How to Hide Bad Bangs or Fringe

Last Updated: August 26, 2022 References

Maybe you decided to try out a new style and got your bangs cut. Maybe you only intended to give yourself a slight trim. Maybe someone else did it for you, possibly a professional, but when your bangs are a disaster, you need damage control. As severe as the situation may seem, your options might not be as limited as you think.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Adopting Styles for Frightful Fringe

1
Try a deep side part. If you have cowlicks or kinky hair, you should wet your hair to make styling easier. Sweep your hair to either side to see which you favor most.^{[1]
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2
Create a clean part on your favored side. Using a comb or brush, neatly part to the side of your head. If your hair is wet, dry it following parting to set the part.^{[2]
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Research source} Your bangs should now be swept to the side and indistinguishable from the rest of your hair.

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3
Shape a pompadour with long bangs. Grab your bangs and tease them upwards. By lifting them into place, you can create more volume and an elaborate style. Use hairspray or styling gel to ensure your bangs don’t fall flat and revert to a less flattering look.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Brianna Bowling
Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 25 February 2022.}
- Use short bobby pins to further stabilize your pompadour. A few well placed pins can help maintain this style for the duration of your day.^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Brianna Bowling
  Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 25 February 2022.}
4
Twist and pin up short bangs. Twisting your bangs in strands and pinning the ends to the sides or back of your head can hide a foul fringe beneath a classic style.
5
Braid your bangs. Part your hair down the middle and take hair from one side to braid it with your bangs. Tie off the braided hair with an elastic and braid the other side in the same fashion. When finished, you can clip the braids out of your way or tie the two behind your head with another elastic.^{[5]
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- Short bobby pins are excellent for pinning down fly-aways and working with shorter hair.
6
Try an extreme style or dye job. Your botched bangs might just be the thing to liberate you from comfortable, everyday styles. Consider a Mohawk or try to Style a Pixie Cut. Dark and luxurious colors can make it harder to distinguish a bad cut.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Thinking Outside the Hatbox

1
Choose the right headgear for your face and head type. A hat that brings symmetry and balance to your face and head stands a good chance of being flattering.^{[6]
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Research source} If you have prominent features, these can be offset by the right hat.
- Long faces should consider flared brim hats that sit low on the forehead.
- Round faces can achieve balance through angular head wear. The natural symmetry of round faces can be offset with asymmetrical caps.
- Square faces can be softened with wide brims and rounded tops.
- Small faces should stay true to proportion and choose fitted hats with smaller brims.^{[7]
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2
Use a headband to slide bangs back. Choose a cute or elegantly decorated accessories will enhance your look and take focus away from your bangs. Bows, ribbons, and decorative pins used in the right way can make your misshapen fringe disappear.
3
Wear a baseball cap. Couple this with a ponytail for a sporty look, or try a bandana to cover and hide offending strands.
4
Consider wearing a headscarf or turban. Using a light, colorful material can turn the conversation from your bad bangs to your bold fashion choice.
5
Embrace a light knit beanie in summer or a thicker version in winter. The beanie does an excellent job of holding hair out of sight and out of the way. The recent popularity of this head hugging headgear means there are many styles and colors to choose from!
6
Keep warm while disguising bangs with a bobble cap or knit-cap. The fuzzy ball that often adorns the top of this hat can give you a retro-chic appeal.
7
Unleash your inner flapper with a cloche hat. These bell-shaped, fitted hats were most popular during the 1920s.^{[8]
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Research source
Vargas, Whitney (September 2007). "Head Start". Elle: 190.} Wearing one might replace your embarrassment with a sense of bygone elegance and class.
8
Bring back the classy hairnet, also known as the snood. Too often these days hairnets are associated with the food service industry, but a hair net adorned with sequins might draw people’s attention in a way you appreciate.
9
Tuck fringe under the brim of a doll hat or half-hat.^{[9]
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Research source}^{[10]
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Research source} The doll hat especially, as a scaled down design typically worn toward the front of the head, can be just the thing to camouflage your fringe situation.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Restoring a Can-Do Perspective for Your Hairdo

1
Resist the urge to turn this into a catastrophe. Perhaps you have a wedding, prom, or another special event at which you wanted to look your best. Even so, remind yourself that your worth isn’t based solely on your appearance, to encourage a proactive mindset, which will help you take measures to improve your hair.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
2
Talk to a stylist. Some salons offer touch-ups or corrections for a fraction of the normal price, and if your unfortunate fringe is the result of a stylist's error, you may get your money back.
- Even if you don't get your money back or a special deal, ask if there are ways you can correct or improve the state of your bangs on your own.
3
Search online for images of the worst haircuts. Though this will not correct the fringe injustice you have suffered, laughing at ‘’worse’’ haircuts can be therapeutic and put your situation into perspective, and perspective might be just what you need to correct a bad cut.
- Have a friend join you so that you have an ally that understands how you feel. Laughing together can protect you from psychological pain.^{[12]
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4
Plan humorous responses for social scenarios. Planning can take a great deal of stress off your mind, and planning what you might say if someone comments on your bangs can be an advantage. Some things you might say:
- “I decided to hack off my bangs to see if my face could make up for it. How am I looking?”
- “I said ‘I forgot my wallet.’ My stylist heard, ‘I want a mullet.’”
- “I decided on trying something different. So did my stylist. I think her version of ‘different’ is the same as my version of ‘bad.’”
5
Be cautious of being defensive. You probably feel pretty strongly about your terrible haircut. These strong feelings can make you interpret even compliments as an attack.^{[13]
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Research source} Don’t let bad bangs sour your relationships or get in the way of you taking measures to fix your fringe.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you hide bangs in your hair?

Brianna Bowling
Hair Stylist
Brianna Bowling is a Hair Stylist and the Co-Owner of The CRAFT Salon in Glendora, California. With more than 11 years of experience, she specializes in balayage, blonding, and vivid colors. Brianna has received years of in-depth training on advanced color techniques.

Brianna Bowling

Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Cut a set of longer, better bangs and push them forward so the shorter pieces you don't like can stay hidden until they grow out.
Question

My bangs are too short to do anything with, they are about 2 cm from the top of my head. What do I do?

NY Blossom

Top Answerer

Hair grows about half an inch every month. Try wearing a headband or pulling your bangs back with bobby pins.
Question

I cut my bangs without permission from my parents, and they don't know. What should I do?

Rebecca Clark

Community Answer

You could either own up and tell the truth, because they will love you know matter what, or you could hide it under a headband or hat until it grows long enough to be hidden with the rest of your hair.