While the celebrity bob craze has died down—transitioning into lobs and, er, crobs, a neologism we just came up with to describe the cropped bobs, or shorter boy cuts, currently being enjoyed by Victoria Beckham and Rihanna—bangs are experiencing something of a revival. A host of A- (and B- and C-) listers are accessorizing their foreheads as of late, giving us the perfect opportunity to showcase the variety of lengths and styles on offer. To help you determine whether or not you can actually pull off these fringe benefits, we’ve enlisted Clint Wilson, creative director for Sassoon’s uptown New York City salon.

  jessica alba

The Look: Flattering for almost any face shape when the hair is pulled back, Wilson attributes Jessica Alba’s style to Mod maven Peggy Moffitt. “Be careful when you wear your hair down with this style, though,” he warns. “This cut complements a larger forehead, so if the face is small and the hair too long, it can close everything off.”

Try It: Coat hair with Davines Relaxing Fluid prior to blow-drying to protect hair from humidity and ensure a smooth finish.

 christina aguilera

The Look: Crediting Joan Crawford as the inspiration for Christina’s recent adaptation of this forties look, Wilson maintains that these bangs are an excellent choice for the kind of woman who is looking to make a bold statement. “But be warned,” he says. “These are hard to replicate on a daily basis.”

Try It: To set the curl, use a product with slight hold, like Wella Sp Trend Set before blow-drying.

 paris hilton

The Look: “She’s emulating Linda Evans from Dynasty and is absolutely pulling it off,” Wilson effuses while cautioning that you can run the risk of looking too dated with this style. To avoid the bad kind of eighties tribute, Wilson extols the virtues of keeping this fringe soft so the style looks delicate, not kitschy.

Try It: Apply a heat-activated leave-in conditioner like Kérastase Ciment Thermique when the hair is wet to protect and strengthen before styling, then blow-dry and finish with a hairspray, like Davines Glam Power Spray, for hold.

 iman

The Look: “I’d say Cleopatra influences this style,” Wilson surmises of Iman’s “statuesque” look. “She seems to be shooting for a strong, striking appearance, and this definitely achieves it. It’s a great option for women with oval faces since it softens the overall cut.”

Try It: For Mrs. David Bowie’s no-frizz finish, apply Kérastase Serum Oleo-Relax to wet hair, prior to blow-drying.

 petra nemcova

The Look: “This originates from Bettie Page,” Wilson says, pointing out that if you have round cheeks like Petra, a pinup-girl style can add length to your face and flatter your bone structure. “It’s not a great look for people with smaller foreheads, though,” he adds, since it will make everything seem more condensed.

Try It: Blow-dry hair straight, curling the ends under slightly with a narrow-barreled round brush, and follow with Wella Sp Flashlight to add extra shine.

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