Wedding Hair 2009

Wedding season has come to an end for this year, and it's now time for next year's brides to start their planning. If you are getting married in 2009 it's time to find your wedding hairstylist and makeup artist, and start thinking about what kind of look you want to go for.

Hot Trend

When I'm trying to choose a style for a bride or her bridesmaids, I look to the red carpet. One trend that has been very popular on the red carpet lately is the messy french braid. What I like about this trend is that, unlike many other bridal hairstyles, the interest is in the front. I've seen so many brides choose styles with beautiful intricate patterns in the back, but from the front don't look like anything too special. When you are getting your wedding photos taken, they are of your face, not the back of your head, so it make sense to have a hairstyle that looks good from the front as well as the back.

The french braid can be worked into a variety of different styles depending on the type of look you are going for. Sarah Michelle Gellar (left), Amanda Bynes (centre), and Anne Hathaway (right) depict 3 different versions of this trend.
Gellar's style is the most modern, and my personal favorite, with messy curls pinned loosely in the back. This style works well with a formal or casual dress, and is appropriate for both daytime and evening weddings.

Bynes's style is soft and youthful, with the majority of the hair left down in loose waves. This style is best for outdoor daytime weddings, but by moving the part to the side, and with a little more finish on the hair that is left down, it can be transformed into a more sophisticated evening look.

Hathaway's style is the most polished, with a smoother braid and a neat bun in the back. This style is appropriate for a formal dress and formal settings, and works well with a veil.

Choosing A Style

Before choosing your wedding hairstyle and makeup, it is important to take into consideration: the theme of your wedding, the style of your dress, whether or not you are wearing a veil, and what kind of setting the wedding is taking place in. But above all you feel good about the way you look. If you choose a style that is too different from the way you would usually style your hair, or apply a lot more, or a lot less makeup than you're used to, you will only end up feeling uncomfortable. Meaning that if you never wear your hair up, then you probably aren't going to like the way it looks up on your wedding day either. The best wedding look for you is usually just a more glamorous version of the way you style your own hair, and do your own makeup everyday. If you really want to try something different then make sure you have a trial on a day that you can wear the hair and makeup out somewhere that you'll be seen, and see how it makes you feel. If you feel good, then you know it will be ok for the wedding, but if you do feel uncomfortable, then it's better to know it before the wedding day.

If you have any specific questions about wedding hair or makeup, don't hesitate to ask emily@emilyroop.com

2008 Red Carpet Hair - Simple is "In" for Red Carpet Hairstyles this Year

Whether you're going to your 2008 Grad, the prom, a wedding, or any other Red Carpet Event, the 2008 Oscars shows us that Simple is "In".

The low loose ponytail, featured in the three celebrities (Anne Hathaway, Miley Ray Cyrus, and Cate Blanchett's hair) in the images to the left was a big hit at the 80th Annual Oscars (2008) this year. I like this style because it's very easy to achieve, even if you're doing your own hair at home and this look is elegant yet relaxed.

So, it's apparent that simple is "in" but how do you go about achieving the look of Anne Hathway, Miley Ray Cyrus, or Cate Blanchett in the photos from Oscars 2008. Of these three celebrities, the celebrity that wore the low loose ponytail look the best was Miley Ray Cyrus. Paired with the low backline of her dress, Cyrus's soft waves in the ponytail and loose strands around the face really make this look stand out on her.

For those who have long wavy hair with layers around the face, it's simply a matter of putting your hair in a low ponytail, but for those who don't, there are ways you can achieve this look without going to your hairstylist.

To achieve this look for long & straight haired women, curl your hair with a curling iron before putting it in a ponytail (the curls don't have to be perfect because you're going to put them in a ponytail).

To achieve this look for very curly haired women, before you put your hair in a ponytail, blow dry your hair straight first, then smooth with an anti-frizz syrum. You don't need to flat-iron because you want the hair to still have body.

To achieve this look for short haired women, you can utilize clip-in hair extensions. When selecting a hair extension, choose a color either the same shade or lighter than your current hair color. Your hair naturally lightens towards the ends so a lighter tone will look more natural whereas if you choose a color that's too dark, it will look unnatural.

If you have a specific hair type you need a suggestion with feel free to email me for more direct advice at emily@emilyroop.com