Grass Is Always Greener Or: Wish I Had Bangs
As someone with curly hair, I never fail to be astonished when people envy me. I can’t stand the tangle, the frizz, the volume but those with straight hair seem to think it’s a bliss second only to heaven.
Granted, the grass is always greener. And if I had straight hair (an impossibility given the fact that mine takes offense whenever I attempt to touch it with chemicals or heat and falls out) the first thing I would do is cut the thickest of bangs to hide behind.
As someone who has admired the talent of Jenny Lewis and Joanna Newsom, it’s probably a given that I’d admire their style as well. Wonderful musicians and song writers, they’ve both sported the fringe for some time. As someone with her own under eye issues, I’ve also got to give Joanna props for not concealing her shadows. If only I could figure out how to do that and look fey and sweet instead of exhausted and consumptive.
Of course, it isn’t just artsy types hiding behind a hank of hair. The Queens brought my attention to the interesting beauty of Irina Lazareanu and her trademark hair style.
Elizabeth gives Irina credit for launching the trend, which I’d agree is well on it’s way. I was reminded while looking at her pictures of the original mods that made this hair style completely mainstream in the 60s.
Penelope Tree reminds me most of Irina Lazareanu.
When dating Paul McCartney was cool instead of sad, Jane Asher had perhaps the most enviable bangs of all.
And mustn’t forget Marianne Faithfull, whose bangs I like perhaps the best:
She’s got that shy, peeking thing down perfectly. Which just doesn’t work with a shock of curly hair. Sigh.
The lead singer of the band The Like also has rockin’ bangs.
Oh i hear you! I love the straight hair and thick bangs look. I actually have my hair chemically straightened each year, I have curly hair, which is unusual for a Chinese girl, so people with straight hair would say they envy my hair, but I couldn’t stand it, it was frizzy and poufy. I still can’t have the bangs though, they just look too weird on me.
Sigh. This post reminded me that when I was little I used to get spiral perms to have that “shock of curls” but my mother was always afraid that I’d be blinded by the perm solution so I didn’t get to perm the bangs. I had a ridculous curtain of bangs surrounded by the poodle-iest curls. More in this post/comments:
http://www.giantjeansparlor.net/archives/2006/03/a_post_about_my.html
I think Jenny Lewis is responsible for nine tenths of all the good fashion choices in indie rock. Her role is critical.
I dream of straight hair also. I have wavy hair that annoys me on a daily basis.
im in exactly the same boat! im too envious of my sisters bangs (we’re so not alike!) i paid alot of money to straighten my hair for like a week, and it was well worth it; mainly because it made me appreciate my curlyness but still lets you experience some straightness, which so looks better with 60s dresses. but still, we must appreciate what we’ve got!
by the way, ive just found your blog, and i love your posts!
in middle school i grew my hair out and cut my bangs to look like jane asher. i even bought breck shampoo, because that’s what she shilled for. so silly, but she still looks great.