Want to change up your style at home or need some ideas to bring along to the salon? Take inspiration from spring's latest crop of celebrity cuts and color.
The sleek ponytail
It’s official: Upswept hair no longer has a monopoly on the red carpet. Sleek, ultra-shiny ponytails like Emma Roberts’s are just as elegant — and a whole lot more modern. The key to nailing the style? Never let your elastic show. Instead, wrap your ponytail in a small section of hair and pin underneath for a clean finish.
The breezy pixie
There’s something so effortless about Shailene Woodley's windblown style, reminiscent of Linda Evangelista in the early '90s (but without all the hairspray or the high price tag!) At the salon, request a short cut that's longer in the front and tapered in the back (it's a look that's easiest to achieve on straight hair). When styling this cut at home, work a bit of gel into your 'do and blow-dry without a nozzle.
Casual barrel curls
We tend to think of wide-barrel curls as glamorous and va-va-voom, but fashionista Alexa Chung, as usual, shows us the cool-girl way to wear the style — loose, tousled and not too voluminous on top. Get the look with a wide barrel curling iron, starting your curls a few inches below the crown, then use your fingers to separate and soften them after they've cooled.
Two-level layers
Jessica Biel shows off the latest trend in layering — chunky chin-length sections that interrupt long waves. After blowing out, make a deep side part and set hair in extra-large hot rollers, using a separate, single roller for the shorter sections. Remove rollers, smooth hair with your hands and mist with firm-hold hairspray.
Close-cropped layers
Want a sexy pixie like Jennifer Hudson’s? Ask your cutter for lots of “microlayers” blended throughout the style and sideswept bangs. Tip: If you have a "good side" (a profile you like best), part your hair on the opposite side for the most flattering effect.
The voluminous bob
While many longer cuts are now sporting less volume at the crown, stylists are turning their teasing to bobs, like Michelle Dockery’s sideswept ‘do. The extra boost adds dimension and sex appeal to chin-length hair. DIY it with a fine-tooth teasing comb, misting sections with firm-hold hairspray as you tease.
Airy bangs
Heavy blunt bangs are the hairstyle equivalent of a wool coat. For a lighter, springtime alternative, ask your stylist for a wispy fringe that lets your forehead peek through. (It’s especially flattering on women with fine hair, smaller eyes and delicate features, like Rashida Jones.) Style your new bangs with minimal product (too much will weigh them down) and a quick blast of the blow-dryer.
Modern waves
Kerry Washington’s tumbling waves are straighter at the ends, which gives a sleek finish. Recreate the style by working a glossing serum through damp hair and blow-drying it straight. Wrap sections around an inch-wide curling iron, dragging the iron slightly as you work for longer, looser waves, and smoothing the ends so they lie flat.
Hidden highlights
Instead of focusing highlights at the crown and around the head, colorists are sneaking them underneath and in between sections. The results are natural and beautiful — just ask brunette icon Leighton Meester. Note: This effect can get lost in lots of longer layers, so ask your stylist for a one-length, shoulder-skimming cut before coloring.
Extreme ombre
Brunette-to-blonde isn’t the only way to do ombre. Strawberry blonde-to-platinum feels edgy and new — especially on girl-next-door actress Kate Mara, who exaggerates the look even more with a flippy cut. Depending on your natural color, you may need to work toward the shade gradually, lightening and coloring your hair to pale red at one appointment, then coming in for bleaching on the ends.