Holiday Hairstyles!

December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas Eve! 

To go along with my post on My Favorite Holiday Dresses, I wanted to do a post on some of my favorite holiday hairstyles to complete your holiday party look. A hairstyle can really complement an outfit: for instance, if your dress has a lot of detail around the neckline, an up-do may be appropriate to show the dress off, whereas if the dress is covered in sequins, a no-fuss hairdo will keep the attention on your dress.Here is some celebrity hairstyle inspiration for various hair lengths: 

 
Ponytails

One of my absolute favorite Reese Witherspoon's looks. I love a ponytail that sits high on the crown of the head with loose curls throughout.
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This shows how versatile a ponytail can be. I love this "messy" ponytail Carrie Underwood is wearing!
 Create this look by placig it slightly lower, tease the hair at the crow of your head, and pull out a few face-framing strands.
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This is a cute ponytail for girls with shorter hair and also a great idea for how to wear a ponytail with bangs!
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Sleek & Sophisticated

To me there is nothing more sophisticated than a smoothed-down hairstyle with soft waves or straight and curled on the ends. Also, a sophisticated updo like a top knot or French twist can really complement a nice evening dress. The celebrities in the following photos exude sophistication:


I love Carrie Underwood's face-framing layers with the curled-under ends. This would be a no-fuss yet sassy hairstyle to wear with a little show-stopping sequin number!
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This shows that the curled-under look works with shorter hair! Also don't forget that a fun hair accessory (like Carrie's rhinestone bobby pin) can add some glamour to your outfit.
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Mila Kunis looks absolutely GORGEOUS with this beautiful French twist. I love how her hair is pulled back off her face with some volume on top. So sophisticated!
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Another beautiful look is retro waves like January Jones is wearing here! Again I think this would look simple yet super classy with a sequined dress.
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Retro waves also look great if your hair is a little longer like Leighton Meester's. Take a cue from her and pair it with a bold red lip!
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Another great option if you're looking for a sophisticated updo is a top knot. LOVE that Sienna Miller's hair is pulled back and sleek but still has a little element of fun in the top knot itself. SO pretty!
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Another great option for a top knot. Kate Bosworth's is a bit more full & placed a little higher on the crown of her head. This would look SO cute with a sassy short cocktail dress...think Audrey Hepburn a la Breakfast at Tiffany's!
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I included this picture to show how a pulled-back style is often a great option if you have a dress with a lot of detail along the neckline like Julianne Hough's.
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Braids

Braids are definitely having a moment right now and I love it! They are so very versatile because they can be incorporated into an updo, worn with your hair down, or just worn as a single braid by itself. Braids are a great option if you want to add a laid-back element to a fancy party dress.

Blake Lively's braid is such a pretty touch to her updo. It looks effortless yet very chic!
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In cotrast to Blake Lively's braid, another option is to make your braid more prominent like Sarah Michelle Gellar's by braiding the hair that frames your face.
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A single braid like Nicole Kidman's is a great alternative to a ponytail.
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And my final favorite braided look is worn by my girl Kate Hudson. This just shows how versatile braids are...a single braid worn with the hair down looks FAB if you ask me!
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Romantic Curls and Waves

Finally, my list of holiday hairstyles would not be complete without my own go-to hairstyle: curls and/or waves. All you need is a curling iron (check out the one I use here: Curling Iron Hot Tools) and some patience (curling my hair takes FOREVER…of course this will depend on your hair length) and you will have yourself a feminine hairstyle that will look FABULOUS at your holiday parties! Check out some of my favorite styles…


I LOVE when Carrie Underwood wears her hair this way....I love the fullness & cascading curls.
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A great alternative to Carrie's big curls are Juliane Hough's softer waves (also love the hair over one shoulder! So glam!).
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Charlize Theron shows you don't have to have long hair to wear curls. Curls look absolutely ADORABLE with short hair as well!
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Blake Lively's hair looks great with soft curls but is also full of body. It is a stunning hairstyle for a strapless dress!
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And last but not least, the always beautiful Rachel McAdams looks STUNNING with loose curls. Gorgeous!
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I hope this post has given you some holiday hairstyle inspiration! I would love to hear from you so leave me a comment & let me know what style you’ll be wearing this holiday season!

ALSO, many have told me they’ve had trouble following my blog via Google Friend Connect so I’m going to try to post a tutorial on how you can follow me next week. In the meantime, I’ve created a Facebook page for my blog so you can follow me there... be sure to like it by clicking HERE.

Thank you SO much for your support and for reading! I wish you a very Merry & blessed Christmas!!!!

Xoxo,
Ashley

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