The Hills are Alive with Wedding Bells & Great Style

Granted the bells rang nearly two months ago, I just have to say Lauren Conrad looked absolutely flawless when she tied the knot to William Tell on September 3, 2014. The more I look over the wedding photos, the more I fall in love! I've always admired LC's style but I was extremely thrilled to see how simple, yet elegant her long locks looked on the big day. Many brides think they need a complicated, extravagant updo, and where this is sometimes the perfect look to compliment your wedding day style, a simple understated 'do can also be absolutely perfect to complete the look. Example A:  

Photo courtesy of US Weekly

Having the perfect hairstyle is not just a wedding day stress. With the holidays rapidly approaching, a nice hairstyle can bring together your look for the much anticipated holiday party. Charity events, Galas, and Balls are also a great time to enlist a stylist for hairstyle inspiration. 

Whether it's your wedding day or other special event, the perfect style will always take into consideration the following:

• Hair length. No matter how great your stylist is, a short haircut (such as a pixie) will never be able to hold an updo. Know your options and tailor each look to your specific needs. 
• Dress style. It's important to take into consideration the style of your dress. If you have a unique neckline or fun back to the dress, wearing your hair swept up can help accentuate the style. If you want the attention to be on the dress itself, keep the hair simple. Conversely, if your dress is simple and you want the focus to be on your hair, try a style more extravagant. Whichever you choose keep in mind less is more. You don't want your look to be too busy. Direct the focus where you want it by balancing the look. 
• Adornments (i.e. veil, hair clips, fancy hair pins, etc.) Adornments should accent the style not BE the style. Work them into your look as a compliment to or as a focal point but don't rely on the adornment to make the look.
• Personal comfort. This is by far the most important consideration. If you are self-conscious about a particular feature, find a style that helps camouflage what you see as a trouble area. When I was younger, I was very self-conscious about my long neck. I had a hard time wearing my hair up because I felt too exposed. A nice half-up hairstyle was my go-to look to keep the hair out of my face while covering my neck and giving me comfort.

No matter the occasion or the style-rules, if you love the style and you feel comfortable and confident, you my friend have found your perfect look!

To get Lauren Conrad's look at home, here's a quick tutorial from LC herself!

Video from laurenconrad.com

Have questions? Don't hesitate to ask! Never be afraid to educate yourself. After all, knowledge is (potential) power and that my friends is a beautiful truth.

be.YOU.be.BEAUTIFUL.

A Friendly Rebuttal: Lie #3 explained

Today's topic is a little more controversial. We continue our series with the discussion about hair texture and layers as addressed in the refinery29.com article, "10 Lies Your Hairstylist Tells You". Let's face it, all things in life, especially art, fashion, and beauty are subjective. As they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and therefore this topic is anything but cut and dry (pun intended). 

Lie #3: Layers Make Hair Look Thicker

Who among us doesn't daydream about one day obtaining that perfectly beautiful Victoria's Secret hair? What do we love most about it? I'd venture to say the volume has a lot to do with our love for the look. The hair is full and thick with just the right amount of volume and texture. The soft waves give us just enough texture to help us feel "made-up" but not enough to make us feel "over-done". It's elegant and fun making it the perfect hairstyle for any occasion. And no one appreciates this style more than someone who feels they cannot obtain it for themselves.

The following is an excerpt from the rebutted article, "10 Lies Your Hairstylist Tells You", that I actually agree with and find helpful:

According to Croft, when done correctly (correctly being the operative word), layers can add the illusion of more volume by creating space between each hair. "No layers on super-fine hair pulls everything down to the same line, drawing attention to the thinness and flattening the top," says Croft.  

I agree with Croft in this instance but would like to add too many layers can make the perimeter, or the ends, of the hair look sparse and stringy. When a guest of mine, whether they have full-thick hair or fine-thin hair, complains about volume, I recommend internal layering. Don't worry, I won't bore you with the details and technical mumbo-jumbo...I could geek out on techniques all day but I'll spare you for now. What you should know however is that internal layering can help add the illusion of more volume by creating space between each hair as Croft suggests. A clean, blunt perimeter can also give the illusion of fullness to fine hair. My secret weapon: pair a blunt perimeter with internal layers to help boost volume and fullness for any hair type.

Knowing your hair type, texture, and density can help you determine the best and most flattering style. This is where it's super helpful to have a stylist you can trust and really respect their opinion. Build a strong foundation with a properly executed haircut and you're well on your way to obtaining Victoria's Secret perfection!

Check out this youtube video from Beauty by Cassie for a great tutorial on how to get Victoria's Secret hair in just 5 minutes.

Have questions? Don't hesitate to ask! Never be afraid to educate yourself. After all, knowledge is power and that my friends is a beautiful truth.

be YOU. be BEAUTIFUL.