Prom Hair Style 2008

Advice and Tips for Choosing A Hair Style for Prom

Choosing a prom hair style ranks right up there with choosing a dress. In fact, these two elements work together to create your entire look. There are a few considerations to ensure that your hair style is flattering and compliments your features and your dress.

Consider the following elements when choosing your prom hair style: Just like your day to day hair style, your prom hairstyle should compliment your face shape. It's all about proportion. Here are a few thumb rules.

Long Face Shape - opt for a style with a sweeping bang from a side part and more volume on the sides than on top. Too much height on top will accentuate the length of your face.

Short Face Shape - try a swept back style with some height on top. Leaving some of the hair down in the back and sides will help elongate your face.

Wide Face Shape - leave some hair down at the sides to create length and a narrowing effect.

Heart Shaped Face - wear bangs to cover a wide forehead and allow some hair to pool at the shoulders to create width in the narrowest area of the face.

Dress Style - Proportion is the key here too. If you're wearing a slender dress, choose a hair style in keeping with that silhouette. If your dress is wide on the bottom, make sure you've got a bit of volume to your hairstyle to balance the entire look.

Dress Neckline - The neckline of your dress is critical to consider when choosing your prom hair style. If your dress has an open neckline in the front and back, wearing the bulk of your hair down would look great. However, if the back is covered or the front and back are both closed in, consider wearing most or all of your hair up off the neck. An elegant updo would suit that type of dress very well.

Accessories - Use accessories sparingly in your prom hair style. A few rhinestone hair pins, small flowers, a string of pearls, even a tiara can add character to your style and compliment your dress. Overuse of accessories can look a bit garish, so keep it minimal; just enough for impact.

Hair Texture - Curls are a prom hair style staple and can be done in several shapes and sizes. But they're not the only way to texturize your style. Small braids woven throughout the hair add a unique element. Bone straight hair can look great in an updo, so long as there's a bit of height to it and heaps of shine. Finger waves add a glamorous feel and are great for dressing up shorter hair styles.

Updo or Not - Just because it's a prom hair style doesn't mean it has to be an updo. Hair left down and styled in voluptuous waves can be every bit as glamorous as an updo hair style. Especially with a few select accessories; the larger consideration should be if a style suits your dress, your face shape and your overall theme.

Theme - Your dress will have a certain "feel" to it. Glamorous, funky, classic, etc...Make sure your prom hair style is in keeping with the feel of your dress. You're creating a head to toe look and if an element is off, the look becomes awkward.

Put some thought into how you'd describe your look and design a hair style around that theme. Or relate your theme to your stylist if you're having your hair professionally done. If you are having your hair done by a stylist, bring in a photo of you in your dress. This will help the stylist envision your entire look and make more accurate suggestions.

Consultation - If you're having your hair done at a salon it's a good idea to visit the stylist beforehand for a consultation and/or a trial. Consultations are generally free; the stylist will sit with you, look at photos, discuss your ideas, and share their thoughts on what would look good and be workable on your hair type and face shape.

Trial - A trial is an appointment where the stylist actually does your hair to see if your plans work out to match your vision. The trial appointment is not free, but well worth it to avoid any potential prom day hair disasters. If you have a trial appointment and like the results, take a photo of the finished style. This will help the stylist recall what he/she did to your hair so you end up with the style you want on that important day. Also, double check that the prom hair style booking is with the same stylist that did your trial. Mix-ups happen sometimes and it would be unfortunate to end up with a completely different hair stylist on your prom day.

A final word of advice; avoid anything too trendy for your prom hair style. Trendy is great for every day wear, but your prom is a memorable event that you'll be looking at photos of forever. If you go too trendy, you could be looking back in 5 years saying "What was I thinking?!" Besides, this is a rare opportunity to explore your glamorous side and feel positively stunning in your ensemble. Have a Great Prom!