The weather is cooling down and we all know what that means! It is time to WOW our classmates, co-workers and friends with our all so chic style! Now, before you head back to your stylist, check out the What is HOT and what’s NOT! Here are some celebrity trends worth watching…and doing!
The Long Layered Look
Think: Blake Lively, Vanessa Hudgens, Miley Cyrus, Giselle
With new seasons of The Hills and Gossip Girl hitting the airwaves, the tousled, long, layered, “California girl” look is a hit!
Here’s how:
Have your stylist start the layers at the collarbone, keeping the hair fuller at the top and wispy at the ends,” advises Ruth Roche owner of Rare Salon in NYC. “Hair should be simple,” Roche adds. “It should have an undone, almost grown-out look; not over-styled.”
If your hair is naturally curly or wavy hair (a la Vanessa Hudgens), you can keep it from becoming too “poufy” by having your stylist texturizing the areas underneath by cutting vertical sections. “This is like Spanx for the hair!” Roche says. “It keeps everything tucked in.” Alice Salizar, Director Stylist at Art + Science Salon in Evanston, IL agrees. “I create concave layering, cutting on a steep incline. Then, depending on the client, I snip or slide cut texture into the hair.”
If you are looking for the look of The Hills’ Lauren Conrad, Mezei Jefferson, national educator for Ulta Salons, recommends asking your stylist to cut short layers in the interior and creating a longer, side-swept fringe.
For a “just got home from the beach” wave on straight-haired gals, keep the styling simple. At Rare, stylists wrap nearly-dry hair around an iron and then tug on each strand gently as it’s cooling. Scrunching and tousling create the right degree of “imperfect finish.” Roche suggests, “Constantly working your hands through the hair while it’s still slightly damp will also create the look.” And, says Salizar, for a special occasion (the Homecoming dance, perhaps?), add a Hills-inspired braid to long, layered waves.
The Heavy Fringe
Think: Kate Moss, Rachel Bilson, Reese Witherspoon, Camilla Belle
This look is popular with the college-age young-ish twenty-somethings, and she says they all want that flattering, Kate Moss fringe. Paula Malloy, Creative Director for JCPenney Salons, says a strong fringe updates a long, one-length look. “Be sure to polish it off using a ceramic flat iron,” she advises. The very blunt bang paired with long, straight hair gives off a cool ‘60s vibe.
Here’s how:
While a heavy fringe is ideal for straight, thick hair, it works well on most hair textures except curly. “The fringe should be relatively long, just below the eyebrows,” advises Salizar. “ For those that don’t want a strong look, get something a little more feathered, like Reese Witherspoon’s heavenly fringe. “You can have your stylist create a choppier, feathered bang with a razor, rounding to the sides of the cheekbones,” Salizar suggests.
Shorter Styles
Think: Paris Hilton, Rihanna, Katie Holmes, Elisha Cuthbert
Short styles are more popular than ever for younger clients. Girls love Rihanna, not just for her vocal stylings, but for her edgy, no-fear attitude when it comes to her personal style. Salizar says that Chicago girls often bring in photographs of the R&B diva. “Even if they don’t go quite as severe, shorter-haired girls will ask for choppier, angled pieces inspired by Rihanna,” she says. But be careful – Pixies are best for petite girls who are edgy and want to stand out.
Bobs are timeless and remain popular, and there are many ways to wear them. Roche likes to cut her clients’ bobs so they skim the shoulders. Malloy recommends updating a medium length bob with a piecey exterior and a cool color choice. Another option–cut the fall bob on a slight angle with textured edges. This look is ideal for the girl who likes to shampoo and air dry on her way to algebra class.
Color How-Tos *for fall color trends click here!
Jefferson says that young Ulta clients are clamoring for Miley Cyrus’ rich color. To create it, you should book an appointment with yours stylist for dimensional coloring. You will need to have an all over color, along with “slice & weave” highlights on the top” and finished off with a glaze for superior shine!
To get Loren Conrad’s color you will have to have highlights done with 2 colors (once again dimensional color). Charles Baker Strahan of Rare Salon works on the tresses of the Gossip Girl crowd, literally. Their stylist creates a dimensional look by first coloring the hair; then at the bowl, he combs all the hair straight back and combs in a lightener, working the color away from the face. After processing, he finishes with a gloss to brighten up the look.
The “grown-out” color look is also hugely popular with New York girls. To achieve this you must book an appointment for highlights and lowlights, even on brunettes. Alternating like this creates a really natural look. Another popular thing to do is to have butterscotch-colored lowlights for “summered-out” blondes to warm up their bleached out color, again alternating placement—roots to ends and midlengths to ends—for the most natural effect.
