bangs

Beyoncé Knowles, ever the hair chameleon, updated her hairstyle to match this season's trends. While she sported casual waves and polished curls throughout the Summer, she premiered blunt bangs and pin-straight strands at the Nets season opener over the weekend. This isn't the first time Beyoncé has worn straight-across fringe. But for a casual date night with husband Jay-Z, she paired her face-framing cut with a cat eyeliner and bold brows. A little bit of pink lip gloss, lavender nail polish, and a geometric Tibi jumpsuit completed the look. If you're looking to change your look according to the season, take note of Beyoncé's on-trend hairstyle.

At the LACMA Gala, the red carpet was filled with fancy fringe (and we're not just talking about the attire). Evan Rachel Wood, Salma Hayek, and Asia Chow were among the many who sported banged hairstyles. Get ideas for wearing your bangs proudly to your next formal affair:

1. If you're in the midst of growing out your bangs, choose Evan's parted style. It is the perfect choice when bangs have gotten too long to keep hair out of your eyes.
2. Salma went for a more mussed updo, with long tendrils pulled out of her ballerina bun. Try this piecey look if the shorter hair around your face won't quite reach into a pinned-up style or high ponytail.
3. For blunt bangs, go the retro route like Asia. Her straight-cropped fringe is reminiscent of Bettie Page or Louise Brooks and works well with cascading waves.

Insider Tip: No matter how you style your bangs, remember to apply hair spray to your comb or fingers first in order to avoid a face full of unwanted shine.

Those stories and more in today's news roundup.

• Christian Louboutin has given Martha Stewart permission to paint the iconic red soles of his shoes black. "I don't like them red, even though they're his trademark," she said. "But he doesn't mind. He said it's okay if I do that — I asked him!" [InStyle]
  

• Victoria Beckham shared two images from her recent Elle France cover shoot, which Karl Lagerfeld shot at the Chanel store on Paris's Rue Cambon. Beckham called the shoot "a dream come true!" [@VictoriaBeckham]
  

• London's Design Museum will exhibit a retrospective of Paul Smith's work next Fall, examining everything from the clothing he designs to the stores he's designed around the world. [WWD]
  

• French artist Fabrice Hyber's sculpture "1M3 de beaute" (translation: one cubic meter of beauty) is a cube of Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture number one lipstick that weighs about 330 pounds. The sculpture will be on display in Paris's Palais de Tokyo until Jan. 7. [Fashion Etc.]
  

• Meanwhile, British artists Mariana Fantich and Dominic Young took a pair of size 15 men's shoes from Savile Row by Barker and replaced the soles with 1,050 fake teeth. They call the resulting one-offs, which weren't meant to be worn, the Apex Predator. [Art Info]
  

• Because hair stylists weren't already specialized enough, a Los Angeles salon called the Private Room now has a station devoted exclusively to cutting bangs. For $20, customers can choose from bangs shaped like celebrities' from Katie Holmes to Rose Byrne. [The Cut]

Source: Twitter User VictoriaBeckham

Full-on fringe is a fashionable way to update your beauty look. But inasmuch as bangs have leaned longer for seasons now, this Fall, a number of stars have been wearing them just above the brow line. Note Taraji P. Henson's version; her choppy brow-grazers are a great option for breaking up the heavy line of a blunt bang. Bella Heathcote's tapered variety frame the eyes beautifully, while Jessica Biel's subtly teeter in length to complement her tousled waves. And the best part about this kiss-the-brow style? No more mascara transfer from lash to fringe.

From the red carpet to the runway, the oft-popular fringe has been taking a backseat to a longer, more swooping side style (which has been spotted at shows such as DKNY, Erin by Erin Fetherston, and Katie Gallagher). But that didn't stop Karen Walker from sending her girls down the runway with grown-out bangs so long that they tickled the tips of their noses. The designer, who's a fringe fan herself, paired her eye-grazers with a subtly texturized coiffure that didn't take away from the focal point. And with the bevy of hats and hairpieces that were staples in Walker's Spring 2013 collection, the bangs provided a great anchor for the structured accessories. Who said growing your bangs out had to be painful? Karen Walker proved that the look isn't going out anytime soon . . . especially when paired with a bright pink lip hue.

Bangs may provide welcome style switch-up for Fall, but they're also an excellent outlet for experimenting with whole new makeup looks. Because this style draws attention to your eyes, fringe makes for a stunning pairing with bolder, more daring palettes. Fuel your bang benefits with three sweet looks when you keep reading.

The Birkin bag? How about Birkin bangs? She's inspired a classic bag from Hermès, and now singer and actress Jane Birkin is the inspiration behind this upcoming season's quickest, easiest hairstyle update. While Fall may be the perfect time to enrich your hair color or get a whole new cut, if you don't want to make a huge change, adding fringe is a fabulous way to go.

"Refreshing your hair [for Fall] could be something as simple as giving yourself bangs," says Alberto VO5 hair expert Chris Lospalluto. "They don't have to be the straight-across Naomi Campbell moment; they can be a '60s-Jane Birkin where they're long and fringy." That way, you have options. They're long enough that you can easily pull them over to the side, but also short enough to look wispy and cool when worn down.

And to keep that wispy style from skewing stringy by day's end, Lospalluto recommends dry shampoo. "You just want something to soak up a bit of the oil; refresh it so you can leave work and go to dinner and not feel like you have a greasy forehead." In a pinch? Try baby powder instead.

Bella Heathcote is on top of her bang game, and it's not just because her hair always looks flawless. The actress proves time and time again that a striking style needs a great makeup palette to complement it. At last night's GenArt party at the Chateau Marmont, Bella pulled off a fresh-faced look, which her glossy fringe framed faultlessly. Since her bangs already drew plenty of attention to her big blue eyes, Bella opted for a shimmery beige eye shadow and a swipe of black mascara to add just the right amount of brightness. To balance out her heavy bangs, Bella swiped a light pink blush onto the apples of her cheeks and finished off the look with a light coral lipstick with just a touch of shine. Try MAC Vegas Volt ($15) for a similar shade. When it comes to pairing your makeup with your bangs, take a page from Bella's book. Balance is the key, so play up one feature at a time to avoid looking too chaotic.

If you've ever tried to grow out your bangs (or your hairstyle for that matter), then you'll know it can truly be a pain. But there's an easier way to get through the long, often awkward process.

"To grow out fringe, work with your stylist to thin it out," explains Jen McGann, the director of cosmetology at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture. "Really texturize it and take some of the perimeter weight out on the bottom." This technique will help remove bulk, allowing you to use a texturizing or smoothing product to help sweep the bangs to the side. Then, once they begin to grow out further, simply part the bangs, allowing them to grow around your face. See? Growing out your fringe isn't so bad, after all.