About once a year, I become obsessed with getting bangs. (Opens in a new tab) To me, it seems like the easiest way to completely change a look without having to dye, endure, or cut my bangs big. From edgy cuts to Parisian wispy bangs, there was a time when I wanted to have it all. Sadly, the closest I came was the awful side bangs that ruined all the photos I took when I was 11 years old. Despite years of wondering if now was the time to take the plunge, my stylist, friends, and my mother kept scaring me: "Are you styling your hair every day? What if I get a pimple on my forehead? What if I want to go to art school? And the classic: "What if I hate it?"

The isolated haircut scissors are coming along very nicely. (Open in new tab) But there are so many things to consider, from hair texture to face shape to bang style. Anyone can have bangs, but you may want guidance on a style that looks good on you and is feasible with your particular hair type. While there is no surefire way to determine if you should get bangs, here are some stylists who can at least answer this essential question: "Should I get bangs?

According to celebrity stylist Nafisa Carter (opens in new tab), face shapes fall into five categories, and which category you fall into should determine your bangs style. 'Wavy bangs are great for heart-shaped faces, while thicker bangs are perfect for round faces,' Carter explains. 'If you have an elongated face, heavier, straight bangs are more common, and anything goes with an oval face.'

You can absolutely go against convention and ignore your face shape and get the kind of bangs you think are best, but just be aware that you may not end up looking exactly as it looks in the inspired image.

Before cutting bangs, you should have a good idea of the texture of your natural hair and the effort you are willing to put into the new style. Carter's Tip Always embrace your natural hair so you can imagine how your bangs will look without styling. Even if you blow-dry or hot-tool most of the time, there will be days when you don't have time, and you don't want to be disappointed with how your bangs look with minimal styling.

When trying to choose a desired bangs style, Stylist to the stars and T3 Hair Care Ambassador Laura Porco (opens in new tab) says starting with longer bangs is a safe bet. This is especially true for curly hair, which should always be cut dry and natural to avoid accidental baby bangs (assuming that's not what you're going for).

We've traditionally seen bangs with straight hair, but thankfully, more curly-haired icons with bangs are stepping up to the scene, showing that (open in new tab) straight hair is not dominating. For those of you who have been told that you can't make bangs work with your hair type, I want to tell you that whether you have thick hair, fine hair, curly hair, or straight hair, bangs can be made beautifully.

Even if you don't intend to style your hair every day, it often takes a little work to get bangs the way you want them. Porco suggests that beginners to bangs use the rough-dry method, blow-drying the bangs forward and then to the left and right, to avoid splitting the bangs. Also, bangs tend to accumulate sebum as they rest on the forehead. Clipping bangs when at home is effective, but using a dry shampoo or leave-in cleanser is another way to keep bangs clean and fresh. Carter does not recommend cutting your own bangs at home, but it may be useful to cut your own bangs when they start to fall over your eyes.

Summary: bangs certainly need some TLC, but when they look good, they look good.

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