Bridesmaid hair can be chic and elegant or it can go horribly wrong. Most of the time, the stylist is out of your control as they're chosen by the bride and styling the whole bridal party. Going to be a bridesmaid anytime soon? I spoke with Celebrity Stylist, Kim Kimble, to find out exactly how to ensure your style will be modern no matter who's hands you're in. Here are her bridesmaid hair styling tips.
How can you be sure you're not going to look like a cookie-cutter bridesmaid?
Do your research before the big day. Look to a variety of sources for inspiration in addition to bridal magazines, such as movies, red carpet, the runway, style blogs, etc. Your hair will look its best if you go with the style that works for you and makes you feel great. If a style doesn't jump out at you in a bridal magazine, don't be afraid to explore other options for inspiration.
How can you make sure your hair looks it's best on the big day? Dreaded bridesmaid hair usually stems from over-styled, over-processed, unhealthy hair. If you use too much product, you will end up with a crunchy mess. The best way to avoid this is to start with healthy hair. Use products well-suited for your hair type and always take the extra step to protect your hair during the weeks leading up to the wedding. For example, I love Pantene's Heat Shield collection—the Shampoo, Conditioner and Heat Potion Serum when used before heat styling will keep hair healthy, soft and shiny.
How should a bridesmaid prep their hair for wedding day styling? For up-do or half-up styles, I usually have my clients start with clean hair, but then I’ll add a bit of product to create a little bit of texture so hair is easy to work with. To create this effect, run a small amount of the Pantene Stylers Texturizing Sculpting Wax through freshly washed and conditioned hair and then spritz a bit of Pantene's Root Reboot Dry Shampoo before styling. This will add texture and volume to the hair, which is ideal for twisting and pinning and holding an up-do type of style in place.
What if you don't like your end result? I highly recommend doing a test run before the big day to prevent ending up with a style you're unhappy with. This way you can see what you envisioned firsthand and decide whether it works for you. If you don't have time for a test run or end up really unhappy with your style, you really can't go wrong by pulling hair into a low chignon. It's beautiful, simple, classic style that will stand the test of time in the wedding photos. You can always do your own take on this style as well by adding a side braid at the crown before pulling back or adding an accessory like a sparkly bobby pin or a fresh flower.
Check out my wedding day hair Pinterest board for bridesmaid hair styling inspiration. I of course, emailed it to my bridesmaids!
