From the red carpet to the runways at New York’s Fashion Week, curls and waves once again found their way to center stage this season. At the Emmy Awards in September, textured styles far outnumbered slicked-back looks. Even celebrities with naturally stick-straight locks chose to defy their texture (such as Tina Fey”> and create soft, glamorous waves for their grand entrance. Meanwhile, at New York’s Fashion Week during the same month, a handful of textured hairstyles emerged as the most memorable, along with the corresponding Spring 2009 fall collections they were meant to complement. Here, Fashion Week stylists share five top style trends for textured tresses — straight from the catwalk!
Glam waves from another era were the story at the Tuleh show.
Textured Trend #1: Retro Glamorous Waves
As seen at: Tuleh show
As the widely popular musicians Gwen Stefani, Fergie and Christina Aguilera — to name just a few — have embraced the sexy siren days of the 1950s, the retro-glamour trend bounced right onto the catwalk this season as well.
“It’s a look like Rita Hayworth (silver screen legend”>, but with a modern twist on the runway,” says Jenny Balding, a Redken/Cutler Stylist and veteran of Fashion Week runways. “It’s flatter through the crown area with a wavy/curly volume at the bottom and back. We’re seeing a lot more of that, a more defined wave and curl.”
To create the look for the Tuleh show, Balding used a light hairspray (make sure it’s not too heavy or you’ll end up with a sticky mess!”> on sections, and curled the front and top diagonally and down the sides with a one-inch barrel curling iron. Then, the back was sectioned, rolled straight up with aluminum foil, and twisted securely at the top. After applying heat with a blow dryer, the curls were left alone to set for 20 minutes. Then, a light mist of workable hairspray is added to create a captivating style for the catwalk.
Christo styled models for Stefan Miljanic’s new collection for Gilded Age.
Textured Trend #2: Back to Nature
As seen at: Stefan Miljanic’s new collection for Gilded Age
The organic, back-to-nature trend has been on the rise across the country for some time. With many of us leading harried lives, all the while wishing for a peaceful, simpler existence, the quest for all things natural has reached the top of our curlyheads. According to Christo, stylist for the Tuleh show and global artistic director of New York’s Christo Fifth Avenue salon, natural curls and kinks are becoming increasingly embraced from the sidewalk to the catwalk. Desiring to match the organic, natural clothing of the Gilded Age collection this season, you couldn’t find a hair dryer or a flat iron anywhere backstage at the show. Christo only worked with lotions, gels and other style-boosting products.
“We worked with whatever natural texture the models had,” Christo says, “and it gave us the opportunity to show natural waves and curls.”
Tracy Reese’s models sported messy chignons.
Textured Trend #3: Messy Chignons
As seen at: Tracy Reese show
The not-so-neat version of a classic ‘do also emerged as a hot, hip style on the catwalk. Heather Packer, a stylist with Cutler Salon in New York who worked on many shows at Fashion Week, says the messy chignon is chic and easy to achieve. Simply apply a volumizing spray to damp hair. Then, after a few quick blasts of the blow dryer (without a brush!”>, pull back your textured tresses into a ponytail. Lightly back-comb the ponytail to pump up the volume, if needed. Finally, take a handful of hair pins to randomly secure the chignon into an easy, organic shape.
The Twinkle show featured updated French twists.
Textured Trend #4: Youthful French Twists
As seen at: Lorick, Twinkle shows
Revitalizing yet another traditional style, designers and stylists give the French twist an anti-aging makeover. First, create a part separating front and back from ear to ear, says Packer. Back comb the tresses behind the ears creating volume at the top. (Skip that step, though, if your curly hair has enough volume on its own!”> In the front section only, create a side part — then gather all of the hair in your hands into a ponytail and start twisting vertically, following the shape of your head. Simply tuck the ends in and secure with bobby pins. Done!
Several shows, including James Coviello’s, showed hair with a simple center part.
Textured Trend #5: Center Part
As seen at: Mara Hoffman, Chris Benz, La Perla, Rebecca Taylor, and James Coviello shows, plus more.
The simple center part look moved into the center stage of fashion this season, in a style described by Packer. First, comb (or simply gather”> all of your textured tresses back and away from your face. Line the tail of your comb (or finger”> with your nose and draw a line from front to the back. Need extra volume at the roots? Place three hot rollers in the Mohawk section directed away from your face and set with a spritz of light, workable hairspray. Once cooled, remove the rollers and use your comb (or fingers”> to find the center part.
