There is nothing worse than deciding you want the classic Bettie Page style u-shaped bangs and being unable to get your stylist to cut it. I went through a series of awful 'fringes' before someone finally got it right and when I look back on photos of me w/ a 'bad bang-job', I still get irritated. The Bettie Bangs are u-shaped, not straight accross as they may appear to be and almost always, they are nipped under w/ a flat or curling iron to achieve that traditional look.
Through trial and error (lots of error), I have finally discovered the best way to get your perfect 'Bettie'. Cut them yourself! Below are some the steps I take to achieve the bangs I want. I like to have versatility so I tend to go a bit longer w/ my bangs but if you want them shorter, just take some more hair off.
You will need:
Hair Cutting Shears (For goodness sake DON'T use paper cutting scissors or meat shears, people! I bought a good quality pair of shears at Wal mart for about eight dollars. They are FROMM brand but not as pricey as some of their professional grade shears that you can find at Sally's. If you can spring for the more expensive ones, it will be a worthy investment. So I recommend it)
Hair Gel (For taming down fly-aways that you don't want to get in the way as you work)
A fine toothed rat tailed comb (for sectioning off the part you want to cut and combing out any snarls)
A ponytail elastic (if your hair is long)
A magnifying mirror (a good choice so you can see clearly...also make sure you are working in well lit area)
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Step one: Using your comb, section off the ammount of hair you want to be your fringe-paying careful attention to symmetry as you do so. Slick back the remainder of your hair w/ gel and a ponytail holder, so as to avoid its getting in your way as you work. Make sure hair is combed flat and is completely dry since wet hair will have a tendency to draw up and leave you w/ bangs shorter than you want.
Step two: Cut the hair straight accross at first, using your eyebrows as a guide and again, keeping in mind that you will probably be nipping them under, which will make them appear even shorter. I cut mine to just beneath my eyebrows initially.
Step three: Now, take a gander at that center point of your bangs, right between the brows. Taking one side of your straight fringe, cut *down* to that point. Eyeball where the end of your bangs hits, in relation to your ear, so that you have a good idea of where the other side should end as well. You can make the U as severe or as subtle as you like. Some people make a guide out of a paper plate or even use a bowl to get their perfect curve. Some gals opt for a straight up 'V' instead of a 'U' shape. Discover what works best for you.
Step Four: Now, cut *up* to the other side of the curve from the center point. Always err on the side of caution and keep the bangs longer than you want them initially. You can take away but you *can't* 'add to', after all. After you have a good shape going, take away miniscule ammounts of hair to perfect that shape.
If your hand is unsteady or you feel that your bangs are not to your liking, remember that curling them under can be very forgiving and there is always next time!
