This Spring and Summer, There’s Something for Everyone!

Rihanna goes back to black...

If you’re feeling bored with your cut or color, now is the time to consider a change. Spring is always a time of renewal, when we think about spring cleaning, changing up rich fall and winter colors for lighter, brighter spring and summer colors, going shorter, going lighter, adding highlights, cutting bangs. It’s a transformative time of year, and there is no one trend that dominates. For every Emma Stone who decides to go blonde again, there’s Rihanna who decides to go back to black.

But with that said, here are some of the looks we’re seeing repeated over and over in the magazines, on the style blogs, and on celebrities…

Krysten Ritter's baby bangs

BANGS: Baby bangs, blunt bangs, soft and wispy bangs. Whatever your bang, it’s one of the easiest ways to make a major style change yet still maintain the length of your hair, which so many women are loathe to let go of completely.

Actress Krysten Ritter has some of the most flattering baby bangs we’ve seen – they’re edgy, a little rock-and-roll, very urban, and a bit retro, too, especially paired with her black hair. 

Baby bangs at Versace

The trick with very short bangs is to be sure they don’t look as if you cut them yourself – or worse, that a three-year-old cut them while you napped, like the model from the Versace Fall 2012 runway.  This is when you want to consult your stylist and get a professional opinion about whether they’re the most flattering bang for your face, and then have them cut professionally to be sure they avoid the dreaded “kindergarten” look.

Blunt bangs at Marni

Blunt bangs are another style that isn’t the easiest to pull off – the heavy geometric quality isn’t flattering to every face shape, and they can be severe. They also tend to grow out very quickly, and are not easy to maintain yourself, necessitating frequent trips to the salon. 

Blunt bangs at Elie Saab

You’ll notice that both examples of this look are from the Fall 2012 runways (Marni and Elie Saab) and not real life; they flatter a model’s more exaggerated bone structure. Again, this is where a stylist’s expertise comes in; if they’ll look fabulous on you, your stylist will tell you truthfully.

Nicole Richie's wispy bangs

By far the most flattering bangs are soft fringes, or wisps. Seen here on cuts, colors, and face shapes as diverse as Nicole Richie’s softly layered golden shag, Alexa Chung’s ombréd brunette bob, and Florence Welch’s flame-colored waves, they’re versatile and can be worn piece-y, pushed to the side, or down. 

Alexa Chung's piece-y fringe

Florence Welch's soft fringes

It’s hard to go wrong with this style of bang, and they accentuate the eyes and well-shaped brows, hide a high forehead, bring balance to a disproportionate face, and are a great way to cover an aging forehead.     

January Jones' graduated bob

Emily Blunt's graduated bob

BOBS: The bob is one way to still feel like you have length while losing a lot of the weight from your hair, often freeing up more texture, trimming away damaged ends, and depending on whether it’s a “lob”, a graduated bob like those of January Jones and Emily Blunt, an asymmetrical bob like Ali Larter’s, or a cropped and sideswept bob like Cameron Diaz’s, it’s a cut with a lot of vitality and movement that offers plenty of styling options.

Ali Larter's asymmetrical bob

Cameron Diaz's cropped bob

Exposing the neck is a very elegant look, it creates height, and it is also cooler as the weather gets warmer and more humid. 

PIXIES: Actresses Michelle Williams and Ginnifer Goodwin have single-handedly made the pixie a go-to haircut again. 

Michelle Williams

Ginnifer Goodwin

More and more women are coming into my salon requesting truly short hair, and even more surprising is that they are maintaining it, not trying the style out and starting to grow it in immediately. 

Ruby Rose

Here’s Ruby Rose with another variation on the pixie, a bit more edgy than either Michelle or Ginnifer. The other advantage to these pixie cuts is that you can experiment with color and risk minimal damage since the hair is so short and grows out quickly.

Ashlee Simpson

RAZORED CROPS: Razor cutting is back in vogue, and it is being applied to cropped styles as varied as those shown here on Ashlee Simpson, Morena Baccarin, and Jennie Garth. 

Morena Bacccarin

It creates tremendous texture and allows the hair to literally be pushed into a variety of styles, with minimal product. 

Jennie Garth

It’s another styling option for the hot months, yet it looks sophisticated and fashion forward, and never too innocent.

Allison Williams 

Christina Aguilera

LONG LAYERS: No matter the season, long hair never goes out of style. Women will brave heat and humidity without ever considering a shorter cut. 

But layered looks are definitely trending, which remove weight around the perimeter and often through the interior, creating texture and movement, and adding interest when the hair is styled into a casual or formal up-do. 

Lily Aldridge, layered ombre

Jessica Biel, darker and layered

The variety can be seen by looking at the pictures of NBC news anchor Brian William’s actress daughter Allison, Christina Aguilera, Victoria’s Secret model Lily Aldridge, and Jessica Biel. It all depends on you hair’s natural texture, density, and level of damage.

COLOR, COLOR EVERYWHERE: Color is a temping way to freshen and brighten up your look for the coming months, but it also means a commitment to taking extra care of your hair. 

Emma Stone, back to blonde

Jessica Chastain, a richer red

Whether you go blonde (Emma Stone – sorry to see her lose the red!), blonder (Cameron Diaz), redder (Jessica Chastain), darker (Jessica Biel), back to black (Rihanna – much improved!), or try color blocking (Miranda Lambert) or ombré (Lily Aldridge and Alexa Chung), you need to conserve the vitality and condition of your hair.

Miranda Lambert's ultra-flattering
color blocked blondes

The more you color, the more you condition. The more your hair is exposed to the summer heat and the elements, the more you condition. The more your hair is exposed to the chemical in the pool or the salt water at the beach, the more you need to condition. You’ll wash your hair more during the summer, and if you color your hair, it will fade faster. Glazes will help protect your color and keep your hair brighter and shinier for longer.

Even if your hair isn’t color-treated, switch over to a pH-balanced, sulfate-free shampoo, and ask your stylist for a recommendation on the right conditioner for your hair. And leave-in conditioners are wonderful for everyone to help protect your hair when you are outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather. Treat your hair well, keep it hydrated, rinse out the salt-and pool-water, deep condition it as often as your stylist recommends, and it will look healthy and beautiful all through the spring and summer.

    

Until next week, ciao…

When Country Went to Vegas: The Academy of Country Music Awards

Host Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, 
country music's hottest married couple

Recently, Marianne downloaded an app for her phone that allows us to listen to radio stations in my native Italy, and would you like to know what the most popular music is in my “home” country? Country!

That’s right. Country music is the most popular genre of music in Italy – in much of Europe as well, and of course here in my adopted homeland. There’s been an evolution/revolution in country music, which can now boast as many variations and interpretations as the category of “pop music.” Anyone who thinks country music is women in huge teased hair, too much makeup, and tacky clothes, or men in 10-gallon hats or baseball caps, pointy boots, and big belt buckles hasn’t been paying attention.

Hannah Blaylock of Eden's Edge

Sunday night’s Academy of Country Music Awards was a perfect example of just how much country music has changed in a generation. Yes, it does revere its icons – I think music has always been much better at this than some of the other performing arts – yet take a look at some of these absolutely lovely ladies, who may as well have been attending the Academy Awards with their understanding of fashion, hair, and makeup, and how to put all three together to create a total look.

Cherrill Green of Eden's Edge

Hannah Blaylock and Cherrill Green of the band Eden’s Edge are a beautiful study in contrasts, which no doubt works quite well onstage. Hannah’s glossy dark up-do and classic Old Hollywood Grecian-draped white silk gown are complemented by expertly applied makeup that further enhance “classic glamour” vibe. She looks like a cross between a young Elizabeth Taylor and Megan Fox. Her blonde bandmate, Cherrill Green, chose a very contemporary look with her ombre purple halter gown, loose beachy ringlets with multi-tonal highlights, and double-winged eyeliner – all very on-trend.

Karen Fairchild of Little Big Town

Another pair of bandmates played off their contrasting coloring was well: Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Rhodes Schlapman of Little Big Town. Karen’s look is very Sixties-inspired, with her dark Bardot-esque hairstyle, smoky eye makeup, and long plunging halter dress. 

Kimberly Rhodes Schlapman of Little Big Town

Kimberly’s naturally curly blonde mane is styled into a free-form modern shag, and her pretty pastel makeup is right off the Spring 2012 runways, as is her short white-on-white sequined mini with its tailored details

.

Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum

Next, we have a bevy of sexy brunettes. Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum enhances her striking green eyes with cool brown tones in her long, layered hair. No flat irons here – just tons of body and shine, beautifully applied makeup, and an understated black gown that makes the most of her generous figure.

Rachel Reinert of Gloriana

At the warm end of the brunette spectrum is Rachel Reinert of Gloriana, whose long disconnected layers and warm cinnamon highlights bring out the green in her hazel eyes.  

Katie Armiger

In the same color family is Katie Armiger, with her glossy all-over dark auburn color bringing out her bright green eyes. This is definitely a group of women who understand the power of long, luscious locks rather than too “done” up-do.

Shawna Thompson of Thompson Square

Thompson Square’s Shawna Thompson wore her long raven locks swept over one shoulder in a mass of loose, shining waves. Again, very Old Hollywood when paired with her dusty purple micro-pleated gown and vintage-inspired jewelry. 

  

Sara Evans' red carpet "don't"

Performer Sara Evans’ red carpet look was our least favorite of the night (an ill-fitting, Pepto-pink satin one-sleeved gown that would not have flattered ANYONE). 

Sara Evan's on-stage "do" --
what a difference!

But she completely redeemed it with her change into this sheer chiffon top and leather pants (WOW!), which brought out the warm highlights in her long center-parted hair. It really goes to show how the wrong color – even with the right makeup and hair – can throw a look off.

Taylor Swift

And then there were the beautiful blondes. America’s sweetheart, Taylor Swift, wore an haute couture J. Mendel white gown that was by voted by every fashion blog as the hand-down winner of the night.  Taylor wore one of her two signature looks: smoky eyes and nude lips, and paired it with a smooth blow-out of her trademark ringlets. She could have walked any red carpet from Cannes to Beverly Hills!

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland wore a neon pink gown with a bright yellow beaded belt that showed how pink should be worn. She also wore one of the night’s only ponytails, clasped low at the nape, but it was nicely undone and well-suited to her style. 

LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes and Laura Bell Bundy wore the few up-dos of the evening. LeAnn’s was gathered high with tousled ends, a smooth crown, and a side part with a few wispy pieces framing her face above a very short Stella McCartney dress. It suited the casual look she was cultivating nicely. 

Laura Bell Bundy

Laura’s low side-chignon was obviously meant to balance out her one-sleeved silver gown, but it was all a bit of a misfire. The chignon was a too messy in contrast to the rest of her hair, and the dress was perhaps too much of a good thing. Had both elements been taken down a notch, this one would have been a winner. Her makeup was gorgeous, though.

Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry

Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry wore her long layers in twisty mermaid waves that were much more rock-and-roll than country. 

Carrie Underwood

It certainly was quite a refreshing contrast to Carrie Underwood’s long blonde ‘do, which has remained essentially the same since her American Idol win. She’s a talented and beautiful girl, but she has a look and she sticks with it. 

Beth Behrs

One of the most attractive looks of the night was actress Beth Behrs of Two Broke Girls with her blush-colored Empire gown and matching makeup, and her artfully tousled waves and soft bangs. She was both angelic and sexy at once.

The night's "golden girl," Miranda Lambert

Finally, host Blake Shelton’s wife, the take-no-prisoners powerhouse Miranda Lambert, won not only ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’ and ‘Album of the Year,’ but was a vision in gold from the top of her head to the tip of her toes in a liquid gold sequined gown and cascading golden curls. Hollywood has absolutely nothing on these “Country Girls.”            

We’ve Come So Far We Don’t Know What Too Far Is Anymore

Elie Saab

I am struck, in looking at these pictures of the models from the 2012 Fall Fashion Week runways in Paris, that we’ve come to the point where anything – and I really mean ANYTHING – goes. I can remember that it wasn’t so long ago that precision was the reason you went to a professional hairdresser. Precision cuts, precision color; when you walked out of the salon, everyone knew you’d had your hair done by someone with training and knowhow and professional standards.

But much like today’s lifestyles, when it comes to hairstyles, nothing is out of bounds. Nothing is perfect anymore, and literally anything goes. It’s the era of no precision. Look at the bangs on the model for Elie Saab. They look as if they were hacked at with those blunt-tipped scissors issued to first-graders.

Sonia Rykiel

And what about the hair we can see hanging limp and almost greasy from below a wide black headband at Sonia Rykiel? Her hair looks absolutely fried, and in the past, we would have cut off hair that looked so damaged and unhealthy. Now, we say anything goes, but what should go here is a good eight to ten inches off the bottom!

Gaultier in Blue

And then there’s all that temporary color – or they’d better HOPE it’s temporary. 

Gaultier in red

Haider Ackerman

I’m not so worried about the dark-haired models at Gaultier (those are colored powders worked into hair that has been coated with styling cream) or Haider Ackerman (that’s a heavy gel infused with a lot of color and glitter). 

Junya Watanabe

I’m not even worried about all that pink paste on her hair at Junya Watanabe, because I think it’s been worked into a wig. 

Yojhi Yamamoto

No, the young lady who is going to regret her time on the catwalk is the blonde at Yohji Yamamoto. Her platinum hair is color-treated and therefore at least a somewhat porous material, even if she’s a natural blonde. That inky blue is not just going to wash out.

Alexis Mabille

The braided and twisted up-do at Alexis Mabille is interesting, and relatively speaking, looks highly complex by comparison. 

Giambattista Valli

The half-up-do at Giambattista Valli is shiny and healthy... 

Chanel

The slicked-back ponytail at Chanel a classic (if a bit boring, which must be why they felt compelled to glue stones to her eyebrows)... 

Givenchy

And the loose chignon at the nape at Givenchy also a classic shape.

Chloe

The loose natural texture at Chloe and Isabel Marant could have used a bit of finishing.

Isabel Marant

Just look at the difference between those two models and the two from Nina Ricci’s runway. Just the tiniest bit of styling and a deep side part, and their hair looks incredibly shiny and vital.

Nina Ricci

Nina Ricci

To some extent, we can blame this revolution in mediocrity on our worship of celebrities. They are some of the worst offenders when it comes to unflattering, damaged, imperfect hair. We’ve just blindly followed behind them as they set trends that are so ridiculous that most people have no idea what too far is anymore; now, too far is the new normal.

 Until next week, ciao…