NEW YORK - JUNE 26: A model walks down the runway during Bravo's 'The Fashion Show' Finale at Cipriani, Wall Street on June 26, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

You’ve decided on a hairstyle first

Personality lives in your style, speaking before you say a word.    Yet no matter what you choose, make sure your face and neck features are small or average sized before considering any volume. For round faces, height on top is perfect with close to the head designs on the side, whether worn up or down.   For a long face or a high forehead, today’s long bangs will break up the natural elongation.  

Fancy hairstyles need to be contrasted with a low key dress.  Shopping for a colorful or bold gown may mean you have to tone down the selected hairstyle.  You can have a trendy updo, just keep it simple.  Choosing a loud dress to match with a big, bold hairstyle will definitely be overkill, especially if your makeup ends up making a statement all its own.   You have to decide on only one thing to dominate.

You’ve bought the perfect dress, now which hairstyle?

Strapless or thin spaghetti straps?  Should you show off your beautiful neck and shoulders or adorn them?  Yes, jewelry is an option, however, decide on the possibilities.  Do you look best in an enveloping, layered style worn down or the sensuous look of an updo?    Updos look great anytime, particularly worn with gowns that have full bodices as they already cover the shoulders.   They add height and elegance to your entire look, showing off any earrings.  And they offer a multitude of designs making the possibilities endless

Quiet:  Classic doughnut buns situated on the crown is a current hot look.  On thick hair, you don’t have to pin it all down, leave a few tendrils loose, crimped into waves.  Ponytails are still an easy, yet great, formal look and braids are forever.

Loud:  If your gown is plain, whether wearing up or down, try colorful highlights in your hair to match or highlight your attire.  A multitude of extensions are available that would add depth and texture ranging from wavy on straight hair, or bold colors applied to monotones.  

Perhaps an updo is not you.  Trying braids designed anywhere in the style can be fun.  You could plait just one or two on both front sides and then clip in the back center, designing the rest in waves.  This is a medieval style that’s easy, or add more braids for an intricate design in this category. 

Another exquisite idea is to pull the length around to one side for an asymmetrical look.  Several long, vertical twists, or just a large, single one will look great in any kempt, one-sided length.

Short hair formals

Wearing your short hair in the opposite texture you normally do, is an elegant, classy approach to an evening look.  Keep your facial features in mind as mentioned above.   If you usually wear your short hair with volume, consider flattening the style out, combing it back for a faux updo.  Of if straight and tucked behind the ears is your everyday look, bring it out by back-brushing the crown area up high as this is very trendy now and a perfect foundation for that tiara.  Short to medium lengths could have vertical curls, spikes or little twist designs.   Show off any texture layers.   Spray on a streak or two of color if you are the bold personality type.  Should you be more reserved, go for today’s hot, retro look of the ‘30’s or ‘40’s.  Extensions can turn your short locks into something more to work with, either up, or down in a glorious mane with waves.

And any look can be adorned with a random fancy barrette or favorite decorative bobby pin.  This trend is becoming very popular with the fasteners being strictly for looks.

Remember, it is important to have whoever is designing your hair, experiment until you find what you like best and then practice it; then go home to check it out with the gown on.  This will make your prom day stress free and fun!  

Relax.  You’re going to look beautiful!!!

While many people, known or unknown, are holding onto their favorite hairstyles from the past few seasons, 2009 is the year we can learn to mix it all up.   We have the best of recent and past hairstyles to wear alone, or a little of each, with technology as bold as our personalities to accent them with if we desire.  The young and young at heart always seek the hottest hairdos and there are plenty out there to choose from as the industry has prefaced.  Twists and vertical curls will linger, however, they can take on some interesting color patterns.  Bobs are hanging in strongly with the many different variations to suit one’s preference and features.  All hairstyles can be adorned with favorite pins or fancy barrettes as a decoration, not as a necessity, and we’ll see lots of crowns piled high with teased, back-brushed height.  In general, fluffed out curls and volumized hair will be the inspiration for many looks.  Chalk white and jet black will not only be the foundation tones, they will take center stage alone or with striking intense shades streaking through them.   Add to that bangs skimming the eyelids and you may have the new generation’s “scene hair”.

Though it’s difficult to put into words, there’s a fine line to cross between emo into scene, yet thin sections and banded tails with stripes or ring patterns of color, aptly named “coon tails”, will definitely make one notice the difference.    This next generation wants to make their own bold statement and the fashion world is always ready to provide them in hairdos, as well as in attire.

Those of you who still like to wear their hair in the messy, bedhead look, fear not, as this is still hanging in strong. Nothing looks messier than the Quiff style from the 1950’s with teased, stand up, pompadour bangs or layers along the top front hairline, however this is a popular style this season, not just for guys or punk, yet definitely for the ladies as well.

Red has returned once again as the sought after hair color, with anything from the darkest of coppers to the cotton candy pinks up for selection.  However, all natural redheads should avoid hair color as they will never be able to duplicate their beautiful tones again.   Blondes will want to think in terms of multi-tones instead of all one light shade.  Brunettes are seeing rich chocolate colors rather than ordinary, boring browns or black. 

Worn by most hair lengths, Rockabilly styles enforce the retro look of the 1930’s and especially the 1940’s which we will see on the red carpets for exquisite formals.  The name probably didn’t catch on until the 1950’s when rock came about and merged with the 1940’s hillbilly looks. There’s a lot to learn from these decades and understanding these hairstyles we are copying helps us to replicate them today.

Short crops are back and layers are encouraged for all lengths.  Razors will still be used as well on anyone desiring the volume.  Both medium and longer hair can enjoy the kinks, curls or waves, whichever they prefer.   Updos may be anything from the informal to the intricate, embellished with bows, braids, and big hair.

One particular formal that was seen countless times at the 51^st Grammy, and since, was the bouffant size bun from the 1960’s era, worn on top of the crown piled thick, smooth and big atop slick pulled back hair.   If you are not blessed with a dense mane, doughnut forms are available to encompass a high ponytail that you can arrange your hair around.

So make it sleek and rich or bright and bushy, however, don’t let those roots go undone.   Hair needing a retouch may have you reaching for the popular Alice Band.   Checking out all the styles around should reveal a lot of interesting hairstyle choices.   Find the one that suits you best and make 2009 your year to shine.

Yesterday, we had a visitor from Wasilla, Alaska, hometown of Gov. Sarah Palin.  This person spent over 4 minutes on the site, and found our site by searching for celebrity layered hairstyles on Google. Once on the site they visited the layered hairstyles category, and also the teen hairstyles category. So something tells me it was probably someone younger than Sarah Palin. Her daughter Bristol, perhaps?  If any Palin would like to endorse HW, let us know!

PS.  Discuss on our newly designed Forum … Gov. Palin chime in!