Fashion King Model

The Half Side Braid.

From L-R: Adele, Annasophia Robb and Kendra Wilkinson

Whether traditional, classic or with an evocative allure, braids in so many different ways are taking over Hollywood. And it appears, Adele, AnnaSophia Robb and Kendra Wilkinson all agree since they’ve sported unique braided looks.
Adele opted for a wraparound Heidi style braid, Robb went for a more traditional look, parting her hair to the side and weaving it into two French braids that wrapped around each other into a braided bun in the back. And Wilkinson went funkiest of all, separating her hair into four sections and Dutch-braiding cornrows in each. She then coiled all the braids into a tight knot.
When it comes to braided looks, the half side braid is gaining momentum on the red carpet. Carmen Electra has rocked lopsided braids over the past few months and so has Jennifer Aniston at the Spike Guys Choice Awards. Khloe Kardashian was the latest celebrity to debut her own version of the half braided head at an event. This fancy update to the braid is becoming a trend.

From L-R: Jennifer Morrison, Khloe Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston and Carmen Electra

Credits: HuffingtonPostStyle, People Magazine

The Headscarf.

From L-R: Marc by Marc Jacobs summer/spring 2013, Dolce and Gabbana summer/spring 2013

 A headscarf is an easy way to make a hairstyle that little bit more special, and the Dolce and Gabbana summer/spring 2013 pinned twists were all the prettier for the printed scarves tied loosely around them. Marc by Marc Jacobs also featured wrapped heads for the summer/spring 2013 collection making the head scarf the accessory of choice for hair come summer/spring 2013.
Fendi made it the go to accessory for a quick hair fix in the Resort 2014 collection. Consider the humble hair wrap, which Juliana Schurig models not one, not two, but three different ways for Silvia Venturini Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld’s latest collection, and which keeps hairline fuzz and bad hair days comfortably—and stylishly—at bay.

Fendi Resort 2014

Credits: styledotcom

The Hair Bow.

Remember Lady Gaga with the huge hair bow at the release of Poker Face in 2009? Guess what? It is making a comeback! Creating loops and bows out of really long hair isn’t anything new but it is getting more sophisticated since Lady Gaga.

Sky high topknots have been making the rounds on the red carpet and everywhere else from Kim Kardashian to Kelly Osbourne but it is a very sharp look that doesn’t work for everyone even on a normal day. A hair bow is a better way to upgrade from the bun and stay on trend without going to the salon.
 
Here’s how to create the hair bow in three easy steps. First, tie the hair into a high ponytail, pulling the last piece of hair only halfway through to make a loose bun. Second, tease the bun to fan it out and create a part in the center. Finally, take the remaining section of the hair and pull it through the centre of the parted bun, then fix in place with hair pins. Add a little finishing hairspray for a polished look.


And there you have it – a beautiful bow tie without the fuss of silly hairbands or scrunchies.

Hair Accessories.

It is often said that hair is a woman’s crowning glory and it is with that sentiment that there are so many hair accessories to pull off the polished look. Here’s what’s hot where hair accessories are concerned.
Hair Flowers. Think Niecy Nash’s signature flower and you’ve got the look. These come in an assortment of colors and add the finishing touch to a hairstyle. Flowers look very chic adorning an afro.

Niecy Nash with her signature hair flower.

Hair Bows. Hair bows are the cutest thing especially small ones but if you want not only statement making one, then big is definitely the way to go.

Lady Gaga wearing a bow made out of hair.

Headbands/Alice Bands. One of the most popular in hair accessories. Easy to wear and available in an assortment of colors, designs and all shapes and sizes.

Dolce and Gabbana runway headbands.

Ribbons. Ribbons are the go to option for those who hate the feel and dig of a headband on the head. A ribbon can be styled into a bow for a change instead of the conventional tie around the head.

Floppy bows made out of hair ribbons

Fascinators.  There is nothing as fascinating as a fascinator sitting atop someone’s head. They are certainly good to look at and get all the attention they deserve. Fascinators are usually worn to parties especially weddings and not the club.

Kate Middleton in a Fascinator.

For tips about headbands, check out a post we did here.

The High Bun.

The High bun, Top Knot or ballerina buns are making the rounds amongst celebrities as the hairstyle of the moment and it seems it is here to stay for awhile at least.
From messy, textured to full the high bun is as easy to make as any other Up Do hairstyle.
Tip: Pull your hair into a ponytail, twist the hair slightly and wrap it upward and around the elastic band for a fuller-looking bun. Secure it into place, and then smooth the top knot with your brush to tame any fly-away.

From L-R: Textured Bun, Sleek Bun, ,Messy Bun, Big Bun.

If your bun isn’t as thick as you want it to be, you can clip in a hair extension underneath a layer of your hair inbetween the crown and nape of your neck, but put it in upside down. So when you pull it up into a ponytail the clips that keep it in won’t bulge out due to being pulled in the opposite direction.
Remember that not all buns have to be professional looking. A messy one can easily do for a laid back look. And you can do one in braids ala Beyonce.

Accessories: Headbands.

Headbands have made a fierce comeback on the fashion seen due to the show Gossip Girl. They were made popular by Leighton Meester’s character Blair Waldorf on the show whose signature hair accessory is the headband. Ever since the show’s premiere five years back; the hair band has proved to be the hair accessory of choice lately for so many celebrities and designers alike.
Headbands not only come in all sorts of colours, sizes and shapes; they are spot a few embellishments too from glitter to jewel encrusted ones with a variety of to choose from.
Try not to miss out on this hair accessory trend just because you don’t know what hair band suits you.

Here is a few tips on how to accessorize your hair with a headband.
Dress Up a Pixie
Having short hair rather a pixie cut is no excuse for not dressing up your hair by wearing a head band. Choose one that slims and lies flat against the head E.g. Michelle Williams, Evan Rachel Wood.


Floppy Bow
Take a ribbon from one of your favourite dresses and try this easy look: wrap it around your head twice. Position it at the base of your neck, pull the sides up behind your ears and tie in a loose bow. Twist the bow off to one side an irresistibly adorable look.


Ultra Thin
A skinny headband makes a really sophisticated statement. Take a tip from Ginnifer Goodwin and Busy Phillips and opt for one in neutral tones like gold, ivory or silver, and be sure to have a snug fit.


Go Big
The rules of a statement headband like Jamie King’s are no different than statement jewellery. Keep the rest of your look simple-avoid garish patterns or loud colours-and skip earrings and necklaces altogether.


Try the Low-Key Look
A stretchy jersey headband is perfect for edgy, down to earth girls. For a subtle take, try one that matches your hair colour exactly, or keep strands off your face with a knotted headband.

Common Hair Mistakes.

All women try to maintain their hair looking good all the time but in doing so, there are some mistakes they make when hair growth is poor and lacks lustre.

Split Ends. Most women think that not trimming or cutting off split ends will enable hair growth yet it is not the case. Leaving split ends only hinders hair growth. It is good practice to cut them off whenever you go for a touch up.

Combing Wet Hair. We all make this mistake even the well learned stylists at the salon. Hair breaks easily whenever it is combed while wet because, the more you try to pass a comb through to untangle it, most of it remains in the comb. Before making an attempt at combing wet hair, first put conditioner and then proceed.

Holding Hair in one position/place. This is usually committed by ladies who get their weaves or hair additions bonded. Different glues are used to bond the hair additions to the skin(because they want it to blend in with their natural hair) which kills the roots due to overuse.

Toweling hair dry. It is better to tie a towel around wet hair turban style after washing it to soak up the excess water instead of vigorously toweling it dry. Every time you do this, the hair breaks and most of it remains in the towel.

Lack of rest. One of the hindrances to hair growth and lustre is too many visits to the salon and the heated styling tools they use on the hair. Over use of the dryer, curling and flat iron tools makes the hair more brittle to the touch and it loses shine. It is good practice to let the hair rest from the salon and the styling tools by plaiting or getting a weave.

The pictures used are courtesy of google.

Braid It Up.