This beautiful, sculptural, upswept style was one of the most complicated looks we saw at New York Fashion Week -- but that doesn't mean it isn't doable. To simplify the process, Gilbert, this time for Kérastase, took a small section of hair at the nape of the neck, braided it, and pinned it up against the scalp to create an anchor for the other sections. Then, she divided the rest of the hair into two sections with a part down the middle, and crisscrossed the sections over the back of the head before pinning each side in place. She took the hair that was left and rolled it underneath, securing it into the braid. "The braid is the anchor to hold the tuck," she explained. Finally, she accented it with a shiny silver clip.
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Woven fishtail braids at Christian Siriano
The fishtail braids at Christian Siriano were so stunning, we've been wearing them in the office ever since. "I think the days of really soft hair are gone," said Aveda Global Creative Director Antoinette Beenders. "It's more about hairstyles." And we couldn't be more excited.
For this particular Russian-inspired look, Beenders dried the hair straight and then divided it into two sections with a middle part. She then braided an inverted fishtail on each side of the head from the crown to the ends and tied it with a clear elastic. Finally, she crossed the braids over each other and secured everything in place with bobby pins.
If you're a braiding beginner, Beenders says you can do this style with regular braids first, then graduate to the fishtail.
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Twisted waves at Timo Weiland
When we arrived backstage at Timo Weiland, all of the models were wearing chic chignons in their hair. It wasn't until we spoke with L'Oréal Professionnel Lead Stylist Joseph DiMaggio that we learned that the buns were not the final look -- they were simply being used to create the perfect S-shaped waves that went down the runway.
DiMaggio braided the hair in three sections and then wrapped the braids into a bun. The hair was allowed to set while the makeup team worked, and then it was released right before the show. "It's a girl who's going out on the weekends; she's a feminine tomboy," he said of the inspiration. And we love that it's a curling iron-free way to get such pretty waves.
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1940s rolls at Carolina Herrera
At Carolina Herrera, the hair echoed 1940s elements in the collection. After blow drying the hair straight, hairstylist Orlando Pita for Moroccanoil created a middle part and divided the hair into three sections: one on either side of the face and one in the back from ear to ear. Starting near the part, he rolled each of the front sections horizontally along the head, securing it with bobby pins. Then, he rolled the back section up to create a continuous style around the head.
If you have fine hair, Pita suggests drying your hair with a volumizing mousse. Then, before you style, backcomb to get more lift.
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Feminine ponytails at Jenny Packham
The ponytails at Jenny Packham were extremely simple, but also really pretty. To get the look, Syfu used Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Blow Dry Lotion, $5.39, throughout the hair and Tresemmé Platinum Strength Strengthening Heat Protect Spray , $5.29, from mid-shaft through the ends and dried the hair straight with a Mason Pearson brush. She parted it down the middle and teased the hair in the back from ear to ear. Then, she pulled it into a loose ponytail at the nape of the neck and shook the ponytail until pieces naturally fell around the face. "It's an undone ponytail, but I want it to look polished and finished," said Syfu. To get that polished look, she tied a satin ribbon around the elastic.
Sure, the clothes are gorgeous and the makeup is fun, but New York Fashion Week is the ultimate for one thing: a major dose of hair inspiration.
From stunning styles to techniques we've never seen before, the stylists backstage never disappoint -- and Fall 2013 may go down as the best season ever for truly amazing hair.
While the hairstyles ranged from straight blowouts to elaborate braids, they all had one thing in common: They were high on pretty and low on fussy. Gone are the days of intentionally frizzy, wild, and wacky. "Right now, it's all about natural-looking hair ," says Tresemmé Celebrity Stylist Jeanie Syfu. "Even if I'm using a curling iron, I'm brushing it out to make the waves look less perfect." And since a non-perfect hairstyle is so much easier to achieve than some of the overdone looks of seasons past, this is good reason for all of us non-hairstylists to celebrate.
Want to see the styles that had us ducking into the bathroom backstage to try them ourselves? Check 'em out -- plus get the inside scoop on how to do the looks at home.
