Fringe Benefits
Every so often a hairstyle will become an overnight sensation – the must-have cut – thanks to a celebrity.
Hairdressers across the world will remember the ‘Rachel’ cut from the 1990s – a layered feathery mid-length full volume look that became synonymous with Jennifer Aniston’s character in the hit US comedy ‘Friends’.
All of a sudden everyone wanted the Rachel cut. Whether they were young or old, had dark or light hair, it didn’t matter. We all wanted to look like her.
As a hair stylist you start to notice these trends developing. One person will come in asking for a very specific cut, then another, and before you know it there’s another craze.
Recently I’ve noticed that the fringe has made a big comeback. Loads of our customers have been coming in asking for a very angular precise fringe. And like the celebrity-linked ‘Rachel’ hairstyle, there’s a clear reason why the fringe is back in fashion. Her name is Angelina Jolie.
Brad Pitt sure knows how to choose the ladies and they, or their hairdressers at least, seem to know how to choose hairstyles that catch the imagination of women everywhere.
In the same way that his ex-wife’s hairstyle was a craze in the 90s, it seems the hairstyle sported by Angelina in her current film Salt is becoming the next big thing. But here’s the strange thing – it’s not her hair in the film! Angelina wore wigs for the role, but by doing so seems to have started something of a fringe-fest.
I love a good fringe. They can be used to hide a multitude of things such as frown lines and spots. And they are a great way to frame your face. But I would always issue a word of caution to those looking to have their hair cut into a fringe, especially one as precise as Angelina’s ‘Salt’ fringe. A precise fringe will frame your face, but in doing so it will also focus attention on it. That’s great if you’re Angelina Jolie, who is regularly voted most beautiful woman in the world. But for the rest of us mere mortals it’s a different story.
There are plenty of other things to take into consideration as well – your face shape, your hair colour, your hair type. These will all be important factors to consider when deciding if a fringe will suit you or not. But you don’t have to go to the extreme of buying a wig to find out whether a fringe would suit you. Call us on 0191 511 0288 and arrange to come in and see us for a consultation at our salon. We can run through the options with you, taking into account all of the factors I’ve mentioned above.
If you do decide that there would be ‘fringe benefits’ to copying Angelina’s style, and you’re using straighteners to maintain the look, then make sure you protect your hair from heat damage.
A product such as L'Oreal’s Texture Expert Liss Ardent will ensure that your poker straight hair doesn’t end up looking like brittle straw from overheating. And then you can use a styling product like Shu Uemura Fiber Lift Protective Volumizer to give your hair that Hollywood finish.