Practically everything about 2017 so far has been awful with some notable exceptions: Moonlight won Best Picture over La La Land, Kara Brown saw a video of a baby hippo, and curly bangs are back in a big way.
Think of your curly haired idols. Did they recently dare to cut a bang? Alia Shawkat’s been wearing her bangs curly for awhile. So has Jenny Slate and Solange. Not to mention me, your fav, Madeleine Rae Davies.
Controlling curly bangs is challenging year-round, but particularly in the summer when the air is heavy with humidity and your forehead sweating profusely. There was a time—full decades—when a curly had to forgo bangs entirely or (if willing to put in the effort) weigh their hair down with product to keep it IMPRISONED in so-called elegant waves and side-sweeps, lest they be compared to my hero, Carla from Cheers.
There were always a handful of rebels who confidently wore curly bangs even when they were “out”—your Beyoncés, Rihannas, St. Vincents, and Little Orphan Annies. But these are women of great style and confidence, two qualities often restricted to a select, blessed few.
And so we suffered through this, and this, and this. All unobtainable, though we probably tried, but not anymore.
Throw away your curling irons, embrace air drying, and let your bangs curl in the breeze! Let them spring freely from your scalp like...uh...springs! Think back to the ‘70s, ‘80s, and early ‘90s when people not only accepted curly bangs, but permed their hair to GET curly bangs. At my most recent haircut, my stylist gave me a curly shag inspired by Debra Winger in 1980's Urban Cowboy and I’ve never felt more free than I do when not having to fruitlessly flatten my curls with a sweaty palm. Also: I look fuckin’ cute.
Yes, my fellow curlies. We have finally returned to a time where we can truly be our best selves.