"If I Could Turn Back Time:" In the '60s, Cher had crisp, straight bangs that framed her photogenic face.
Ryan Cotton, a celebrity hairstylist at Rare Salon in New York City advises that "someone with a long face can benefit from having a bang because it shortens the face."
"In all honesty, I tend to take my cue more from someone's eyes. If you have great eyes, you should have bangs," said Ryan Cotton. No one else embodies that statement better than Audrey Hepburn with her vintage fringes and winsome, expressive eyes.
Blondie (Deborah Harry) punk-rocked her fringes with an '80s, downtown, New York City aesthetic.
Across the pond, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders kept her style of bangs long and a little bit over her eyes. It's no wonder that she sang the lyrics to "Brass in Pocket" with such heart and conviction: "There's nobody else here/No one like me/I'm special/So special..."
Hermès named a bag after her. Serge Gainsbourg made beautiful music with her. Only Jane Birkin with her sexy fringes could claim these two, separate feats.
Vive le fringe: Daughter of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg, actress and chanteuse Charlotte Gainsbourg inherited her mother's talents and looks, complete with bangs.
"One thing I will say I have noticed a lot of lately is the center parting of the bang," added Ryan Cotton. "This plays up a youthful twist to any style. It can be retro as well which is fun." Charlotte carries this off effortlessly, remaining true to her family roots.
Cutting-edge and always at the front of the beauty and fashion vanguard, Kate Moss can wear literally any hairstyle, and in this particular case, these short locks all around.
Fellow Englishwoman Sienna Miller is fast on the fringes of A-list stardom. Her Edie Sedgwick style crop with bangs became all the rage when her film, Factory Girl was released.
Simply irresistible: As we compared and contrasted notes, Liv Tyler was on both celebrity hairstylist Ryan Cotton's list of women with the best bangs and on ours.
Although she didn't originally have fringes in the earlier days of her career, Liv works this newer look to her advantage. "One of my favorite things about great bangs is that it offers so much versatility for someone interested in keeping their length."
Neo-classical: Some might say that she's the modern day version of Audrey Hepburn. True, she captures old Hollywood glamour like no other, but Natalie Portman has taken the fringe look and made it her own.
Catherine the Great: Mrs. Michael Douglas has proven that she can pull off any haircut no matter what the film role may be—from her bob in Chicago to her bangs in Ocean's Twelve.
All About Eve: The successful music, fashion, and film star can undoubtedly multitask. In terms of her different looks over the years, Eve's bangs have definitely remained the most memorable.
The golden girl of The O.C. is a magnet to literally every photographer on the planet. It's easy to see why: Mischa Barton is so captivating that with or without bangs, the model-actress can do no (beauty) wrong.
Sideways: There has been no one of recent memory who has mastered the side-swept bangs better than Nicole Richie. To get this popular style, Ryan Cotton recommended these tips: "A brush is sometimes not even necessary for this look. You can use the round of your head and finger to obtain a perfect side swept bang. The key is to dry the hair from side to side, the air direction coming from the behind the section. Never point a blow dryer straight at your head."
Ryan added, "Push the hair from side to side, lifting at the roots with your fingers. The round of your forehead will bend the hair ever so slightly and make the bang seem organic and très, très chic."
This 25-year-old, porcelain-skinned beauty has been no stranger to the broad range of film roles that Hollywood has offered her. Yet Kirsten Dunst's fringes frame her face in a way that recalls beauty from another era—utterly timeless.
Legally Blonde: Despite her recent personal setbacks, Reese Witherspoon looks better than ever. Her fringes give off a youthful appearance that matches her wholesome, all-American sweetheart looks.
Renée Zellwegger has that unique talent whereby any role, or any hair feature that she commits to (like her blonde bangs), she carries off with such ease and little effort.
In terms of product, celebrity stylist Ryan Cotton told us that before he styles bangs, he likes "to prep wet hair with some styling lotion from Bumble and Bumble."
Bumble and Bumble Styling Lotion, price upon request, visit www.bumbleandbumble.com
As for hold, Ryan suggested this for fringes: "Once they are dry I love a great, dry, aerosol spray. I am in love with L'Oréal Professional Infinuim Texture Hairspray."
L'Oréal Infinium Texture Professional Hairspray, price upon request, at Rare Salon, NY, visit www.rarenyc.com
