The Oscar Does Not Go to the Hairstyles!

Anne Hathaway/Wireimage.com

The last award show of the season is the biggest and most-anticipated: The Academy Awards. Last Sunday night, Hollywood’s best and brightest ended the season in beautiful gowns, amazing jewels, and flattering makeup. But something seemed to be missing: hairdressers.

I’m wondering if they were on strike. The hairstyles we saw at The Oscars were boring or worse, just messy. I am a fan of controlled mess, and as a hairstylist and colorist, I prefer finished looks, no matter the shape or style. But messy with no control isn’t statement hair; it’s a mistake.

Nicole Kidman/Wireimage.com

Whose hair did look good? The ponytail carried much of the night, with Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon all wearing great updates of the timeless tail. Ms. Hathaway’s high ponytail, worn with a tuxedo, was polished and perfect, just like the rest of her looks that evening.

Reese Witherspoon/InStyle.com

Reese Witherspoon’s Brigitte Bardot-esque ponytail was a great update of the Sixties voluminous styles, and is one that can be recreated on almost anyone with the addition of a fall. We’re seeing the return of “big hair” and that’s just fine with me. Jennifer Lawrence’s sexy waves are a great example of that controlled messiness I like. It’s sexy, tousled, but also controlled.

Jennifer Lawrence/InStyle.com

Nicole Kidman’s ponytail was very controlled, with the right amount of body and bang across the forehead, which showed off her diamond necklace, which she wore backward so the rope of jewels hung down her back. 

Hailee Steinfeld/InStyle.com

Hailee Steinfeld looked polished, adorable and appropriate for her age in her ballerina updo. It was simple and classy, and instead of trying to look older, she highlighted her ingénue qualities. One of the problems we always seem to see are older celebrities trying to look too young, and ingénues trying to look too old. The choices need to complement their age, not fight it. 

You can take a $100 dress, and with the right hair, makeup, and accessories, look like a million dollars. But what we saw at the Academy Awards were million-dollar dresses that looked like $100 dresses because of the choices of hair and makeup. Your hair is your most noticeable fashion accessory, so it's always important to make sure your color and style enhance your expensive dress and not detract from it.