Fashion and Beauty

Dancing the Night Away IV: Easy Hair Styling Tips

Ever scowled at a man who took 10 minutes to get ready? We bet you have. Minimal hair and no makeup would make life a lot easier but that will probably remain a fantasy. Still, we have some tips on how to both cut down primping time and still leave the house looking gorgeous.

Hair is where we usually end up putting the most of our time when getting ready to go out at night. Between washing, blow drying, flat ironing and/or curling, by the time you get out of the house, you’re exhausted.

Breaking from the hair tools addiction will take time. It may seem like you are deviating from what is considered sexy but the truth is enhancing your features will make you stand out. With all the benefits, why not try these easy hair styling tips?

Au Natural (see above):
Carrie Bradshaw pulled it off best with her natural curls. When you have a very sexy outfit, it is best to stay relaxed in the hair department. Otherwise, it can come off as trying too hard. Recognize your hair type. Is it curly? Straight? Frizzy? Yes, ladies, there are even ways to pull off frizzy hair (see below). If you’re going to leave it down, you need the right cut. It will make things much easier. Second, keeping it healthy is key. You don’t need anything else!

A messy bun with curls:
The messy bun is a typical day look. To quickly add a little night time glamour, pull out your trusty curling iron. Keep something of a part in your hair before pulling it up. Then, choose deliberate pieces around your ears and the front of your face to create waves. Teasing the hair and setting it high on your head will add a whimsical Chanel look.

Fish tail braid:
Create a dramatic part on one side of your hair by flipping it and tilting your head. Add some volume by backcombing a little bit. Pull your hair over the opposite shoulder from where the part is and do a fishtail braid. Blow dry or curl the front piece of your hair so it moves away from your face, if necessary. Very runway. Very carefree.

When you can’t be bothered to wash your hair…

A sleek high bun:
This look can be primp and proper but if you have bangs, let them hang. Think Chloe on “Don’t Trust the B-.” All you have to do is add some product to get the hair, flip your head over, and pull hair into the bun. If you need to, wash, blow dry and iron only your bangs.

A sleek braid:
The go-to look for Serena on Gossip Girl. To give it an extra sexy night time look, first get your hair into a sleek pony tail. If you have an embellished hair tie, even better. From there, you can do a simple braid or a fishtail braid and tie it with a second hair tie half way down the hair or at the bottom. We love making the braid have texture in contrast to the way it is pulled back at the crown. This can be done by backcombing the ponytail before starting the braid or loosening the fishtail after adding the second hair tie.

Tangled pony tail:
Serena and Carrie are both known for nixing the braid altogether and simply wrapping a braided lock around the hair tie to hide it and backcombing the pony tail. Great for girls with frizzy hair.

Next week: Makeup!