S/S ’11: NY: Sleek ‘dos: They may look greasy, but they’re definitely not.

Fri, 10 September 2010 3:56PM

Oh, Fashion Week, how we at PRIMPED love thee. Not only do you provide us with fodder for our Look Book, but you also slide in gracefully every six months, with the intention of kindly nudging us out of our beauty ruts. And it works. Every single time. And today, you’ve thrown a few hairstyling products our way, with the intention of putting an ultra-sleek flavour into our ‘dos. Not greasy, I haven’t washed my hair for days, sleek, but more of a clean, super shiny sleek instead.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

Firstly there was Vena Cava and their sleek middle parted style…

As you can see, Primps, this style is quite severe. Although lovely, the old middle part has a certain knack of being quite harsh on the face in comparison to its side-party sisters. But that’s what makes this sleek look so bold. It’s also been pulled straight down on the face and secured into a low bun at the nape of the neck to maintain the intensity of the part.

To recreate this look, arm yourself with a tail comb, Primps. There’s no way you’ll be getting such a perfectly straight part without one. Run a smoothing cream like Redken 5th Avenue Smooth Down Detangling Cream, $26.00 through your locks first, too, to get that frizz-free, super smooth finish, before brushing the hair carefully into place.

Second up to bat was Ruffian, who opted for a deep side-parted version of the sleek ‘do…

Which although quite similar to Vena Cava’s ‘do in terms of the Sleek Factor, is actually epically different. Firstly, there’s they’ve ditched the centre-part in favour of a sidey. And I like it. This deep side-part gives a softer, more feminine finish to the look, despite being so slick and tight against the head. The hair has also been brushed away from the face, as opposed to around the face, which opens the face up immensely. It also softens the features of the face, making them look less prominent. (Got a big nose? This style will look amazing on you. But the centre-part? Not so much.) There’s a little more grit to the hair here, as though the hair is still a little wet. But having said this, the grit is still ever so slight.

I’d use something like Aveda Brilliant Retexturing Gel, $9.95 to give the hair some control, and suggest using your hands to pull the hair back into a sleek bun, rather than brush it back oh-so perfectly.

And then there was Project Runway, who went and said, “hey, we love sleek ‘dos, too, but parts are for losers, yo” and did this:

Yep, they ditched the part altogether and went and pulled all the hair away from the face for a more flattering, somewhat pretty take on this trend. The hair is softer, and even though it’s still ultra-shiny and sleek looking, that harsh, almost wet feeling is gone. There’s also a little body up top, as though the hair hasn’t been secured so tightly as the nape like Ruffian and Vena Cava’s. Try using Sunsilk Style Definition & Shine Soft Wax, $6.99 for a little hold and LOTS of shine, before softly brushing your dry hair back into a bun.

I know this is a bold look, Primps, and something that you may not wear often, but I’m liking it for the warmer months. All of these ‘dos are the perfect poolside/beachside style, where you can go for a swim, pop some a leave-in conditioner into your locks after emerging from the water, before pulling your hair back into a sleek low ‘do. The result? You look totally chic, all while your hair is soaking in the good stuff and kicking chlorine and sun damage to the curb. Very sneaky indeed.

Do you like this look?
Which take on the sleek style is your favourite?
Centre-part?
Side-part?
No part?

ss11

Posted by: Cherie Herrmann

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Tags: fashion week, low dos, new york, parts, project runway, ruffian, shine, sleek hair, ss11, vena cava