Hairstyles for a wedding

July 14, 2022 11:38 AM

I’m going to a couple weddings this summer and I have no idea how to style my hair in a “fancy” way that is not an updo . I have straight hair in a shoulder length shaggy layered cut with parted bangs. I am very “wash and go” normally and don’t know anything about styling hair, but I don’t think my regular look is “done” enough. What styles should I try?

I’ll be wearing a vintage chiffon maxi dress for one and a classic black sheath dress at another. I will have nice shoes, bag, manicure, makeup etc. and I don’t want my hair to look sloppy and ruin the look. I don’t want to do an updo because I’m in the process of growing out a nape undercut and it looks kinda dumb right now when my hair is up.

Note: I posted before about here about losing some hair, but it stopped falling out and nobody can notice any difference, so that is not a concern for this question.

posted by vanitas to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (15 answers total)

Can you arrange to go to your stylist the night before? Not only can they give you a look best suited to your current style, honestly just a good pro blowout does wonders for us air-drying types.
posted by praemunire at 11:41 AM on July 14, 2022 [10 favorites]

Nthing the blowout idea, I always get one when I'm going to a wedding (I'm also extremely vain, so YMMV!)

Alternately, this hair-drying brush is a godsend. I air dry in the summer but my hair usually looks a little weird on day 2 and day 3. I can run this bad boy through my (dry) hair for a minute or two and it really revives my style.
posted by cakelite at 11:51 AM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]

Alternative: your regular look + a fancy headband or barrette? To look more "done".
posted by jennypower at 11:52 AM on July 14, 2022 [4 favorites]

You could get some sparkly clips and pull back the bangs or the front sections of your hair. Very very easy and will make your hair look more “done.”
posted by maleficent at 11:54 AM on July 14, 2022 [4 favorites]

As an example, Anthropologie do some incredible headbands. Bright fabrics and trimmings that make you look like you have put a lot of effort into doing a headscarf. I have a very similar cut (including growout) and they are my go to!
posted by socky_puppy at 12:15 PM on July 14, 2022

Pull it back on one side, pin it just behind your ear with a nice barrette, sparkly clip, or pin a flower there.
posted by telophase at 12:23 PM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]

I totally have the same kind of hair and cut - I don't find that blow drying makes much difference on straight hair, though I admit I haven't had one professionally done, so maybe that's the difference. My technique for fancying up my hair a bit is to take a curling iron, and just add a bit of a curl to the ends, and to the top layer. Wait a few minutes for it to cool, then brush out so it relaxes into waves, and add just a wisp of hairspray. This only takes about 10 minutes to do, livens up the hair a bit, and straight hair that has a bit of wave added tends to shine very nicely. Pop in a sparkly clip if you feel like it for extra pop and you're good to go.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:28 PM on July 14, 2022 [2 favorites]

Alternative: your regular look + a fancy headband or barrette? To look more "done".

Seconding this. I have a similar look and I think the last time I had to floof up for something, I got a sparkly clip and that worked just fine.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:41 PM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]

I feel like beachy waves are what everyone's doing right now when they want their hair to look "done".
posted by shesbookish at 12:53 PM on July 14, 2022 [2 favorites]

This is the very reason for which 2” curling irons exist.

Curl it. Shake it out. Le Fin.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 1:02 PM on July 14, 2022 [3 favorites]

The right accessory can do most of the heavy lifting. A silk flower on a clip or headband is GREAT for summer weddings.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:11 PM on July 14, 2022

Sleek low ponytail! You could flat iron it if you wanted, but even just a little gel when your hair is wet will help it stay sleek and in place.
posted by Charity Garfein at 1:11 PM on July 14, 2022 [2 favorites]

Half up with messy bun/braid, curl bottom layer into loose waves, strategically placed pretty clip in/near bun.
posted by greta simone at 1:19 PM on July 14, 2022

Any kind of heat styling (especially with some hairspray/other finishing product) will make you look more done! If you’re unpracticed with curling irons, focusing on the hair closer to your face and making sure your bangs are lying the way you like them will make the biggest difference. If you have a stylist you’re comfortable with, you can also ask them for tips and techniques for your specific hair at your next cut- like ask them to style your hair at the end a little bit fancier than usual and explain what they’re doing. Maybe tip extra and/or buy the product they use.
posted by MadamM at 1:43 PM on July 14, 2022 [1 favorite]

I agree with the sparkly clips idea (one if you have an asymmetrial part, two if you have a middle part). I'd keep the bangs and some wispy face framing layers out of the clips and just pull a small piece of hair from behind the bangs back and clip it. Or you can take a piece of hair and clip it a little low, kind of behind your ear. Sometimes twisting the piece that you clip back can make it look a little fancier too.
posted by misskaz at 2:25 PM on July 14, 2022