FASHION Magazine

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We have one last holiday hair tutorial to share, and this one is a New Year’s Eve-ready twist on the rope braid. First of all, don’t be intimated by this braiding technique. It’s much easier than it looks, especially because you’re only working with two strands of hair, not three. So if you’ve ever felt like you could use a second set of hands while attempting a French braid, the rope braid may just be the hairstyle for you.

Our step-by-step rope braid tutorial was developed by Toronto-based hairstylist Margot Keith, and breaks down everything you need to know to master this twisted updo. Oh, and did we mention? The other excellent thing about this holiday hairstyle is that it works best on second-day hair—meaning you can skip the shampooing and the blowdrying and instead enjoy a well-deserved bit of holiday relaxation. Ready to try? Read on for the full rope braid updo tutorial.

See more holiday hair tutorials »

Our mission to make your holiday season as glam and effortless as possible continues, with the debut of a new holiday hair tutorial. The chignon is a classic hairstyle that has an infinite number of variations—once you master the basics behind it, it’ll be all chignons all the time. For our holiday party take on the look, Toronto-based hairstylist Margot Keith created a low chignon that looks as pretty as a perfectly wrapped present. This tutorial takes all the guesswork out of holiday hair and will get you from from prep to polished in less than 15 minutes—leaving you with enough time to pause for a pre-party under-the-mistletoe kiss or two.

See more holiday hair tutorials »

As holiday party season kicks into full swing, so does the need to have some impressive hairstyle options in your beauty arsenal. December may seem like the busiest month—one where it’s impossible to add yet another obligation to your schedule—but our series of holiday hair tutorials are beyond foolproof and make it easy to learn a new technique in less time than it takes to sit for a blowout.

First up in our holiday hair tutorials for 2013 is the braided updo. This sleek style is serious enough for the swankiest of corporate parties and will certainly stand out in a sea of chignons. Our step-by-step guide was developed by Toronto-based hairstylist Margot Keith and is so easy to follow, we’re sure the braided updo will become your new go-to look. Ready to try? Read on to learn how to do this holiday hair tutorial.

Alright kids, this hair tutorial is a fun one. Considering that she’s the cover of our Summer issue, it only made sense to take inspiration from Lana Del Rey for a hair tutorial. While she’s often spotted styling her hair in loose waves or a deep side part (both of which we just happen to have tutorials for as well: waves here, side-part here) Lana Del Rey’s fondness for the ’50s and ’60s mean she’s sported a bouffant more than once. The video for “National Anthem” is all about the Lana Del Rey bouffant and she wore her hair up for much of her summer festival tour in 2012.

While the thought of attempting to add a few inches of volume to your hair may seem overwhelming, the bouffant is easier to master than you may think. If you can tease your hair, you can do a bouffant. This bouffant hair tutorial was created in conjunction with Toronto-based hairstylist Margot Keith, who knows a thing or two about adding impressive amounts of volume to even the sleekest heads of hair. She’s also made learning how to do a bouffant totally foolproof. Read on for our complete step-by-step hair tutorial.

Structured curls—the kind that have been so popular with the Hollywood set on award show red carpets—will always be a go-to style, but soft, wavy hair is definitely the look to try this summer. From Veronica Lake to Lana Del Rey, soft waves have both retro appeal and a modern, cool girl aesthetic. It’s a trend that fits in with the move to make everything as minimal as possible, like the dropped out curls Tanya Taylor did for Fall 2013. But knowing how to make hair wavy can be a bit of a trick to master. Irons are designed with perfectly round corkscrew curls in mind and the longer your hair, the harder it becomes to get a curl to hold.

So how do you make hair wavy? We asked Toronto-based hair stylist Margot Keith to show us in this step-by-step tutorial. While everyone has a different technique for curling hair, there are two main tricks to note when creating loose waves. First, you want to make sure every curl is done in the same direction. So if you hold the curling iron in front of the section of hair you’re about to curl and then wrap the hair around in a forward motion, you’ll want to make sure you repeat this with every curl.

There are two reasons why the faux bob—a style that’s been a recent runway and red carpet favourite—is going to have a major moment over the next few months. First, short hair is in. The faux bob may not resemble the cropped cuts and punk-inspired hairstyles that populated Fall 2013 runways, but it does satisfy that need to change how your hair looks, without making a commitment. Second, consider the season: Spring may be off to a slow start, but once summer is in full swing you’ll want to know how to create a faux bob. Any style that keeps long strands of hair off your shoulders and back will certainly be in demand!

The faux bob is a great hairstyles to learn because it looks impressive and complicated but is actually anything but. Our step-by-step faux bob tutorial was developed in conjunction with Toronto-based hairstylist Margot Keith and takes all the confusion out of figuring out how it’s done. Like most updos, this style works best on hair that has a bit of grit in it, so save this faux bob tutorial for days when you’ve skipped the shampoo.

See how the chignon twist is done with our holiday hair tutorial »
See other holiday hair tutorials »

If the word “updo” is something you normally associate with a visit to the salon, think again! While there are indeed complex styles that require the assistance of many hands, many updos are simple to do at home and take only a few minutes to master. The chignon—which can refer to any gathered hairstyle that sits at the nape of your neck—is ideal holiday hair because, based on your skill level and the event you’re attending, it can be perfectly polished or left loose and messy. But however you style it, compliments are sure to follow. (And isn’t that what holiday hair is all about?)

See how to do the fancy ponytail with our holiday hair tutorial »
See other holiday hair tutorials »

The ponytail is a classic hairstyle that has a seemingly endless number of variations. In fact, by changing the part, adding some curl or positioning the final pony in a different spot, it’s a style you could likely wear seven days a week without anyone being the wiser. While quick ponytails are often associated with going to the gym or casual dressing, it only takes a few modifications to make it work as a holiday hairstyle. It’s a trend that’s supported by A-listers and designers alike: Gwyneth Paltrow wore a structured ponytail on the red carpet at this year’s Academy Awards and Joe Fresh and Jonathan Saunders (to name just a few) had models in polished ponytails on the Fall 2012 runways.

See how to do the deep side part with our step-by-step directions »

Holiday season is here, and with it comes an endless number of parties and social engagements—which also means an equally endless amount of time spent primping and prepping. But don’t fret, we’ve got you covered. Over the next two weeks we’ll be sharing holiday hair and makeup tutorials, complete with step-by-step, foolproof directions on how to get each look. Inspired by runway looks and red carpet styles alike, our holiday hair tutorials will ensure you look your best all season long. First up: the deep side part.

The deep side part is definitely having a red carpet moment—Kristen Stewart did it best at the Los Angeles premiere of Breaking Dawn Part 2 and other stars are taking note. A mix of Old Hollywood and modern style, the trick to keeping a deep side part under control is all in the twist: Instead of parting your hair and hoping for the best, this holiday hair tutorial shows you how to secure it back with a modified braid. Our step-by-step guide was developed in conjunction with Toronto-based hairstylist Margot Keith and takes all of the guess work out of making your hair holiday party-ready. (Even better, each of the styles in our series of holiday hair tutorials will work well beyond Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve parties, so right-click save our handy one-page guide for future reference!) Ready to learn how to master the deep side part? Read on to see how this holiday hairstyle is done.