It’s officially summer in just a little bit! And the weather is acting according to season. Long, hot days that bleed into warm, humid nights. You’ll usually find me basking under my wide brimmed, floppy straw hat – a necessity for keeping the sun’s harmful rays off of my delicate face. But given the chance to find refuge under an awning or parasol (how I wish parasol’s were still trendy away from the polo field), I tend to turn to an updo as my summer style of choice. For one, updo’s – and I’m including pony’s and braids in this category – give your neck a chance to cool off. Secondly, there’s something very summer-sophisticated about wearing an updo as opposed to beachy waves. Sure, the beachy hair look will always be a summer staple, but it’s important to switch it up. You need a few day-to-night styles in your arsenal of hair ‘dos.
Celebrity hairstylist Josue Perez, who has worked with Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, and Sarah Jessica Parker, shares three of his favorite beach-chilling, BBQ-hopping summer hair styles. Take notes, these looks are easy to accomplish and may just come in handy for the holiday weekend (July 4th, that is).
The Deconstructed Braid
Inspiration: Whitney Port
“First, start by curling the hair for soft waves. Choose which side you’d like the braid to fall, and create a typical braid very very loosely. With a small tail comb, pull out pieces at random. This is where the look gets fun: you can texture it how you want. Pull out as many or as little pieces as you want for a slightly or more fully relaxed look. To keep the pulled out pieces in place, secure them on the side to keep the look intact.”
Woven Low Bun
Inspiration: Taylor Swift
“This look is all about smoothing the hair. Begin by blow drying really well for a smooth, silky feel. Start by teasing the top of the hair at the crown to add height. Next, choose your headband and secure into hair. Take the ends of the hair beginning at the bottom, and roll up, wrapping the hair underneath the headband. Use bobby pins to further secure the bun as needed.”
The Sectioned Twist Pony
Inspiration: Olivia Wilde
“The first step is to blow dry the hair, ensuring for a smooth finish. Pull into a sleek pony tail, taking a piece of hair to wrap around the tie to cover it. The next step is to curl the pieces of the pony tail using a wide barrel curling iron, I use the Brand Curling Iron on my clients for big, soft waves. Once finished, divide the pony tail into two sections and twist together. Section the hair by evenly placing hair ties on the ponytail like shown above. For volume, gently tug on the sections to pull hair slightly out.”