We’ve all thought it, and all it takes is seeing a great one out in the wild to make us think to ourselves again: should I get a fringe? Well, we spoke to a top Auckland hairdresser to get her opinion on the most important thing to consider before you get a fringe.
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If I had a dollar for every time I thought to myself, ‘Should I get a fringe?’, I would have a lot of money. To see a good fringe out in the wild – or on Instagram – is enough to restart this question in my head: ‘is this for me?’
But, like a bad break-up, the impact of a bad fringe lasts a long time. So, we asked top Auckland hairdresser Katie Hook, the owner of Hook’d, the key question: what is the most important factor to consider when deciding if you should get a fringe?
And it’s not face shape, or hair texture, or age, or life stage. No, it’s something much simpler.
“Lifestyle,” Katie says. “Anyone can have a fringe but how it will impact your day – and how you will deal with it, I think is key.”
Katie is a big fan of the fringe as a way to freshen things up. “A fringe is SUCH an incredible way to change up a look without committing to taking heaps of length off,” she says. “It really makes any haircut feel like a style and they make wearing hair up or down super versatile.”
Whether it’s a spontaneous decision to do with a life transition or in responding to a style trend (remember the Normal People fringe mania?), Katie says chatting to your hairdresser is a great first step.
“Style changes are always great, if it’s a break up or birthday that’s spun a new look then I’m here for it. But a great consult even if you’re a long-standing client keeps the opportunity for any change open!”
Katie firmly believes that anyone can pull off a fringe, but because they’re are so individual to the person, talking to your hairdresser will help find the right shape.
“It means time is taken to make it right for you,” she says. “I think anyone can have a blunt fringe but is it square or rounded at the sides? Above or below the brow? Connected to front layering? All those details is what makes it unique to you.”
Taking along pictures or – heck, go to town – creating a fringe Pinterest board can be a great first step.
“Photos are great and a good way of pulling different perspectives of similar looks,” she says. “It also gives a definite idea of what you’re wanting rather than leaving it to interpretation.”
(Remember the Dudley Moore/Demi Moore episode of Friends? Exactly).
In terms of maintenance, Katie says fringes aren’t as expensive to maintain as we think. “Fringe trims are usually free at most salons within a time frame and make the whole cut last longer,” and she says those trims will need to happen anywhere “from 3-6 weeks, depending on growth.”
As we head into the cooler months, it’s a great time to contemplate getting a fringe. “Cooler months do give you the best success for a new fringe,” Katie says. “Having something new on your face can be such a different experience in itself (especially for those with stimulation sensitivity) then adding summer swims and sticky humidity can be a disaster. If it’s a new fringe then I’d recommend wait it out with a plan in place for when it’s time.”
And, worst case scenario, you can always grow it out. “It does depend on the type of fringe but mostly with a little maintenance at each haircut they’re relatively easy to grow out and each stage makes it less ‘fringey’ but they do take time,” Katie says.
