How to create your hairstyle based on your Homecoming dress

She watched in the mirror as the last piece of hair fell out of her curling iron and joined the rest of her hair that cascaded down her back. The girl emitted a relieved sigh as she finally finished her hair for the Homecoming dance…only to realize in horror that her hair covered up the dazzling design at the top of her dress.

Matching your hairstyle to your dress is as important as creating the hairstyle itself. Here are some suggestions on how to match the style of your dress to your hairstyle.

Strapless dress hairstyles

According to stylecaster.com, “With a strapless dress, earrings or a statement necklace and the ideal accessories, balance out your look with a low, volumized bun.” When wearing a statement piece, having your hair out of your face will showcase the piece to the full extent.

If the dress has an intricate design, any type of updo is recommended, Samantha Majer, a hair stylist at Cut and Color, said. “If it has a pretty design, you would want to wear it up to show it off.”

Deanna Naura, a professional hair stylist for actress Sophia Bush at an event at the Woodfield Ulta this week, recommends that if you’re wearing a dress with a simple design, “wear your hair down so the attention can be attracted to that.” This will make your hair the focal point of your look.

Ciara Ruffin, ‘19, is wearing her hair in an updo to complement her strapless dress. She said she chose an updo because it looks classy.

High-neckline dress hairstyles

High-neck dresses are one of the most popular styles for 2016 Homecomings. Weddingshoppeinc.com wrote in an article about dress trends that “high necklines would look fabulous with a softly pinned back up-do, to accentuate the details of your bodice.”

Naura explained that high ponytails were a commonly requested style for dresses with high-necklines. If the neckline is decorated, a high ponytail would keep stray hairs away and everyone would be able to see the design.

Maddy Stitzel, ‘19, is wearing a high-neck dress. Stitzel is planning to curl her hair because she is not very experienced in detailed hair designs.

Two-piece dress hairstyles

Two-piece dresses are trending for 2016 Homecomings. These types of dresses come in all different fashions, so they allow a variety of hairstyles to be done.

Naura explained her take on hairstyles when wearing a two-piece dress. Two pieces are trendy, and when you want to attract attention to other parts of your body, “keep your hair simple.” Doing an intricate design with your hair will make it look like there is too much going on in your outfit.

Bodycon dress hairstyles

Bodycon dresses, which are body conscious and hug tightly to women’s curves, are usually one solid color and don’t have too much design, so there are a lot of options for how to style your hair. More than likely, your hair is the main point of your outfit when you are wearing a bodycon, so it is a matter of preference.

Naura offered several style examples for a person wearing a bodycon dress. She said that the best hairstyles would be “50’s waves, retro waves, or keep it elegant and have a slicked back bun.” For a bodycon dress, it is okay to put your hair up or down.

Betsy Riley, ‘19, is planning to wear a bodycon dress to Homecoming. She said she is doing an updo since it is hot in the gym and it’ll keep her hair out of the way.

Does dress color effect hairstyle?

More can factor into the type of hairstyle than the style of dress you are wearing. The design of your outfit or your makeup look can also change what hairstyle you might try.

Majer doesn’t think color affects how your hair looks, but “if you have a really pretty design, you don’t want your hair down to cover it.” When wearing a dress with a design, keep your hair up so the focal point will remain the dress.

Naura talked about how it is not color alone that affects the hairstyle. “I think that you don’t want to have too many looks going on at once,” she said. “If you’re going with heavier makeup, like a smoky eye, then you want to keep your hair simple.” The look can become very busy when both your hair and makeup are very bold.

Tips and Tricks

An article on http://www.listotic.com suggests keeping hairpins in your hair by  spraying them with hairspray or dry shampoo first. This way your hairstyle will stay in place even through a busy night.

Majer recommends doing your hair with a friend since doing your hair by yourself can be tricky. You won’t be able to see the back of your head and a friend will be able to reach the places you can’t.

There are some simpler hairstyles out there if you are doing your hair by yourself and aren’t too experienced. “Braids always look pretty,” Majer said. “They look like you put in a lot of effort and you really didn’t.”

Naura said that a sure way to keep your hair looking flawless all night would be to focus on using good products. She suggested using a volumizing or texturizing spray.