Elegant Formal Hair Styles for All Hair Types

You may not be walking the red carpet at a gala Hollywood premiere, but at some point, a dressy occasion will come up and you’ll have the need for formal hair styles. Whether it’s a wedding, a work event or a holiday party, you want to do something elegant and glamorous with your locks. Here are a few formal hair ideas for long, curly and short hair.
Long hair
Of today’s style icons, none has the flair of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, when it comes to formal hair styles. This royal beauty wears her long, silky locks down on most occasions, even the most official ones. To add polish, she curls the last few inches for a look that’s polished and sophisticated.
When she does wear her hair up, the Duchess avoids getting too severe by braiding the hair on the sides, then pulling the braids back and wrapping them around a soft, low bun at the nape of her neck. This trend-setter also has been seen wearing her hair half up, half down, with a small bun at the back of her head.
Short hair
Victoria Beckham usually wears her hair in a short bob that’s longer in the front, and for red carpet occasions, she spices up her style several ways. One style involves curling strands at the crown and around her face for a softer look. Beckham has also been seen with her short hair side-parted and slicked back behind her ears.
Other short-haired sirens dress up their formal hair styles with glam accessories like headbands, barrettes, flowers and combs. Why not add a tiara for extra sparkle?
Curly hair
One totally feminine and beautiful way to dress up curly hair is to pull the front part away from your face, clip it with an ornament and let the curls fall down your back. Alternately, part it on the side and let the curls fall over your shoulder, or pin up your hair in a romantic bun like Taylor Swift.
Curly hair also works well in flowing movie star styles—think Rita Hayworth or Veronica Lake. If your curls tend to have a mind of their own, tame them a bit by wrapping around a curling iron to form loose, soft waves.
What are your favourite formal hair styles?
Linda F. Cauthen likes to be where the action is, and that’s why she lives just a stone’s throw from the legendary Sunset Strip. Over her career in journalism she's written about entertainment and lifestyle subjects for numerous publications and online blogs as well as serving as Managing Editor of Estylo magazine. She loves classic Hollywood movies, spicy food and exploring historic showbiz sites around town. Linda entertains her friends with her own tours of where celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, John Belushi, Johnny Depp and Chris Brown have lived (and died) in her neighborhood.