Spring 2011 fashion trends: Spring / Summer 2011-Part Six

2011 hair trends: 2011 hairstyles for women

The year marks the true start of a new decade, and yet 2011's fashion trends are all about revival. True, there is a unique undertone of a modernist style appearing, but take some of the most iconic styles of the 20th century, infuse them with quality, and you'll find the basis for the dominant styles of 2011.

The year's hair trends are no different. For fashionisers in 2011, hair is all about revivals and evolution. With styles and colours we're seeing the best of 2010 reborn, whereas cuts are offering reworked and luxurious revivals of styles that sit perfectly with the year's clothing trends.

2011 long hairstyles

Double hair knot

When it comes to the year's fashion trends a lot of 2011 will focus on embellished, quality details - it won't be exactly the same for 2011 hairstyles, however. Quality, yes. Embellishment, not always. 2011 won't be a year in which hair trends are based around adornments and accessories - yes, there'll be headbands, but there'll be a larger push towards styles that are au naturel. And amongst those styles will be the double hair knot.

What is a double hair knot?

Taking the lead from last year's hairstyles, the double hair knot continues the infatuation with styles that seem effortless - think the plaited and braided hairstyles that have been so popular for more then 12 months, simplify, and you have the double hair knot.

Like the topsy tail hairstyle of years gone by, the double hair knot sits roughly at the nape of the neck or a little higher. The style also works as a single knot - but by knotting the hair twice the effect is more interesting, and easier to secure.

A side view of the hair style as featured on Michael Kors' S/S '11 catwalk via Hanneli.

How to style it

Though a hairstyle suited to the entire year, the style of double hair knot you're seeing in the pictures are best suited to spring / summer 2011. Styled by Orlando Pita for the Michael Kors catwalk, the summer influence comes courtesy of a desire to have fuse urban hairstyle with the feel that its wearer has "been out at the beach all day."

To capture the summer interpretation of the double hair knot:

1. First, spritz the hair all over with a sea-salt spray (Orlando Pita used Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray)
2. Next, scrunch the hair into bunches while drying to add waves and texture
3. Pull a thick section of hair out at the front, sweeping it into a deep side part
4. Finally, take back two sections of hair and tie into a knot - then again into a double knot

For a take on the style that is suited to autumn / fall or winter, play down the beachy-ness by making the hair smoother and a little less textured. Try replacing the sea-spray with a volumizer and keeping the hair in place with a little hairspray.

If you'd like a more detailed 'how to' guide please let us know by leaving a comment below and we'll see what we can organise.

A front view of the hair style as featured on Michael Kors' S/S '11 catwalk via Style.com.

braided topknot

It's not an understatement to say that the hair trend of late has been braided hair, with 2010's side braid having captured the imagination of the fashion forwards before it had even left the catwalk.

Such demand for a single hairstyle inevitably sent fashionisers looking for variations on the theme, and it's fair to say that braided hairstyles will be with us for sometime yet. Which brings us to another interpretation of the larger trend: the braided top knot.

Born on Sass & Bide's spring 2011 catwalk it's a style that has all the hallmarks of a hair trend in the making: it's detailed, it has a messyfactor that is imbued with a too-cool-to-care attitude, you can style it yourself and, simply put, it turns heads.

Hair how-to: the bird's nest bun

Back when it appeared on the Lanvin spring 2010 runway, we termed it a birds-nest topknot that's Hitchcock heroine meets modern-day bedhair; and, as 2011's hair trends continue to evolve it's the type of topknot that's come out on top (pardon the pun). Why? It can still be a little wispy, a little messy; but it's elegant. Thus, it's a runway hair trend that we've already seen translated to the red carpet.

Chanel carried the look over to pre-fall 2011, ornamented by embellished headbands

Bird's nest bun with headband at Chanel pre-Fall 2011

How to create a bird's nest topknot

At the recent 2010 Australian Film Industry Awards, we spoke to Caterina DiBiase - part of theghd styling team, and director of Heading Out Hair, about achieving the bird's nest bun. Caterina fondly refers to the style as the powderpuff: any oversized topknot where the hair winds around loosely to create a sophisticated yet still effortless-looking style. Caterina created the look on actress Laura Wheelright for the AFI Ceremony.

Caterina, who was working exclusively with ghd products, followed these steps:

1. First, apply liberal amounts of ghd maximise mousse to the mid-lengths and ends of the hair.
2. Blast with a hairdryer to dry the mousse into the hair.
3. Pull the hair up into a very high ponytail on the top of the head.
4. Divide the ponytail into several sections then tease each section with a comb, creating lots of volume and texture (it should look a little crazy right now so don't be alarmed... it will soon be tamed!)
5. Brush the ponytail out just a little bit to even out the texture, then wrap the hair around the ponytail to create a messy topknot.
6. Secure with bobby pins all the way around.
7. Finally, spray the hair with ghd ultimate hair spray.

For the Chanel pre-Fall 2011 version of the style, simply add a headband - and, if desired, tug out a few loose pieces of hair to create a more wispy finish.

2011 short hairstyles

Waved bob hairstyle

As the longer bob creeps its way into our 2011 hair trends guide, the question starts to arise: if you go down the path of a shoulder-length bob, how do you keep it interesting and varied? Most of the examples we've seen have leaned to straight, or with a modern take on the 70s-glam blow wave. But here's another trend that's arising as a result of 2011's shoulder-scraping cut: the waved bob.

With the bob in 2011 being generally longer and softer, it's much easier to pull off a waved style with it. While 40s-inspired pin curls are one option, here's one that's more suited to everyday. A casual, textured, beachy wave.

How to create the waved bob

We caught up with ghd at the 2011 AFI Awards as they created a beachy wave on actress Caitlin Stasey. Here are the steps from Heading Out Hair's Caterina DiBiase, working exclusively with ghd, for how you can recreate the style.

1. Work in ghd Maximise Mousse all through the hair, then dry in.
2. Section off the hair then use your ghd Salon Styler to create some loose, semi-curls (they need to have bend, but not be fully curly). Start curling a few inches down from the roots.
3. Spray the hair with ghd Sea Spray to create a relaxed, beachy texture.
4. Finally, blast the hair with a hair dryer to break it up.

The key to the look in 2011 is not to overdo the curls - the more relaxed and understated, the better.