Trend: Chunky Waves
Seen At: Gucci
DIY: Before bedtime, mist just-washed, damp hair with a leave-in conditioner and a volume-boosting aerosol spray (an aerosol spray will dry soft, and won't leave hair hard and crunchy). Then twirl one-inch sections of hair into spiral braids and let them dry overnight.
Short on time? Here's how Fashion Week tress masters create the look in a crunch: Wrap one-inch sections of hair around a medium flatiron, alternating the direction each spiral. "You're just kind of haphazardly wrapping pieces and dropping them," says Harry Josh, a hairstylist and spokesperson for John Frieda. "When you shake them out you'll get a really nice, loose, ropy wave and it'll hold all day."
Trend: Chunky Waves
Seen at: Ports 1961
Trend: Chunky Waves
Seen at: Preen
Trend: Choppy Layers
Seen at: Yves Saint Laurent
DIY: Sure, YSL's mod mushroom cut might be too severe for your au naturel sensibility, but there is something to be said for chunky locks! "Choppy layers enhance bone structure, especially cheekbones," says Guido Palau, who styled hair at Ralph Lauren. After applying a thickening lotion to damp hair, he blow-dried sections using a paddle brush and finished with a flat iron, creating "an even texture with absolutely no frizz."
Trend: Choppy Layers
Seen at: Ralph Lauren
Trend: Choppy Layers
Seen at: Oscar de la Renta
Trend: Twisted Tresses
Seen at: 3.1 Phillip Lim
DIY: Variations of the French twist ruled the fall runways. To achieve the side-swept twist created by Aveda stylists at 3.1 Phillip Lim, blow-dry hair straight, then part on the side. Take a lock of hair and, starting from behind the right ear, create a French braid running left to right (this will serve as an anchor for your twist). Fasten braid with an elastic behind the left ear. Slightly twist the hair and sweep it over to the left side of the head, securing in place with bobby pins along the braided base.
Trend: Twisted Tresses
Seen at: Monique Lhuillier
Trend: Slicked-Back Strands
Seen at: Zac Posen
DIY: There's no hiding behind your hair with this look! But while this pulled-back style puts your face in the spotlight, Palau promises it's totally wearable (Zac Posen's models loved the sleek updo so much, they sported the style long after clearing the catwalk). To get this look at home, Palau suggests using "loads of gloss" to create a "patent leather texture." Gel and hairspray couldn't hurt either!
Trend: Slicked-Back Strands
Seen at: Lanvin
Trend: Slicked-Back Strands
Seen at: Viktor & Rolf
Trend: Woven Braids
Seen at: Rachel Roy
DIY: Whether piled high or loose and low, braids caused quite a commotion on the fall catwalk. At Rachel Roy's show (one of our favorites, by the way), lead stylist André Rodman at Frédéric Fekkai SoHo was inspired by the Native American theme. Giving the traditional braid a modern twist, he incorporated a hand-woven fishtail technique: Start by spritzing dry shampoo or hairspray all over to give workable texture. Then pull hair back and divide into two sections at the nape of the neck. Take a small section of hair from each side, crisscross them over the gathered strands, and add to the opposite side. Continue loosely braiding, then secure with an elastic.
Trend: Woven Braids
Trend: Deep Side Part
Seen at: Donna Karan
DIY: While there was no shortage of center parts on the fall runways, it was the side-swept version, artfully accentuated with soft, romantic curls and flapper-girl styles (seen here at Donna Karan) that topped our tress list. And the deeper, the better: A side part minimizes a large forehead, plays up pretty eyes, and gives rounder faces the illusion of an oval shape. Which direction you swing toward, however, is entirely up to you.
Trend: Deep Side Part
Seen at: Dolce & Gabbana
Trend: Deep Side Part
Seen at: Badgley Mischka
Trend: Faux Bob
Seen at: Behnaz Sarafpour
DIY: Why is the faux bob so fabulous? You can get a trendy `do without having to snip your lovely locks—genius! To create the sleek bob seen at Behnaz Sarafpour, first mist hairspray over your strands and divide into top and bottom. Tease and back-comb the hair at the nape of your neck. Next, create a base by twisting hair into a low ponytail, wrapping under, and pinning in place. Let down the top portion and flatiron, then curl under and attach to the base.
Trend: Faux Bob
Seen at: Betty Jackson
Trend: Faux Bob
Seen at: Donna Karan
Trend: Pumped-Up Body
Seen At: Cynthia Rowley
DIY: Some hairstyles on the fall runway were electrifying—in quite a hair-raising way. To achieve the soft, voluminous hair at Cynthia Rowley, Avon stylist Allen Ruiz applied a volumizing mousse to wet hair, concentrating at the roots. After blow-drying hair with a two-sided oval brush until nearly dry, he spritzed an extra-hold hairspray to add texture and volume. He then continued blow-drying while back-combing the hair and finished with a shine spray.
Trend: Pumped-Up Body
Seen at: Dior
Trend: Pumped-Up Body
Seen at: Enrico Coveri
Trend: Billowy Updo
Seen At: Thakoon
DIY: Teased, unstructured updos flourished at the fall shows. "The look is tough yet dreamlike, imaginative and romantic," says stylist Eugene Souleiman about Thakoon's hair (shown here). "There is a touch of Victorian lady but with a real modern edge. The foundation of this look is volume at the roots, which any woman can achieve simply by backcombing hair at the roots using products that give fullness and grit to the hair."
Trend: Billowy Updo
Seen at: Derek Lam
Trend: Billowy Updo
Seen at: Twinkle by Wenlan
Trend: Bold Bun
Seen at: Rodarte
DIY: While traditional chignons were plentiful, many designers took buns to a whole new level. At Rodarte, Aveda stylist Odile Gilbert went square instead of circular. "We created a very graphic, Japanese-inspired, glossy square chignon—in a barrette shape—using the model's own hair," says Gilbert. "We added a black V-shaped extension on blonde hair and a blond extension on black hair for added drama." To adapt this look for everyday, skip hair extensions and just go with the bun.
How to be square: After blow-drying hair straight, pull it into a ponytail. Spray water on the pony, pull it horizontally to the right, and fasten flat against the head about one inch from the center. Loop hair horizontally to the left and fasten the same distance from the center. Loop back and forth until all hair is used, spraying hairspray on each layer as you go. When done, tuck ends under and pin in place.
Trend: Bold Bun
Seen at: Matthew Williamson
Trend: Bold Bun
Seen at: Alexander McQueen
Trend: Plush Headbands
Seen at: Marc Jacobs
DIY: Marc Jacobs' models strutted down the runway with fuzzy halos. Now unless you're Mary-Kate Olsen (who has been seen sporting the look), chances are a preppy Blair Waldorf-style headband is better suited to your tastes. To pull off this hair-accoutrement trend, stick with styles with a little padding over plastic. Bonus points if the band has sequins like Dior's Valley of the Dolls version or feathers like Hervé Léger's whimsical variety.
Trend: Plush Headbands
Seen at: Dior
Trend: Plush Headbands
Seen at: Hervé Léger
