Ben Ritter
Hair
Allen Thomas Wood
Makeup
Makeup: Kelli J. Bartlett
Unless you’re Meghan Markle, there are only a few occasions when a tiara is appropriate. Namely, the holidays, when even a lot of sparkle calls for a little more sparkle. Plus, we’re guessing that, like us, you have about zero extra minutes to get all jazzed up for a party, which is why we like to turn to a pretty hair accessory as a quick fix to look cocktail-ready. For only the chicest ideas to bedeck your hair, we called upon New York City stylist Allen Thomas Wood, who will make you want to crown yourself with, if not a tiara or headband, perhaps a strand of baubles or large sculptural gold barrettes.
RAINBOW TIARA
To keep a tiara looking cool rather than proper, it helps to have a little texture in your hair. If you don’t have it naturally, rough-dry your hair with Bumble & bumble Surf Spray, then wrap a big section around a 1 1⁄4-inch curling iron. Use bursts of a texture spray like Bumble & bumble Dryspun Finish. Finally, make a deep side part before crowning yourself.
IRIDESCENT ORBS
Pull your hair back into a low and loose messy side braid. Twist it up into itself, and use the large orb-topped pins to hold it up, letting little pieces fall out, especially around the face. The final look is both romantic and celestial. For eye makeup to match, Bartlett suggests a look she calls “dinner-plate eyes”—meaning your eyelids look big and pretty when you look down at your dinner plate during a date. Here she used the deeper golden shades in the RMS Luminizer Quad and finished with MAC Extended Play Mascara.
SCULPTURAL BARRETTE
Dress, Start by back-combing the hair so it feels full, says Wood; this is like creating a little cushion at the roots. If you want a little more texture, rub your fingers together to fuzz your hair out. Place the barrette up closer to your face on one side so people can see flashes of it while you speak to them. For major gold eyeshadow, Bartlett suggests a glitter that comes in a gel base, so you can manipulate its placement on the eye without making a mess. She uses Lemonhead Los Angeles Paradise Beef Space Jam.
BAUBLED CIRCLET
Even though Wood used golden crowns to create this circlet, you can also use a favorite necklace. Start with your hair down, place a headband, tiara, or necklace around the back of your crown, and if needed, add more pieces to the front of your crown. Basically, keep piling on until you like what you see. Take the panels of hair from the front of your head, near your face, and pull them back so you can wrap them around the crown pieces. Twist the rest into a bun at the nape of the neck, letting pieces fall out. For gorgeous highlight on the cheeks, Bartlett used a combination of colors from the RMS Luminizer Quad.
JEWELED HEADBAND
Dress, Pull your hair up into a high ponytail at the top of your head, leaving hair out in the front. You want a pony that feels more cool and “thrown around” than something strict, says Wood. This keeps it from feeling prim. Rub your hair at the temples and hairline to loosen up little pieces.
For a perfect red lip, Bartlett preps the lips with balm, primes them with MAC Prep + Prime Lip, paints on Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso with a lip brush (find one with a width that matches your lips—tiny ones take more work), and perfects the edges with a matching lip pencil.
Model: Niamh Adkins at The Lions.
Want more stories like this?
How to Do Luxe-Looking Hairstyles Using Just a Ribbon
4 Dreamy Hairstyles Made for the French Countryside
Easy Ways to Make Your Hair Look More Polished
For a perfect red lip, Bartlett preps the lips with balm, primes them with MAC Prep + Prime Lip, paints on Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso with a lip brush (find one with a width that matches your lips—tiny ones take more work), and perfects the edges with a matching lip pencil.
Model: Niamh Adkins at The Lions.
Want more stories like this?
How to Do Luxe-Looking Hairstyles Using Just a Ribbon
4 Dreamy Hairstyles Made for the French Countryside
Easy Ways to Make Your Hair Look More Polished