Though we love looking to the red carpet and runways for beauty inspiration, sometimes—upon further deliberation—we decide that mimicking such looks would require far more effort (and skill, and hands) than we’re willing to put forth. Enter Pinterest—aka the holy grail of real-girl hair and makeup ideas that are achievable without a full-on glam squad. On our own boards, we noticed a common theme among the hairspiration we’ve recently been pinning: All the styles have an overt air of undone chic, from tousled, loose waves to messy knots. Here, an edit of our recent looks du jour, and how to recreate them yourself.
The Circular Barrette
It's official: Barrettes are back. Rather than sweeping hair half-back with traditional bobby pins, swap for a circular hair clip, which feels modern yet still effortless (and appropriate for daytime errands and evening fetes alike).
The Tousled Chignon
A perfect style to try the morning after a big event, messy, second-day waves look gorgeous tucked back into a low, insouciant bun. Pull a couple face-framing strands loose and wrap around the barrel of a curling iron to set the look and voilà—instant French-girl vibes.
The Wrapped Ponytail
Lend a little added flair to a low ponytail by wrapping the base with crisscrossed strands. Ensure the final style isn't too stiff by scrunching fingers up and down at your crown, ever-so-slightly loosening the hair and adding natural volume.
The Messy Knot
If you can't decide between a ponytail and bun, why not combine both into a cool, textured knot? Gather hair at the nape of your neck, then create a series of large knots, leaving your ends free. Secure by tucking a clear elastic at the base of the last knot.
The Tucked Bun
Create dimension with a low bun style by looping hair halfway through an elastic, leaving the ends free. Finish by creating a second loop with the loose hair, and tucking and arranging ends haphazardly into the elastic for a slightly disheveled effect.
The (Subtle) Bardot Ponytail
Amp up a basic ponytail by lightly teasing at the crown for Bardot-inspired volume. Smooth front strands back and around the head, securing underneath the ponytail for a sleek effect.
The Mini Loop
Add subtle interest to loose waves with a mini looped ponytail: Collect a small strand from either side of the head and secure in the center, looping hair only halfway through an elastic and leaving ends loose.
