Celebrity Hairstyle Trend: Bouffant Updos
July 21st 2010 03:11
Stylings of the late fifties and early sixties have been making a quiet return to fashion's forefront, and not just in the way our A-listers are dressing but in their hairstyles, too! The dramatic, Bardot-inspired bouffant updo has lately been spotted on several catwalks, countless red carpets and, most recently, in Prada's Fall/Winter 2011 ad campaign featuring the gorgeous Miranda Kerr. This style is a serious head-turner and is not one for the shy among us, but yes, it can be created at home with just a little bit of practice. Here's how it's done.
First of all, figure out what kind of look you're wanting to achieve. Do you want it seriously old-school and super neat, or with a more casual, undone feel? Is it for a formal event, or are you just wanting to add a little oomph to an ordinary day?
Once you've decided upon the overall style you're after, shampoo and condition your hair, then remove any tangles using a wide-toothed comb. Although second-day hair (that is, hair that has been washed the day before) is easier to work with, I find that freshly washed hair is best for creating a bouffant, due to the amount of product that is used. With all that mousse and hairspray, having second-day oiliness thrown into the mix can create a greasy look, which is the last thing you want when it comes to bouffants!
While your hair is still damp, apply a liberal amount of mousse throughout your hair (but keeping it off your scalp), then blow-dry. Tipping your head upside down as you reach the end of the blow-dry will help create extra volume.
Once your hair is dry, divide it into two parts at the crown - one part at the front, the other part at the back. Secure the back section into a ponytail or bun, to keep it out of the way. Then, tease the front section by back-combing it with a fine-toothed comb, until it's become seriously big (and with all that mousse, it shouldn't take long!)
Once your hair is huge, gently comb this front section the right way, to remove any snarls caused by the backcombing while still keeping most of the volume. Let out the back section of your hair, and then create a simple French twist with all of your hair combined, making sure that it's properly pinned. When you do this it's important not to pull too tightly on the teased front section of your hair: the goal is to keep that volume intact.
If you want to soften the look slightly, you can gently remove a strand or two in front of your ears or at your temples (as Hilary and Kristen have done in the photograph below). When complete, spray it all liberally with hairspray to hold it in place, and you're done!
The beauty of the bouffant is that it can be tailored to suit your personal style, without steering you off trend. If excessive height is not your thing then you can minimise it, and if you have curly hair then there's no need to straighten all of it if you don't want to; just do the front section instead.
You can also add a headband or a statement hair clip, or leave your hairline un-teased (like Mena Suvari has) so that a few strands can frame your face. Because it takes some experimenting to work out which bouffant style works best for you, it's worth trying it at home at least once before you step out in public with this style, as you really don't want to be stressing over your hair just before a big night out.
As the trend towards more ladylike and vintage styles progresses, you can expect to be seeing a lot more of these bouffant hairstyles gracing the heads of our favourite Hollywood stars. It may not be hitting the mainstream in a big way anytime soon, but as far as unique hairstyles go, the bouffant updo is a real beauty and has established itself among the best red carpet hairstyle trends of the year.
Kate Beckinsale knows how to create drama with a perfect, sky-high bouffant.
First of all, figure out what kind of look you're wanting to achieve. Do you want it seriously old-school and super neat, or with a more casual, undone feel? Is it for a formal event, or are you just wanting to add a little oomph to an ordinary day?
Once you've decided upon the overall style you're after, shampoo and condition your hair, then remove any tangles using a wide-toothed comb. Although second-day hair (that is, hair that has been washed the day before) is easier to work with, I find that freshly washed hair is best for creating a bouffant, due to the amount of product that is used. With all that mousse and hairspray, having second-day oiliness thrown into the mix can create a greasy look, which is the last thing you want when it comes to bouffants!
Rachel McAdams and Scarlett Johansson's neat bouffant updos add extra glamour to their red carpet looks.
While your hair is still damp, apply a liberal amount of mousse throughout your hair (but keeping it off your scalp), then blow-dry. Tipping your head upside down as you reach the end of the blow-dry will help create extra volume.
Once your hair is dry, divide it into two parts at the crown - one part at the front, the other part at the back. Secure the back section into a ponytail or bun, to keep it out of the way. Then, tease the front section by back-combing it with a fine-toothed comb, until it's become seriously big (and with all that mousse, it shouldn't take long!)
Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani reach new heights with their majorly amped-up hair.
Once your hair is huge, gently comb this front section the right way, to remove any snarls caused by the backcombing while still keeping most of the volume. Let out the back section of your hair, and then create a simple French twist with all of your hair combined, making sure that it's properly pinned. When you do this it's important not to pull too tightly on the teased front section of your hair: the goal is to keep that volume intact.
If you want to soften the look slightly, you can gently remove a strand or two in front of your ears or at your temples (as Hilary and Kristen have done in the photograph below). When complete, spray it all liberally with hairspray to hold it in place, and you're done!
Hilary Duff and Kristen Stewart go for a more casual bouffant style, with less height at the crown and some loose strands at the front.
The beauty of the bouffant is that it can be tailored to suit your personal style, without steering you off trend. If excessive height is not your thing then you can minimise it, and if you have curly hair then there's no need to straighten all of it if you don't want to; just do the front section instead.
You can also add a headband or a statement hair clip, or leave your hairline un-teased (like Mena Suvari has) so that a few strands can frame your face. Because it takes some experimenting to work out which bouffant style works best for you, it's worth trying it at home at least once before you step out in public with this style, as you really don't want to be stressing over your hair just before a big night out.
January Jones adds a headband to her retro style, while Mena Suvari modernises it with soft strands around her hairline.
As the trend towards more ladylike and vintage styles progresses, you can expect to be seeing a lot more of these bouffant hairstyles gracing the heads of our favourite Hollywood stars. It may not be hitting the mainstream in a big way anytime soon, but as far as unique hairstyles go, the bouffant updo is a real beauty and has established itself among the best red carpet hairstyle trends of the year.
| 170 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog