spring 2011 hairstyles

The year marks the true start of a new decade, and yet 2011's fashion trends are all about revival. True, there is a unique undertone of a modernist style appearing, but take some of the most iconic styles of the 20th century, infuse them with quality, and you'll find the basis for the dominant styles of 2011.

The year's hair trends are no different. For fashionisers in 2011, hair is all about revivals and evolution. With styles and colours we're seeing the best of 2010 reborn, whereas cuts are offering reworked and luxurious revivals of styles that sit perfectly with the year's clothing trends.

                                                   

Double hair knot

 Like the topsy tail hairstyle of years gone by, the double hair knot sits roughly at the nape of the neck or a little higher. The style also works as a single knot - but by knotting the hair twice the effect is more interesting, and easier to secure.

A side view of the hair style as featured on Michael Kors' S/S '11 catwalk via Hanneli.

How to style it

 Styled by Orlando Pita for the Michael Kors catwalk, the summer influence comes courtesy of a desire to have fuse urban hairstyle with the feel that its wearer has "been out at the beach all day."

To capture the summer interpretation of the double hair knot:

1. First, spritz the hair all over with the Davines sea salt spray.
2. Next, scrunch the hair into bunches while drying to add waves and texture. (how to blow dry your hair into beachy waves at sakurasalon.com)
3. Pull a thick section of hair out at the front, sweeping it into a deep side part
4. Take back two sections of hair and tie into a knot - then again into a double knot
5. With a few bobby pins, pin the knots in place and make sure the pins don't show.

For a take on the style that is suited to autumn / fall or winter, play down the beachy-ness by making the hair smoother and a little less textured. Try replacing the sea-spray with a volumizer and keeping the hair in place with a little hairspray.

Braided Topknot

It's not an understatement to say that the hair trend of late has been braided hair, with 2010's side braid having captured the imagination of the fashion forwards before it had even left the catwalk.

Such demand for a single hairstyle inevitably sent fashionisers looking for variations on the theme, and it's fair to say that braided hairstyles will be with us for sometime yet. Which brings us to another interpretation of the larger trend: the braided top knot.

Born on Sass & Bide's spring 2011 catwalk it's a style that has all the hallmarks of a hair trend in the making: it's detailed, it has a messyfactor that is imbued with a too-cool-to-care attitude, you can style it yourself and, simply put, it turns heads.

Bird's nest topknot

It fist appeared on the Lanvin spring 2010 runway as a Hitchcock heroine meets modern day bedhead, and it's continued to evolve through to spring 2011. It can still be a little messy, a little wispy: but still elegant. Translated from the runway, to the red carpet, to the street.

Chanel carried the look over to pre-fall 2011, ornamented by embellished headbands.

How to

1. First, apply liberal amounts of Davines creative moulding foam to the mid-lengths and ends of the hair.
2. Blast with a hairdryer to dry the mousse into the hair.
3. Pull the hair up into a very high ponytail on the top of the head.
4. Divide the ponytail into several sections then tease each section with a comb, creating lots of volume and texture (it should look a little crazy right now so don't be alarmed... it will soon be tamed!)
5. Brush the ponytail out just a little bit to even out the texture, then wrap the hair around the ponytail to create a messy topknot.
6. Secure with bobby pins all the way around.
7. Finally, spray the hair with Davines Glam hair spray.

For the Chanel pre-Fall 2011 version of the style, simply add a headband - and, if desired, tug out a few loose pieces of hair to create a more wispy finish.

Short waved bob

As the longer bob creeps its way into 2011spring fashion, the question starts to arise: if you go down the path of a shoulder-length bob, how do you keep it interesting and varied? Most of the examples seen have leaned to straight, or with a modern take on the 70s-glam blow wave. But here's another trend that's arising as a result of 2011's shoulder-scraping cut: the waved bob.

With the bob in 2011 being generally longer and softer, it's much easier to pull off a waved style with it. While 40s-inspired pin curls are one option, here's one that's more suited to everyday. A casual, textured, beachy wave.

How To

Work in Davine Volume Mousse all through the hair, then dry in.

Section off the hair then use your ghd Salon Styler to create some loose, semi-curls (they need to have bend, but not be fully curly). Start curling a few inches down from the roots.

Spray the hair with Davines Sea Salt Spray to create a relaxed, beachy texture.

Finally, blast the hair with a hair dryer to break it up.

The key to the look in 2011 is not to overdo the curls - the more relaxed and understated, the better.