How to Perfect Wavy Hair All Year Round

It's officially autumn, the mornings are dark and chilly, and we don't even want to get out of bed - let alone have to mess with our hair before work or a long day of errand-running.

I totally get it.

This time of year, we just want to be able to get up and run out of the door last minute with minimal effort required. Oh, to be a Kardashian with our own team of hair stylists and make-up artists on hand everyday.

*Daydreams*

But, there is a hairstyle you can rock that only takes two minutes to complete, because you've done most of the hard work the night before.

Step forward, wavy hair.

You might have been fooled into thinking that wavy hair only looks good during the summer months, because it has that "just came from the beach" kind of appearance. But, I personally think that wavy hair looks awesome all year round.

I constantly get asked how I achieve my natural wavy hair look, so I thought I'd share my top tips in this post. You're welcome!

1. Wash and condition your hair as normal.

First thing's first, shampoo your hair and use a conditioner on it as normal. If you have thin hair, I recommend applying a volume-enhancing combo, or a shampoo or conditioner that caters primarily for hair that lacks thickness.

2. Use a repairing oil to nourish your hair.

Once you get out of the shower and you've brushed and towel-dried your hair, apply a repairing oil that will rehydrate your hair and enhance its natural shine. 

I can't survive without Moroccanoil and use a small five pence piece on my hair every time I wash it. It keeps my tresses nice and soft, as well as in a healthy condition.

3. Let your hair half-dry naturally.

I usually leave my hair to half-dry naturally. Or, if it's winter and it's freezing outside, I half-dry it with a hairdryer.

Either way, just make sure that your hair is only damp before the next step, and not sopping wet.

Nice one, pal.

4. Plait your hair.

Depending on your requirements for the end result, plait your hair accordingly. By this I mean: do French plaits if you want tighter, curlier waves, or normal pig-tail plaits if you want more carefree, loose-looking waves.

If you need a helping hand, simply call upon your roommate, Mum, neighbour - whatever works!

5. Leave your plaits overnight.

After plaiting my hair, I usually leave it overnight to dry. 

My tip here is not to unleash your sexy, new, wavy mane until it's completely dry. Sometimes I even leave my plaits in over two nights for a more defined wave.

6. Let down your hair and apply a smoothing cream.

Once you've taken out your plaits, simply run your fingers through your hair to separate the waves. Then, take a smoothing cream (I swear by VO5 Smoothly Does It Frizz Free Cream) and apply it through your tresses and across the top of your roots. 

This smoothing cream will eliminate any flyaways, as well as encourage curl prominence. 

7. Backcomb and style with hairspray to finish.

If your hair isn't looking as wavy as you hoped, no worries - you can backcomb it at the roots using a tail comb for added texture and oomph.

The final step is to spritz your hair with hairspray and then you're good to go!

It might be difficult to work out what works for you in terms of your ideal level of curl definition and overall aesthetic. But, once you do, it's so worth it!

And you might just find that you've found a wavy hair look that you can wear all year round.

#WavyHairWin

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A/W 13 Trend Report

After a glorious Spring/Summer 2013 (where we have experienced everything from 60’s chic to sports luxe) that injected some fun and frivolity back into fashion, Autumn/Winter comes at us with a slightly more serious and sombre tone. It might be different, but that’s always been celebrated in a new season’s worth of collections, so bring on the diversity!

1.  Winter Florals

Florals have taken a dark, romantic turn for A/W 2013. Gone are the vibrant flower hues of S/S 2013, and instead we are left with jewel-like tones in purple and burgundy, as seen on catwalks such as Erdem and Christopher Kane. These designers teamed floral applique with sheer fabrics and velvet, giving it an interesting revival and the ability to make some impact during the cold winter months.

2. Gothic Glamour

Erdem also used floral applique to showcase another key trend, in the form of gothic glamour. This trend will very much be in full force this season, after a dominant presence on other catwalks such as Jonathan Saunders and Meadham Kirchoff, with black being one of the key colours in the palette. The way Erdem used lace, chiffon and ruffles to project this trend made the models look like glitzier versions of Morticia from the Addams family. It’s time to embrace the dark side!

3. Heritage Chic

Countryside chic is one of the most recurrent trends of A/W. However, this time it gets given a Scottish twist! Tartan was everywhere on the catwalks and is currently everywhere on the blogosphere. If you invest in nothing else for this A/W, invest in some tartan. This, coupled with fur trims a la Mulberry, will make you want to start doing the Highland Fling in no time!

4.  Mixed Texture

As mentioned previously, textures are an ongoing trend this A/W; but - not just any old textures – mixed textures! It might initially sound bizarre to try and mix pleather and fur in the same outfit, or leather and a sequinned skirt, but get used to it! All of the designers were doing it on the A/W catwalks, including Topshop Unique and Erdem. Satin, tweed, lace and lame fabrics were also crossed over to produce outfits that stood out from the rest and made the ultimate statement.

5. Burgundy

Now, we all fell in love with the burgundy colour trend last A/W, and I’m happy to announce that it’s here to stay this A/W! Burberry showcased midi skirts and shirts in all different kinds of berry tones which lifted their camel, black and nude colour palette. So dig out any burgundy that you bought last year hiding at the back of your wardrobe and wear it loud and proud!

6.  Animal Print

Speaking of Burberry – their giraffe trench coat was a standout piece on their catwalk, as well as the leopard print body worn by Cara Delevingne under a latex skirt. These garments triggered off the animal print trend once again for A/W 2013. Tom Ford also illustrated this trend through numerous animal print coats trimmed with fur.

7. Structured Silhouettes

Shape was very much apparent on catwalks for A/W. Oversized shoulders and sharp hemlines at Topshop Unique gave a nod to the power dressing of the 80’s. Then full, rounded skirts at John Rocha were reminiscent of the ladylike 50’s trend. There was even masculine tailoring, in the form of suiting, which brought a hint of androgyny to the proceedings. Whichever way you decide to go, give it some structure!

8. Shiny Show

The amount of glamour and maximalism apparent on the catwalks this A/W made the clothes feel even more premium than usual! Lame fabrics, in the form of sparkle and patent, gave a futuristic feel to Topshop Unique’s collection and it was all about shimmer over at May Katrantzou. The message was: don’t be afraid to be dramatic this A/W!

9. Winter Pastels

Ice cream shades have been one of my favourite colour trends of S/S 2013, and I would have been sad if I had to say goodbye to them soon. Luckily, I don’t! The likes of Mulberry, Moschino Cheap & Chic and Simone Rocha showcased them aplenty at the London shows, in a mixture of powdery and sour shades. Scrummy!

 10. Red

Another key colour trend of A/W 2013 is red. There was a number of different vibrant shades visible on the catwalks, but the most popular shade was blood red. It was loud, it was daring and it was dangerous – but it worked! There was also a beautiful orangey-red hue shown at Topshop Unique. It just proves that now’s the perfect time to see red!

(What do you think to the new season’s trends? Which ones will you be wearing? Katie-xo)