Celebrity hair trends: plaits and braids

The latest hair trend seen on the red carpets recently are plaits galore.  Whether it’s a traditional down-the-back plait, a to-the-side plait, a fishtail or a french plait around-the-head style, they’re a perfect way to bring a summery feel to autumn.  They never go out of fashion, it’s just knowing the right way to wear them for the season.

Plaits work for the day and the night time, they are a great alternative to a simple ponytail and look sexy falling over your shoulder or snaking down your back.  The beauty is that there is a style for everyone, whether your hair is long or short.

The key for this style is to always wear with waves, for a beachy, undone look. This works for long and short hair, with tendrils coming down around the face, it looks beautiful for daytime and evening wear.  If you’re going for this over-the-shoulder look then hair looks better in a side parting, usually on the opposite side to which the plait is falling.

Blake Lively - Diane Kruger - Tamsin Egerton

For a more clean cut, severe look, opt for a tight high ponytail with plaited hair, this will give a sexy tomb raider feel.  This look is great with long hair, meaning there is a long plait, if your hair is short then the plait will stick out and look silly.

Nicole Scherzinger - Blake Lively - Fergie

If you have shorter hair, then go for an around-the-head style plait, either across the forehead to hold your fringe back, or like Whitney Port below, french plait your hair back into a ponytail or bun.  This keep hair out of your eyes and creates an on-trend alternative to a normal ponytail.  If you don’t like having your hair all scraped back or tight to your head, then wear a looser plait like Karen Gillan below, which adds volume and texture to the hair.

Pixie Lott - Whitney Port - Karen Gillan

For fishtail braids, take a look at this tutorial below, from Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari.  I don’t personally like the look of the final outcome, it’s too low down and her hair is too straight, but the main method is easy to understand.

When I want to wear my hair down, but stay on trend, I love to french plait my fringe back, it’s perfect for a night out, it keeps your fringe off your face for when you’re dancing away and getting hot in a club, but also looks pretty and adds a little something extra.

Hope that gives you some insight into how to achieve the plaited look for yourself!  Try it out and let me know how you get on.

Love,

Hitting the nail on the head with these seasonal trends.

With hundreds of different nail varnishes available on the market at the moment it’s hard to know what’s on trend and what’s tacky.  Especially with many of the trends this season suggesting glitter, bright colours and mismatched mattes and shines.  Here are my 3 favourite nail trends for this season, which celebs are sporting them and how best for you to pull them off. 

My favourite of the most popular trends this season are having a different colour on every nail, the ring finger manicure and glitter french manicures.  And all of them without falsies or acrylics!

I first saw the 5 colour manicure look on Caggie from E4’s Made In Chelsea and loved it. Other celebs, such as those seen below, have also been seen sporting different colours on every finger.  I like to keep to 5 colours, rather than go over board.

Jameela Jamil :: Pixie Lott :: Fearne Cotton :: Caggie Dunlop

For this look, the nail paints by Barry M are perfect, they last for days and days and there is such a wide range for only £2.99 each.  Here are a few colour combinations I like.

Go for pastels, brights or paintbox colours, as long as the colours are of a similar shade then they will look good together.  Generally speaking with this trend, stay away from reds and colours which are too dark, as they don’t work as well, it’s all about unusual choices and being playful with colour.

The other hot look at the moment is the ring finger manicure, that is, having your ring finger on each hand painted a different colour to the others.  Most noticed it on Kelly Rowland’s fingers on the X Factor this season, but celebs like Vanessa Hudgens and Beyonce (below) have also been sporting the look for a while.  My favourite way to wear the look is with all nails painted similar colours, as seen with the aqua looks below. Paint all your nails one colour, then add glitter or metallic of the same colour to the ring finger for a more subtle look.  Or opt for a bolder look like Beyonce and go for a contrasting colour.

For this look I love Andrea Fullerton’s Nail trios.  They are available from most Superdrug stores and come in so many different shades, so there’s something for everyone!  They are:

“A colour layering system that’s an innovative new way to create your own unique nail colours! This compact, double ended nail varnish bottle contains 2 different varnish colours that can be worn alone in either shade or layer them over each other to create a 3rd colour or an edgy effect.” – Superdrug website

This technique means you can paint all your nails one colour, then add the other over the top of the varnish on your ring finger to create a new and exciting effect. For just £7.99, you get three nail varnishes in 1.  Here are just a few from the amazing range available now…

1. Princess. 2. Flower Power. 3. Art Attack. 4. Gold Finger. 5. Disco Diva. 6. Rain Fall. 7. Garden of Eden. 8. Smile in a Storm.

One look, which could have been perceived as tacky before is glitter nail varnish, perfect for the holiday season and when done properly it can look really classy.  You can either go for a clear nail varnish with graduated french manicure style tips, or go for all over glitter with matte tips.

For all over glitter I like the darker colours, with black tips, but for the clear nails with glittery ends, i prefer the lighter more silvery colours.  Below are some of the lovely colours around in the shops at the moment.  I love the Andrea Fullerton varnishes, and the glitter puff dusts and overcoat kit (#6 below) is perfect for adding glitter to the tips or moons of your nails.  The overcoat seals the glitter and the puff dust allows the user to choose specifically where the glitter will fall easier than with a brush. (Mum, if you’re reading this, I’d love Santa to pop the glitter puff dusts into my stocking!!)

If you don’t fancy doing glitter tips then all over glitter is just as trendy for wintery nails or something a little different this Christmas.  For the all over look go for a smaller glitter, rather than larger crystals, as these quickly look tacky.  But if you’re doing the ring finger manicure then you can go big without that worry.

1, GOSH – Gasoline – £4.99.  2, Andrea Fullerton – Cat – £4.99.  3, Barry M – Red Glitter – £2.99.  4, Accessorize – Rock Star Pin-Up – £4.oo.  5, Andrea Fullerton – Mischa – £4.99.  6, Andrea Fullerton Glitter Puff dusts & Overcoat – £6.99.  7, Nails Inc Glitter Polish – Sloane Square – £11.00.  8, No7 Midnight Enchantment – Glitter Bomb – £7.00.  9, Models Own – Glitter Juicy Jules – £5.00.

Whichever look you go for this season, the look is for shorter, natural looking nails, no talons please – regardless of what Lady Gaga is doing with her pointy claws!  Keep them short and square for an on trend look.

Happy painting! Love,

— Please note, I do not own any of these images, they were either found using google or taken from the product websites —

New kicks on the block

The hottest new trend as far as shoes and heels go this season it’s the blockier the better! Take a look below at which designers and celebrities are also loving the trend, as well as my top 5 block heels from the high street…

Fendi :: Marni :: Balenciaga :: Miu Miu

With several designers creating block heels, of course it has led to celebs wearing them as well. My personal favourites are all of the Miu Miu collection, as seen above and on Pixie Lott below. The simple mary-jane shapes, but beautiful statement prints make them stand out from the crowd.

Fearne Cotton :: Tavi Gevinson :: Pixie Lott

1. Layla Block Heel Shoes – £65.00 – Topshop

These heels are part of the reason I started this post. My friend Holly Bidwell tweeted them and I fell in love! (Take a look at Holly’s blog). The thick block heel and high platform will elongate legs but also provide a chunky, tough look to a cute dress. Or could add some extra edge to an LBD.

2. Ames suede ankle boots – £70.00 – ASOS.com

 

Available in black and taupe, these boots are versatile for both evening and day wear. I love the way the chunkiness of the heels contrast the slim legs of the model. They would look amazing with either shorts or a mini skirt for a night out, or with leggings and chunky socks/legwarmers for a day look.

3. Peep-toe platform heels – £45.00 – Asos.com

With a chunky stacked heel, these shoes are less blocky, for those who want to stay with the trend, but perhaps don’t like the really chunky heeled look. I love the simplicity of these heels and the suede effect and peep toe makes them sexy for an evening look.

4. Wood heel boot – £85.00 – Urban Outfitters.

“Give yourself a lift with these wooden-heeled platform boots with supersoft suede upper.” – Urban Outfitters. Available in tan and black, the platform makes a statement and adds height to short legs.

5. Beauty & the Beast – £60.00 £30.00 – Office.

These chunky platforms are so nineties, but I sort of love that about them. You could wear them like Tavi Gevinson (above) with printed tights or socks for a day look, or team them with a super short skirt or dress for an evening look.