The 6 emotional stages of growing out a fringe

Look, we get it. We’ve all looked at photos of Alexa Chung, Zooey Deschanel and Suki Waterhouse, and thought a fringe would automatically give us cool girl status, too. It’s all smooth sailing until you forget to take bobby pins to the gym or don’t have time to blow-dry it in place. Even worse is realising it doesn’t suit your face shape. Fabulous.
Whether you’ve cut one and loved it (at least at first) or regretted it instantly, odds are you’ve experienced the emotional rollercoaster that comes with getting a fringe…
Committing to the chop
So you’ve googled “best celebrity fringes” for weeks, and now it’s time to take action! You bookmark those dreamy Emma Stone fringe pics and call the salon to make an appointment. Bullet = bitten.
The three-week blues
You’ve had a fringe for just under a month and it’s started to grow, but now, for some unknown reason, it’s not sitting as well as it did in the salon.
Remember that double crown, cowlick or widow’s peak you’ve been battling oh, just your your whole life? Yeah, there’s a reason you didn’t do this earlier.
Making irrational decisions
Rather than doing the sensible thing and heading back to the salon, you think, “how hard can this be? I’ll just trim it myself”. Bad idea.
Engage awkward phase…
Now that you’ve managed to mess up your fringe, prepare for months of frustration to grow it out. The plus side is, you’re experimenting with your beauty look more than ever before! Think side-swept styles, gringes, slicked-back ‘dos and hair accessories.
You’ll be doing this… a lot.
At some point, you’ll probably buy a hat.
And pine for your long hair again.
Sometime in the not-too-distant future…
Rejoice! You had the patience to deal with the highs and lows, and now you’ve finally reached the point where your fringe is long enough to blend into your hair. Everything is right in the world again.
The cycle continues
Just when you think you’re in the safe zone, you find another pic of Zooey with the most perfect fringe ever and before you know it, you’re speed-dialling the salon to do it all over again.
How did you handle the awkward stages of growing out a fringe?
86 Member Comments
It’s many years since I last had a fringe. I honestly couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of styling and upkeep of it. Too much like hard work!
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I cut mine, hate it, grow it out, swear to never do it again, then cut it again lol. Endless cycle.
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I love having a fringe but for some reason it is always flat and never stays bouncy like the rest of my hair. I have been growing it out to a long side fringe but this still isn't the style I'm after. What's a girl to do! Chop it all off or let it grow a little longer!
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This is so relatable!
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When ever I get close to Fringe Fright, I combined a little hair colour through my fringe to give it a lift and cheer it up because, you know, fringes have feelings too! :P
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I love this funny portmanteau:
Bangry (adjective): a type of angry experienced by stylists when clients cut their own bangs.
Giggle, snort!
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hahahahahhaha gold!
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Fringes or bangs, the best way to keep them in check is having cute pins and hairclips on hand.
Daiso have a very kawaii range!
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I love a good fringe but opthalmologists warn that some fringes can cause severe problems with weakened eyesight if the fringes cover the eyes!
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Nothing worse than a long fringe in your eyes lol
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Incredibly irritating to the eyes as hair also holds a lot of pollution, pollens etc.
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good reason to go and have a trim
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I can't imagine ever not having a fringe
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Fringes are my head's security blanket!
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Oh yes mine too
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I'm still trying to grow out some layers, it takes forever
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Having a fringe it's not soo bad as everyone thinks it is actually it's quite the opposite with me I love it, It really suits me & next time I go to the hairdresser's I'm getting it done again. I reckon any women who has one wouldn't matter what colour her hair is as long as it suit's her face she looks attractive & really cute & if you can pull it off that's great.
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So true but then again, I'm fringe mad!
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I haven't had a fringe for years because I just can't stand growing it out
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I always tell myself I'm going to grow my fringe out but then I get impatient and cut it into various shapes!
The funniest but definitely not the wisest, was when I was younger and attempted to cut a cityscape into my fringe!
I still have nightmares about that one!
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Oh I will never grow my fringe out
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This is me so many times when I think I want a fringe
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Haha yes, I am growing my fringe out atm and its so frustrating & taking forever I feel like just getting it cut again!
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I am growing my fringe out at the moment and I feel like I'm on the 80's when it drys and I haven't got it pulled back with a bobby pin, but I'm. Lucky my hair is thick and grows reallly fast because I need a new style cut asap.
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I like having a long fringe as well find it versatile to have it or hide it. Never again will I grab a blunt fringe..
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