Widows Peaks and Side Bangs

Hair with a widows peak
Photo: Irina Bg/Shutterstock
Q: Do girls with widows peaks look good with side bangs or is that a no-no?
 
A: That's a hard question to answer, because there's more to what looks good in a hairstyle than just one aspect like the presence or absence of a widow's peak. The shape of the face, size of the head in general, the depth of the widow's peak, texture of the hair and the density of the hair will all play a part in whether or not you would look good with side bangs.
 
If you're concerned about it though, you can always opt for a slightly adjusted "side bangs" style, leaving a little of the fringe area to one side to mask an overly revealed forehead due to the widow's peak. This variant often looks great when done in a wispy layered style coiffed into long smooth curves.
 
In most cases, there are variations on hairstyles to allow people with different traits to enjoy similar looks. In the case of a woman with a widow's peak who wants to try side bangs, the obstacles are similar to those of a woman with a high and/or broad forehead.
 
By giving the hair long bangs cut along a steep curve and textured for a wispy look, you can enjoy the look of side bangs and not feel that you are exposing an inordinate amount of forehead. The look ends up balanced, which is always the goal, even in asymmetrical styles.
 
You should actually be more concerned about the texture and wave pattern of your hair when considering any bangs style. Remember if you hair is naturally wavy to any degree, cutting the length with lighten the tension on the hair and allow the natural curl to show itself more readily. I have personally seen cases where women have tried to give themselves bangs, only to have it go horribly wrong.
 
A close friend of mine has medium-texture hair with a gentle wave. For several years she had worn her hair long with no bangs and decided that she would like to give herself some bangs that would fall just below her brows. Because the hair had grown to fall past her shoulders, the weight of the hair kept it from curling into more than curving waves. However, when she washed her hair, carefully combed out the bangs area so that could cut it and clipped the bangs to the length just above her eyelids she was surprised to see the remaining hair pull upward and begin to curl more and more.
 
The end result was that my friend ended up with her bangs hanging to an inch above her eyebrows. Instead of giving herself an easy addition to her current style, she added another 15 minutes to her daily grooming regimen, because she had to blow out the bangs and flat iron them to get them to hang to the proper length.
 
So, if you want to try side bangs, I say give it a shot, but be aware of how your hair may respond to the new length and talk with your stylist before making any changes to see what options she recommends to make the look right for you.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
What can I do with my hair if I have a widow's peak?
 
What hairstyle do you recommend for thinning hair with a widow's peak?
 
How do you know if a side fringe will suit you?
 
I want to have the stylish side-swept bangs, but it's impossible. What can I do?
 
How can I help my bangs flow to the side?
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