If you’re in a style rut and looking to spice up your look, bangs are a quick fix. The only problem is that there’s a lot to ponder before you whip out the scissors: styling, texture, trimming and so much more. Before you ask your friends, “Should I get bangs?” consider these pieces of fringe advice from NYU students.

Oiliness

Greasy hair is annoying enough, but bangs get greasier faster and are harder to hide. Luckily, it can be avoided if you’re willing to put in the work. Tisch first-year Stephanie Sui recommends wearing a hat on oily hair days, while Tisch first-year Erin Monreal has found a few other simple solutions.

“Making sure to wash my face regularly, not touching [my hair] so much and using dry shampoo between washes helps a lot,” Monreal said.

Trims

When trying to grow out your bangs, it can feel like time is moving in slow motion. But when you’re trying to maintain them, your hair seems to grow like crazy. It’s the most vexing of hair paradoxes. But there’s a simple solution.

“I trim them once every week and a half – I just cut them myself,” Sui said.

Grab your favorite pair of scissors, take it slow and step back to check how they look every once in a while.

Wind

You spend 15 minutes perfecting your hair in the morning only to walk outside to discover it’s a breezy day and your hairdo is ruined. Monreal admitted that there’s little that you can do about it.

“Just accept that it will happen and give them a quick adjustment in a mirror or camera once you get inside,” she said.

Inspiration

There are so many different types of bangs. Wispy, short, side and blunt bangs are just a few of the many options. Look to celebrities like Zooey Deschanel and Taylor Swift, YouTubers like BestDressed and even your friends for fringe inspo. Everybody can work bangs, so don’t be discouraged by naysayers. Just go for it, like Gallatin sophomore Sonya Mezhericher.

“Because I have curly hair, I was told that it would never work out or that I would have to straighten them all the time,” she said.

Mezhericher has now been rocking curly bangs for three years.

Growing Out Your Bangs

Bangs can be time-consuming and demanding, and growing them out can be as strenuous as maintaining them. Growing out your fringe can take several months, hair clips and headbands. LS sophomore Sophia Garcia had bangs for three months before deciding to grow them out.

“Patience is key,” Garcia said. “There is no perfect way to grow out bangs. Just remember that bobby pins are your friends.”

Bangs can be your best friend or your greatest enemy – and sometimes both at once. They have their ups and downs, but everybody should the haircut out at least once in their lifetime. If you’ve been thinking about cutting bangs, this is your sign!

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, April 15, 2019, print edition. Email Kylie Smith at [email protected].