3 Easy Long Hair Ideas for a Formal Look

It’s always fun to have a reason to style your hair different, you know, like parties and holiday get-together, where when you get all dressed up, your same old, same old hairstyle just doesn’t do you justice. You may be like me, and find yourself rifling through pictures at the last moment, searching for just the right hairstyle that will be fun, sexy, sophisticated AND easy to do.

Here are a couple of looks that are easy to do and you can try at home.  Give yourself some practice time and give it some patience. Don’t skim on the products when practicing either, products are a hairdressers best friend when it comes to making a hairstyle work and hold for a long night of dancing and partying!

Beyonce’s hairstyle above looks sooo chic and — it’s simple, simple, simple, to recreate! What makes this hairstyle look so sophisticated is the deep side part with sweeping bangs that have movement and stay in place.  Oh, and by all means don’t forget . . . chandelier earrings!

How to Get This Look

Day-old hair is best for this look, unless of course, you have fine or oily hair. Large waves are created by spraying two-inch sections with a light hairspray like, Shaper by Sebastian

I love this long hair knot!  And, yes, it’s almost as easy as tying any old knot. The only difference is hair tends to be slippery and needs to be secured into place, but that’s not hard to do with just a bit of practice. This knot looks prettiest on smooth, shiny hair. Shampoo and condition hair. Use a smoothing serum if needed and lightly spray in a shine treatment like Macadamia Oil Treatment my favorite! Blow-dry smooth and separate two-inch sections to tie back. Twisting hair as you tie will make it easier to tie smoothly. Secure with pins and mist with a light holding spray and  . . . Voila!!

Get a sophisticated ponytail like Oliva Wilde, by starting off with clean hair. Using a mousse like, Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam, before blow-drying with a large round brush, will help to add volume, shine and to hold curls.  Spray sections with a light spray before curling, using hot rollers or a 1″ curling iron, for extra hold. Brush through cooled curls. Back comb hair at crown, spray again and smooth over. Separate hair off in front of ears to be pulled back later. Pull rest of hair into a high ponytail and secure with elastic or wide barrette. Back comb remaining hair and smooth up and back to crown, pinning sections and letting them drape over ponytail to cover. Mist with a light holding spray.

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How to Get Kristen Stewart Bella’s Wedding Hair Style at Home

You’d be lying if you said you weren’t secretly captivated by the love story of Edward and Bella in the Twilight Saga… and also captivated by the understated up-do Bella had at her wedding (as worn by Kristen Stewart in the film The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1). This look is whimsical and romantic, simple and elegant. It works best for naturally straight or slightly wavy hair, medium to long in length.

Here’s how to easily get this look at home:

1. Starting with damp hair, blow dry after using a root lifter for volume (such as Extra-Body Daily Root Boost from Paul Mitchell
   ). Dry the hair with your fingers to allow for a natural wave.
2. Loosely pull back the hair into a low ponytail leaving out a two-inch section at the front which frames the face. Secure ponytail with elastic.
3. Separate the ponytail into four sections.
4. Twist two of the ponytail sections and wrap around the base of the ponytail into a freeform bun. Secure to the head with bobby pins.
5. Loosely braid the remaining two sections and wrap the braids around the bun into your desired location. Secure with bobby pins. Finish the bun with a light hold spray (such as Extra-Body Finishing Spray from Paul Mitchell
   ).
6. With the two front sections of hair, lightly tease at the root for volume and braid the sections. Pull the braids back on either side of the head and secure them to the bun using bobby pins. Leave down a few wispy strands to frame the face.
7. Finish the entire look with a light hold finishing spray.

Style this updo with an antique hair comb for a classic, romantic look or an oversized white flower for a more modern feel. Add the veil and any bride will be ready to stun her groom as she walks down the aisle.

Guest contributor Andrea Lemelin is a cosmetology student at Empire Beauty School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Andrea is a regular contributor on Hairstyle Blog. She hopes to take her education to a freelance level with an emphasis in wedding and personal hair styling.

For more discussion on updo hair styles you’ll want to check out these other articles:

• Prom Updos
• Up Do . . . How To’s
• These Formal Hairdos are Edgy Elegant
• French Twist Updo How To
• Updo Hairstyles
• New Years Eve Party Hair Styles
• Kristen Stewart’s Bella Wedding Updo

Crystal extensions and hair feather extensions chic for holidays!

It’s not too early to be contemplating new hair ideas for the holiday season. I mean really, did anyone else find spring and summer to breeze by with barely the time to notice? Well that was my experience . . . too much peripheral stuff was going on in my household this year, it involved a move . . . but now we’re about settled.

Anyways, now is a good time to ponder, or mull over some hair ideas for the upcoming holiday season. You know how quickly an unexpected invitation can come your way for some unexpected soiree . . . so don’t be caught trying to figure out a distinctly unique and charming new hair style at the last moment. . . I’ve been there, done that, it doesn’t usually work.

The trend this holiday season in hair may be best described as “casual elegant,” . . . ahhhh, perfect if you ask me! An elegant hair accessory is the key in making your do’ exceptional! Here are a few hair ideas for this season, just to get you pondering . . .

This elegant black feather and silk bow by Goody, is at Target for just $6.99 and can be worn to accent a chignon, a French twist or anywhere to secure hair up and away. This Colette Marlouf blue feather clip makes the look and can be found online at marieclair.com.

These chic Swarovski hair crystals come in a variety of colors with loads of different way to wear them. The real beauty is they are easy to put in and take out. Why bother fussing with hair crystal strands that need to be sewn or glued in when it can be this easy? These hair crystals are on invisible strands with 8 crystals per strand, 10.1/2 ” long and are held firmly in the hair by two small magnets. And, all this for only $5.99 per strand . . . gimmee, gimmee!

A lovely swarovski crystal barrette , just $18.50, will amp up any soft, casual, hairstyle and make it holiday ready. Curl your hair, pull one side up and secure with this barrette, or create a half updo or a low, mussy, ponytail, many options really! Or, try a rose clip or two like these at marieclaire.com,worn to pin down a fringe with a deep side part. This creates a 30′s retro look to your locks . . . which by the way, is another hot look this season!

Barb Quinn on Google+  

For further discussion on hair accessories you might want to check out these other articles:

• Hair Accessories
• Accessories for Hair Make Easy Wedding Updo’s
• Fall’s Hottest Hair Accessories
• Hair accessories — scarves, barrettes and other hair thingies
• Hair Accessories are Big
• Hair Sticks Make Captivating Hair Accessory!
• Hair Headbands and More Sparkle this Season!

Barb Quinn on Google+