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4 Dreamy Hairstyles Made for the French Countryside

Hairstylist Allen Thomas Wood teaches us a few easy lessons with the prettiest hair accessories.

Hair
4 Dreamy Hairstyles Made for the French Countryside
Ben Ritter
Laurel Pantin
Hair
Allen Thomas Wood, Marie-Josee Leduc
In the summer, we just want to look like were a pretty French lady casually twirling around in the fields of Provence. And the fastest way to bring mid-summer romance in a simple, breezy nightgown twirling dress is with a few twists of hair and dreamy hair accessories. But, admittedly, the line between hair accessories that are adorable and those that are overdone is a fine one. So when we came across the Instagram of Allen Thomas Wood, we knew exactly who to turn to to create adorned summer hair looks that are organically chic, without an ounce of cheese (thats for eating on a baguette). More importantly, he makes these styles easy to do, which is exactly what you want in the hottest months of the year. Prepare to look like an effortless earth goddess.

Before you start, the first secret to nailing a good look is a good foundation. For lived-in texture, Wood used Bumble and bumble Bb. Prêt-à-powder at the roots (“Squeeze the bottle to make a cloud, rather than shaking it out,” he advises) and sprayed Bb.Thickening Dryspun Finish from roots to ends.


GOLD FLOWER BARRETTES

To prep for this low bun, first separate two panels of your hair in the front, then pull the rest of your hair into a low ponytail. Take one panel, pull it back, covering your ears, and cross it over the base of your ponytail. Bobby-pin it in. Do the same with the other side. Coil the ends into a not-too-perfect bun with the ends hanging out, and pin. “Doing sections gives the bun more dimension than doing it all in one handful,” he explains. After adding the smaller flower barrette above the bun and the larger one sloping up toward the ear, Wood added several tiny sprigs of greenery (which may or may not have been plucked from a New York City park that morning), tucking them into the barrettes.

Dress: Sleeper; hair accessory: Jennifer Behr Jasmine Barrette

NAVY FAUX FLOWERS

We like this summer’s flower crown a touch gothic. These gauzy navy-and-black CHANEL flowers came attached to one another on a thick silk string. With the hair all down and center-parted, Wood encircled the chain around the crown and pinned it in. Then, on each side, he took pieces of hair and twisted them around the string between each flower, pinning them in. He left the ends on one side hanging down.

Dress: Lacausa; hair accessory: CHANEL

BIG PEARL PINS

Wood makes these pins at home with pearl beads from a trimming store and gets plenty of requests to purchase on his DM (go for it). After wetting hair and dousing it with some Bumble and bumble Bb. Prep Primer, Wood says to “start twisting, pin, organically grab pieces, and let it happen.” Admittedly, we don’t have the same artistic intuition (or extra set of hands) to recreate the sea-siren updo here, but the pearls, which are sewn individually onto the ends of each bobby, will quickly dress up any wet-hair situation in seconds.

Dress: Dôen

GOLD SNAKE CHAIN

If braids still befuddle you, this rope braid plus snake chain is your friend. As Wood explains it, take two peices of hair, twist the back piece away from your face, then cross it over to the front and repeat, always twisting the back piece away, then crossing. Attach the top part of the braid against the side of your head by adding in hair to that back piece as you work your way down. Let it hang free somewhere above your earno need to tie it off at the endthen weave the snake chain into your braid however you’d like.

Dress: Dôen; hair accessory: Arrojo x Epona Valley Gold Snake Chain

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