my bangs. True story.
I’m still a little scarred from it, and haven’t tried the bangs thing in adulthood. But I love the look on you, and am totally impressed that you DIYed it!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha I love that story!
xo,
s
Cheri Moser says
SUPER CUTE!! (This coming from a woman who HATES bangs because I had them my ENTIRE life until a few years ago.)
You were born for bangs! (Is this your first time with them?) What does John think?
– Love, another Cheri (spelled differently) whose husband Jon (also spelled differently) is very happy I no longer have bangs.
YoungHouseLove says
John and Clara seem to like them. Yay!
xo,
s
Leslie says
I think the bangs look great! It’s such a good way to make a ponytail more interesting. I think you look like Rory (Alexis Bledel) in the last seasons of Gilmore Girls.
Anais says
Love the bangs! Can’t wait to see you guys tonight in the Gables!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! So excited!
xo,
s
Emily says
OMG I’ve been contemplating bangs now for a week or two. haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I’m worried as soon as I cut them I’ll just want to grow them out. Your tip about the pin back leaves me nothing to worry about though. You look great with them! Next will be Clara’s turn!
Heather says
Ever since the new year I’ve been seriously contemplating bangs. I’ve wanted to get them for the past few years, but always chickened out. You’re my inspiration, Sherry! I’m going to call my hair stylist this week and take the plunge.
Rebecca says
They look great! You know, I adore my hairdresser for color and general cut/styling, but totally prefer to do my bangs by myself (I don’t have them right now, but had them for most of 2008-2009 and 2011 into the first half of 2012, and am perennially on the fence about whether to cut them again or go without). Two things: (1) even with a cowlick, if you consistently style them forward, your hair will “learn” to go in a different direction (more so than it does now anyway, since you’ve been styling sans bangs for so long); (2) I like blunt bangs, but found that I liked having a full curved bang even more after a few weeks; I keep trimming the middle to eyelash-level, but gradually trimmed mid-eyebrow to temple longer (a la Rebecca Woolf’s bangs here: http://ow.ly/gFDpp), which on me looks like this: http://ow.ly/gFEjo. The ends blended more with my long hair when I wore it down, was softer with my angular face, and allowed me to easily wear “front” bangs as “side bangs” when I wanted that look.
Enjoy! You’re making me want to cut mine again.
Christine says
The bangs/fringe look great! I have thought about doing the same, but my husband makes an awful face whenever I mention it. :)
Christine says
Bangs are really flattering on you, Sherry! You are a beauty!
Jennifer says
Totally cute! I tried bangs once about 7 years ago, and right after the hairdresser cut them and looked at me, she said “oooh we should not have done that”. Yeah, I don’t have the right face shape!
Anyway, I have to tell you I had a dream about you guys last night. You were making several big announcements and a bunch of readers were there. You had white folding chairs positioned facing some mountains for us to wait. On the side of the mountins were like 5 bedsheets covering stuff up, but you could see under them all these different colors of paint. Then there was the “Big Reveal” all at once and it had all these ads featuring you gusy on the side of the mountain. Some were things with the blog, but the last was that you were expecting. So…that tells me, if/when you guys become pregnant again, you’re gonna wanna go with the Mt. Rushmore type announcement :)
And with that, I promise I’m not weird, but I just had to share my funny dream with you.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahahaha so funny!
xo,
s
Samantha says
Cute, Sherry! I’ve never noticed before but you look like Liv Tyler. That’s pretty neat!
http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/dos-and-donts/hairstyle-pictures-today/2012/04/25/liv-tyler-full-fringe
YoungHouseLove says
Aw she’s pretty, thanks!
xo,
s
erica says
Super cute.
My hair is DIY but I really need to just need to get over my salon anxiety and get a professional haircut! It’s been almost 2 years.
I trim my bangs all the time… I think long bangs are super pretty but I like the artsy look of shorter bangs… I kind of go back and forth
Mandy says
Love the bangs! I’ve cut my own for years — it beats going to the salon every time they get too long. :-)
Colleen says
So weird because I just started thinking about bangs on Monday….mostly because I suddenly started realizing that my hair has thinned out so much from my pregnancy. Bangs seemed like they would va-va-voom it up a little…….so yup…I just sucked in a huge breath of air, charged in our bathroom and snipped! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!! Dare I say…..LOVE!
jill says
I agree with John. Definately young & hot…but also a splash of sophistication.
Very, very cute!
Danielle S says
I trim my long hair myself. For the most part, my hair is all one length. To start, I make a low braid and secure the ends with a hair elastic, about 2 inches from what I want to trim off. Using scissors, I first cut straight across the end of the hair, then, pointing the scissors up, snip off just the very end bits, which helps cover up any unevenness. This doesn’t work if you’re going to cut your hair short. One of my good friends is a stylist, and has a ministroke whenever I tell her I’m cutting my hair. She also grudgingly admits I do a good job when I do trim it!
Leigh says
Ooooooh boy! I have been STRESSING about getting chunky-bangs for WEEKS! I have had a rappid-fire text-fest with my B.F.F. (now living out of state) about “should i or shouldn’t i” including iphone pics, and my husband is supportive but my mom is doubtful… i too have a crazy undependable cowlick in the front and am very hesitant.
I am so tickled to see yours worked out so CUTE! I am 32 and haven’t had anything bang”ish” since i was a liiiiiittle girl… bangs look so cool but can make soem faces look older and some look like grammer-school pics…
I am feeling a bit more assured from your success!
SO THX $herdog!!!!! Hugs to you & congrats on the book! :)
Amanda @ willful/joyful says
Great. Now I want to go cut myself some blunt bangs too.
Maggie says
we call that a fringe over here in UK. Best wishes from Liverpool!
Melissa M says
When I saw the instagram picture, at first I got so excited – BANGS! And then I thought, no way, she must have just flipped her pony tail over. So pumped to see you really did it – go you!
I got bangs a few months ago (first time in a long time) but can’t stand them so close to my eyes so I sidesweep them and have grown them out some. Love yours!
Lindsay F. says
Here is me hopping on the ‘bang-wagon’! I was inspired, went upstairs and cut me some bangs!!
I’ve been on the verge of doing it for a couple of weeks and your post put me over the edge!! I’ve cut my own bangs lots of times…and I’ve been cutting my husbands hair for about 7 years too!! Since having my little boy (he is 13months now) I’ve taken to cutting his hair too! (he has lots and it grows quickly) I learned some technique on YouTube, doesn’t get much better than that! LOL
Nice work :)
Tiffany says
Nice! I’ve got a bad cowlick too, but had bangs for years. Actually multiple hair dressers refused to give me bangs because of it. Always had bobby pins with me in when they decided to go crazy. Looking good!
Erica says
You look great! You’re much better at the self-hair-cutting than I am… thankfully, wavy hair helps hide mistakes. ;)
Julia says
Super cute! Now I want to go cut bangs. Except my hair is too fine and thin and wavy and bangs would be a constant regret. BTDT. But damn, you’re making me think about it anyway ;)
Shelley @ Green Eggs and Hamlet says
You were nervous and clammy for no reason – the pics look beautiful. Thanks for the tutorial. Those bangs are bangin’ (sorry, couldn’t resist).
samantha owens says
oh hey cece from new girl and/or nicole ritchie! what!!!! you are a hot tamale with these bangs. i want bangs!!! miniature (or teacup as i like to say) foreheads are the pits. if i cut bangs i’d look like miss swan.
Angela says
You’re a hottie. Love the bangs.
Amber @ Wills Casa says
I think you totally rock the bang look. I’ve been thinking about doing blunt bangs, but I have a serious cowlick. Good to know you can rock them even with one. I hadn’t thought about wearing them parted as well. Although (and I’m not bragging here) I bet my cowlick is worse than yours!
Laurie says
Bangs and I have a love/hate relationship. I not only have cowlicks but I have really curly hair but I like how I look with them so I got bangs last year and have struggled a bit to get the look right. I think the secret is to have your own good hair scissors and trim them frequently. About every week.
I like the long (Especially since my eyebrows are disappearing with age. What is that about?) but I accidentally cut them too short once (I never learn that if you pull the bangs, you are stretching the hair and it will bounce way back up) and I kind of liked the geek girl look they gave me. I wear glasses so it kind of works.
The only good thing about bangs is they grown out so fast that if I hate them, it only takes a week or so before they can be made different.
Sarah says
I can completely relate to having a big ol’ cowlick on one side of my forehead. I used to HATE it and the forced asymmetry, but I actually find it can be pretty helpful for styling hair… as long as I stick with a side-part, which suits me better anyway. Work with whatcha got, right?
The trick for me was actually going AGAINST my cowlick, not with it, if that makes sense. Example, Linsday Lohan always parts her hair WITH/through her cowlick, which can work, but for me it works and looks more natural the opposite way. Especially with side-swept bangs, I find having an opposite part to the cowlick makes sure your bangs never “glue” to your forehead. It’s like permanent body for your bangs :) I just blowdry them straight down against the cowlick to tame that body a bit, then it’s perfect… sometimes weird genetics can work in our favour!
Cowlick praise aside, I could never make the straight across bangs work for me–lucky you! Right now I’m sporting long side bangs as I go through bangs/no bangs phases every few years. You look great with any look, but change is always a nice way to begin a new year. Also, you may not love the camera, but it sure loves you. Don’t be shy! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips everyone! Thanks for sharing :)
xo
s
Jenn says
Love your new look! Your beautiful face can pull off anything. Have fun with your new ‘do!
Katie @ Suburban Fervor says
That’s one DIY project I would be too terrified to try. Haha!
Tammy says
Sherry, you look adorable with bangs! I agree with others — they really make your eyes stand out. Very pretty!
Janice says
You are too adorable, Sherry! Your earrings are cute too! I had to ask where you got them. *shy*
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Janice! They were from a shop on etsy (someone found a link back in the comments). Hope it helps!
xo
s
Brittney says
CUTE! Very Zoey Deschanel! I actually used your boy-hair cutting tutorial this morning before reading this post on our 7 month old son. Homie has hair like whoa. This is his second haircut!! I gave myself an A+ for not screwing it up! :)
Amy says
oh my gosh LOVE THEM! You can rock those blunt bangs!!
Christy B says
Love your bangs!!! You look like a completely different person (but in an awesome way of course!) Props for your braveness in cutting them on a whim. I would have to think about it for weeks and weeks (and have been off and on for the last year) and look at pics and discuss with my hair stylist and consult with my friends and then think some more.
Thanks for the tutorial :)
DIYnot Kelly says
Your hair looks great and you are so brave for cutting your own bangs! I’ve occasionally trimmed mine, but never cut them from scratch. If I bring ’em back someday, maybe I will try it.
Emily says
The bangs look great on you! As a fellow self trimmer and crazy cowlick girl I can tell you that the more you blow dry them blunt and flat the more you will train them. In a couple weeks you will notice they stay in place a lot better.
Also if I want to air dry mine I just comb them down how I want them to dry and try not to touch them and generally they look pretty good!
MrsG says
Hey– Sherry’s not wearing black. ;-)
YoungHouseLove says
Look at me go! Haha.
xo
s
Leigh says
Love you with bangs!!! So pretty, not that you needed any help. I have been cutting my bangs for years. I always make my initial cut longer than I want them and then go back and trim them until I get them just right. And dry hair is definitely the way to go with bangs! I also have a very awkward cow lick which makes my bangs part in a weird spot – not quite centered but not far enough to the side to be considered a side part – very weird. If I didn’t have a five head, I would probably grow the bangs out!
kristiina says
I agree–you were meant for bangs. gorgeous!
GreenInOC says
SO cute!!
I recently decided that I wanted to trim my own hair too. I watched oodles of videos all basically showing that all you’ve got to do is put your hair in ponytails with an extra band at the end, make them even and cut, bought a pair of hair shears and pumped myself up (I was scared!).
I finally got the courage and did it. My hair was wet, which was fine b/c my hair was so long. Next day took it down and oops – my hair was all choppy and uneven.
Oh no….
I “free handed” fixing it while I contemplated what had gone wrong. Suddenly it dawned on me that I had french braided my hair on two sides (instead of 2 ponytails) and then cut – totally setting me up for wonky ends!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no!
xo
s
Gabbi says
I 100% agree with John…so smokin’ with your new bangs! Love the new look! :)
Anne says
Sherry – You are adorable! “Mrs. Bobby and her friend Pins” had me laughing out loud. Also, I’ve been having major hair issues lately (wondering whether to get bangs or not, not being able to find a cut that I like, dealing with the frizzies and two cowlicks) and just wearing my hair pulled back all the time. So, your post was very timely. It has given me the courage to try bangs! Although, I don’t think they’ll look nearly as cute on me, I love that they will hide my HUGE forehead, which has quite a few more wrinkles than yours.
Kelly says
Sherry, you are a stone cold fox!! I love the bangs!
Leti says
Your bangs look great! Good for you for picking up the scissors and cutting them yourself. I’ve had bangs/short hair with bangs for the past 2-3 years, and I have a cowlick and my hair is wavy (and I like my bangs straight-ish). Here’s the best tip I’ve learned styling bangs: blow dry them when they’re as wet as possible–if they have started to dry by the time you get the chance, you re-wet them. Then, dry in multiple directions, e.g., all to the left, and then all to the right. Finally, brush them as you’d like to wear them for the rest of the day, and if you want to get fancy, finish with a shot of cool air to set.
Amanda says
Your bangs are bangin.