The Asian "fringe"

That is not me in the picture. That is the beautiful Amerie (fellow Korean/Black woman). Of course, that is not important, but for the purposes of this post, her hair is.

So as I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I tend to re-create myself from time to time. In this case, I took myself back in time, circa 1988. While it has often been a staple look for many Asians, the fringe (also known as bangs) has not been a regular part of my hair lineup. In fact, having thick, curly hair has made that less than desirable, but what the hell, time to try something new, right?

Back in the 80s, when everyone had big, obnoxious, ridiculous-looking hair, it was ok for me to sport my "frollet"-Fro/mullet and still look a bit stylish. That is no longer the case, even though I do live in New Jersey (lol). So, when I went to my hairdresser, I noticed she was sporting some long, trendy bangs. I told her I liked how they look and she suggested that I try them out. So, I took the plunge. The response has generally been positive and they are growing on me. Of course, I have those moments when I feel like I'm constantly pushing the fringe off my face and I worry about the cruel return of my adolescent acne, but I'll get over it.

I am not the type to go fishing for comments and people rarely comment on my appearance (because I tend not to make drastic changes). However, oddly enough, people have commented that the fringe make me look more Asian. I'm not sure if it is the straightness of the fringe, the masking of my forehead, or the focus on my eyes. Regardless, I certainly find those comments interesting.

Step 1 of the Korean/Asian reunification process-go BACK to Korea. Check.
Step 2 of the Korean/Asian reunification process-eat and enjoy Korean food as regularly as possible. Check.
Step 3 of the Korean/Asian reunification process-Rock the fringe. Check.
Step 4 of the Korean/Asian reunification process-maintain my double eyelids, brown skin, and curly hair, all of which are inherently NOT Korean/Asian. Check. Check. Check.


Hmmm...maybe I'll try going blonde next time.