Formal Hairstyles and Updos

There are plenty of occasions when you need to have a formal hairstyle. At formal social occasions like a wedding, a prom, a party, a reception or any other function, most of us like to have our best groomed foot forward and having a beautiful formal hairstyle to go with the carefully picked outfit, shoes, and other accessories certainly does no harm.

There are plenty of different formal hair-styles you can try out. In fact, you might end up a bit bewildered about which one exactly you should try. Should you go with the classic, understated look, or would that be too tame for your personality? Should you experiment? What will look good for a particular occasion? It is a good idea to be prepared for any possible event, so that when it looms up finally on the horizon, you don't stress yourself out wondering what on earth you are going to do about your hair and how. Some formal hairstyles require a visit to the beauty parlor, but there are many that you can do by yourself. Try these out for practice when you have the time and a keep a file of interesting ones for different occasions. Things to consider before starting on a formal hair updo are -

• What is the length of your hair?
• What type of hair do you have? Is it straight, wavy, curly, or kinky?
• What is your hair color?
• Are you looking for a short, medium, or long hair-style?
• Are you going to style your hair yourself or are you going to visit a hair-stylist?
• What is the occasion?
• How formal is it?
• What kind of activities will you be participating in? If there's going to be dancing, for example, you want your formal hair updo slipping down.
• What are you going to wear?
• What accessories will you be using?
• Do you want a simple hair-style or an ultra sophisticated one?
• Do you want flowing locks, braids, or a formal updo?
• Are you going to use hair accessories and what kind?
• How well will your hair-style go with your ensemble?

You can look through photographs of models and film-stars to get an idea about different possible hair-styles. But, keep in mind, that ultimately you will be going as yourself and you need a style that both suits you personally and makes you feel comfortable. If you're uncertain about your choices, ask your hair-stylist for tips and suggestions about what you ought to try. Since the hair-stylist is in the business of styling hair and you're not, he/she will probably have a better understanding than you about the styles you can achieve with your hair. Your hair-stylist may also have a style makeover software that allows you to upload your photo and try out several formal hairstyles virtually. This is really a great tool and you can find out exactly how a particular style will look on you. Some ideas for a formal hairstyles and updos are -

1. If the plan is to look really sophisticated and chic, go for a formal hair updo. The formal updos that are the easiest to accomplish - and make you look elegant and glamorous too - are a chignon, a bun, barrel curls, and a curved straight style. Many women, if they have short hair, use hair-pieces to achieve a formal updos.

2. With an oval face, you can try just about any kind of formal up and look good. Pull your hair up into a bun or sport a feathery fringe.

3. If you have a round face, try pulling your hair back from your forehead in a sweeping updo. Or part your hair in the middle, twist the front sections of hair on either side, pin them back with grips, and leave the rest of the hair to flow freely.

4. If you have a heart-shaped face, try a formal hairstyle with a side parting and a small side fringe. Add gentle curls to your hair and blow dry to give it some volume.

5. If you have a square face, try a longer hair-style with plenty of waves or curls. This will give you a softer, less severe aspect.