Everyone seems to think that bangs are the answer to over 50 hairstyles. Well, sometimes they are.
The issue is what kind of of bangs. Because a fringe is not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution.
Yes, they hide forehead wrinkles and that's always nice. But it really is how you wear them that counts.
Patti LuPone's straight bangs are a perfect case in point. The multi award-winning actress/singer cut a long fringe hairstyle a while ago. And here she illustrates how she wears them dressed up and dressed down.
Straight bangs look great with an up-do — note her smart fashion choices paired with them: a wide white satin collar that frames the face and lets everything else fade to black; a sexy, sharply cut, stylish jacket with beautiful bead embellishment on the shoulders and sleeves that speaks for itself and doesn't compete with the rest of her look.
The long fringe hairstyle looks best when just grazing the eyebrows, or in Patti LuPone's case, upper left, just above the tops of her readers. (Aside: I love the newsprint top; I've been eying a dress in that fabric for months.)
But the best look for her, and for you if you share her face shape, is a longer bob blown dry (or flat ironed, or both) to a sleek smooth satin finish.
Patti LuPone, soon to be seen starring opposite Debra Winger, 57, on Broadway in David Mamet's The Anarchist, looks stunning in one of the more modern hairstyles for over 50 — in fact, at 63, the straight bangs make her look 10 years younger, at least.
Beware bad hair days: Keeping straight bangs straight can be a challenge, especially in high humidity (or if you're a curly girl) — best to use a setting lotion when styling and hair spray to keep them in place. Keep a mini bottle of hair spray and a fine tooth comb in your purse for quick touch-ups, too.
More info on how to make bangs a more modern hairstyle for over 50:
- Holly Hunter Joins the Bang Brigade
- Clip-on Bangs for a Fast Fix without a Haircut: Fringe Benefits
- How To Cut Your Own Hair
- The Best way to Holster Your Hot Irons
- Susan Sarandon dons a Purple Wig — with bangs!
