WhatSheWears.ie

Like them or not, (we do!),  plaits are still “in”. There are plenty of options to mix it up a bit and achieve a laid-back or glamorous look. After seeing the way that Jennifer Anniston styled her hair for The Oscars, I was inpired to get my hair done this way for numerous social occasions this summer. Sometimes my hairdresser throws it in for free if I’ve had my hair cut or had other treatments, but otherwise they will charge you €20 on top of your blow dry (that’s Dublin prices mind you!).

There’s more to plaits than the pigtail type you had done for you as a child. To start with, here are three very current options to get you in the party mood:

1. Boho plait

The bohemian plait has been around  in celebrity land from red carpet glitz to airport papped snaps. This is a loose braid to the side of your parting, as worn by Jennifer Anniston at  The Oscars 2009. With the rest of her hair casually styled, we salute her for standing out amongst all the coiffed hair -dos.

2. Boho glam updo

For those of you with long hair and looking to try out a new updo, the models at the Spring ‘09 collections of Issa and Armani leaned towards “messy”, pinned-up hair styles. Indeed, in January we saw that Nicole Richie went for a glamourous take on the plait with pinned-up baby plaits to the back of her head -  perfect for a summer wedding when you want to keep the hair off the nape of your neck (OK well maybe not for a summer wedding in Ireland but certainly for that hot destination wedding you’ve been invited to! ). It helps to have textured hair for this look – we suggest you add GHD Sea Spray for Matte Waves to damp hair before styling begins.

3. Heidi plaits (plaited hairband)

We have noticed the Heidi plait popping up on the trendsetter scene since Sienna Miller sported this hairstyle at the 2007 Golden Globe Awards. Not for everyone, you can opt for a thin subtle plait or thick hairband type plait. This may sound awful, but Heidi plaits are great for when you have dirty hair or if your’e having a bad hair day.  Simply spritz with dry shampoo for instant cleanliness. This basic plait look is easy to pull off , all you need are some clips and a few ponytail bobbins.

To get Sienna’s  Heidi plait look, follow these instructions from the whatshewears.ie resident hair stylist:

• Separate your hair into two equal pieces. Make sure that you have two even chunks of hair at the base of your head).
• Starting behind your ear, plait your hair loosely into two plaits.
• When each “half” is finished, wrap a bobbin around the end of each, and then flip the plaits up and over your head.
• Tuck the ends under the opposite plait and pin or remove the ponytail bobbins and pin your hair into place
• Working back from where the plait begins, pin the plaits securely to your head.
• If your hair is layered and pieces stick out once it’s plaited, don’t fret, this adds to the boho look.
• Don’t use any control product in your hair first or hairspray afterwards to get the most out of this messy look.

If you can’t be bothered with any of this styling, buy a ready-made plait from accessories shops or the Hairspray chain of hair accessories (Wicklow Street, Dublin 2). Make sure it matches your hair colour too!