Hairstyles to flaunt this Diwali

Shahnaz Husain
The classic ponytail is dictating trends. It suits most face shapes. One can wear a pony tail high or low, with a fringe or without. You can even have wisps or curls falling down, with that “carefully-careless” look. A ponytail is actually an easy hair-do.
With ribbons, clips or other hair accessories, it can even provide a touch of glamour. One can have a ponytail for a formal or informal look. For a long face, wear a low pony tail and a light long fringe falling straight down. For an oval face, wear it with a side-swept fringe. For a square jawed face, have wisps of long curls falling down on either side of the face, just beyond jaw level.
You can also try Braids. In fact, the hair can be braided in many ways, using hair accessories too. Long hair can be braided and then put up. Or, have the braid on one side, with tiny curls framing the face. Put up several braids in a pony tail with ribbons, or, make a pony tail, leaving one section of hair free. Braid the free section and wrap it around the pony tail, as if the braid is holding up the pony tail.
Long hair is very much the trend, with cascading waves or curly and bouncy hair. Go for the softer look, with curls or natural waves, in the lower half of the hair.
Since the bouffant, which was the fashion during the 60s, is coming back, half the hair can be put in a bouffant, with the rest coming down. In fact, the bouffant can be used to add height to a round face. The rest of the hair can fall softly down, framing the face.
For curly hair, you can have a side-swept style. What you need are some bob-pins to hold up the hair, when you put it up. Comb the top of the hair and settle it the way you went. Then, take the hair and put it to one side. Pin it so that it stays on that side. Then section the hair and start putting it up loosely, a section at a time, and pin each section of curls. Pin it in a way that the curls fall loosely. Continue with this, till the entire hair is up. Spray with medium hair spray. You can pin up a flower at the side, if you wish.
The more natural look, with a look of ease, is the new trend. Keep the hair away from the face. If you have short hair, wear it softly and naturally layered. Even in hair colour, natural colours like browns are the trend. You can have subtle colours with natural highlights.
Putting the hair up can make you look sophisticated, elegant or glamorous. The style is suitable for a gala occasion. With traditional Indian clothes, a jasmine garland can be wound around a braid, or pinned on one side.
A short bobbed look suits most hair textures, including wavy hair. You can have your hair cut in one length, with a middle parting and waves on either side. It can give you a “carefully careless” look.
If you have shoulder length, naturally wavy hair, use a hair dryer to dry the top part of the hair, making it straighter, but allow the rest of the hair to dry naturally and look naturally wavy. Loose waves would look better.
Short, wavy hair can be put up with bob pins. Comb the top of the hair and settle it the way you went. Then, take the hair and put it to one side. Pin it so that it stays on that side. Then section the hair and start putting it up loosely, a section at a time, and pin each section of waves. Pin it in a way that the waves fall loosely. Continue with this, till the entire hair is up. Spray with medium hair spray.