Bored Bored!

I've decided that I need a new hairstyle. Right before it became HUGE to have the sideswept bangs I did that and I also put red highlights in my hair which I was a big fan of. However, I'm lazy. Most of the time I have my bangs swept back into a ponytail and when I go out it takes me years to get them to sweep to the side! Shouldn't they, just by their name, do that already? I know I know... I'm supposed to "train them" which involves wearing them swept to the side often (either by blow drying or clipping them there, etc) but I'm so lazy in the morning!

Anyways, that was about 5 months ago and since then I have not even CUT my hair. (hides from criticism). When I died my hair (JUST highlights mind you) it took 2 bottles of product and cost me about $200. So, although I want to die by hair again (it's faded to plain jane brown again) I do not have and do not want to spend that much money.

Do any of you have recommendations for an affordable brand of dye that is salon-esque? I want to go red again and am waffling between doing thick blocks of highlight or doing like an under layer of hair is all red or the over layer of hair is all red thing (in my research I've seen it described as 'scene' hair). What do you all think?


Also, should I keep the sideswept bangs (and commit to actually making them sweep to the side and to wear them this way as often as phsycially possible) or should I hack them off and get all over fringe bangs?

I admit to having a large forehead and believe this will help be cammoflauge the gigantic-ness and give me the feminine feel of bangs without a lot of hassle :-)

Totally off the subject - how are peoples' holiday shopping going? I have about three people left on my list and they're all getting gift cards! Heh. Do people think gift cards are horrible or what? Personally, I like them because it shows thoughtfullness as well as practicality. With a gift card I know you love me and I can get exactly what I want! Win win.

Folks -- This is my IDEAL hair. I know I can't get it exactly like this though because my hair is THICK as a horse's mane. I also don't think I'd get the bangs SO long as to be hanging over my eyes, but it looks super cute and cool in the picture :-)

Here is the "scene hair" I mentioned above - however, I want the peekaboo color here rather than the rockin' hair cut that's rather mullet-ish. I also would not be sporting such a vibrant color (NOT saying at all that this is ugly or bad or anything, just not me).