Home // Blogs // Zoe's Blog //

Zoe's Blog

Launch Editor ZOE FOSTER

Half-up, half-down hair: Dudes love it.

Thu, 4 February 2010 6:58PM

I dated a boy once who had a ‘thing’ for half-up, half-down hair (where you pull back the top part of your hair, but leave the bottom half out) in the same way Miss HEIDI MONTAG has a thing for plastic surgery. He was mad for it! Said it drove him wild! Asked for it all the time! And guess what. He wasn’t the only guy who felt this way. Boys LOVE THIS hairstyle.

Seriously, they do. Ask any guy near you right now. It’s pretty and it’s fresh and it’s hot, they’ll say. That’s why they like it. It’s got the trifecta. Breaking it down, the main appeal seems to be:

A) They get a full view of your eyes and face, because the hair that so often sits over it has kindly been pulled back.

B) Your lovely jawline and neck is visible, and men, love, necks. (This is why when we’re flirting us birds subconsciously pull the hair covering the side of our face and neck closest to the object of our flirting back – so all that lovely neck skin is on show. We’re such filthy lil’ vampires.)

C) The hair is still long and feminine at the back. I know, I know, I love short hair on women too, but men, in general, like a bit of length. And admittedly, this one requires a bit of length to be able to do (past your shoulders at least).

It doesn’t hurt that someone who is regarded as being one of the sexiest people in greater NSW, and sometimes even the whole universe, ANGELINA JOLIE (here at the Director’s Guild Awards this week) does the half-up, half-down all the time. Knows the power of it. Makes it look elegant and sophisticated.

And here’s the back, so we can see how she’s just jammed it all up there in pins…

Doesn’t she do it well. Loves the half-up, half-down. Cracks it out all the time.

I think the key to making this hairstyle look sexy and grown-up and chic, (or carefree and boho and curly and tendrily and ’70s-ish) as opposed to flirting with schoolgirly, is to keep it backcombed and tousled and imperfect.

You do not want it to be tight.
You do not want to smooth it down to get rid of any rogue ‘bubbles’.
You do not care if some fringey bits fall out loosely ’round your face.
You enthuse some of the ‘half-down’ part to sit in front of your ears if it wants to – it doesn’t have to sit perfectly tucked behind your ears.
You do not team it with a Hello Kitty tunic.

Here’s my two-second-pulled-back-with-fingers-and-jammed-in-with-bobby-pins take on it, in which you might be able to just see the dangly gold earrings. Earrings go GREAT with the half-up, half-down.

Do you do half-up, half-down?
Do you think it’s shithouse that as a modern woman we might wear a hairstyle just because we know it drives men a little bit wild?

Posted by:

Comments (21) Print

Tags: , , , ,

21 Comments

  • Posted by: SWrong Enthusiast // Fri, 5 February 2010 08:45am

    Did the half-half thing for the first time last weekend. Looked like an older lady clutching at straws, which was exactly what i was doing. Dudes loved it tho.

  • Posted by: littlebitlovely Newbie // Fri, 5 February 2010 09:06am

    OMG! yesssssss for the win I habitually style my hair like this ALL THE TIME !

    Its so easy and yes guys love it :)

  • Posted by: marymarycontrary Supporter // Fri, 5 February 2010 09:10am

    I Love how your hair looks here! How did yo uget such great lift at the roots? I find when I try this my hair looks flat and I look too prim and proper like Im heading to church…

  • Posted by: BeePretty Newbie // Fri, 5 February 2010 09:48am

    What’s with Tarantino’s red shiny face? He needs some red carpet advice, Zoe.

  • Posted by: natalie17 Newbie // Fri, 5 February 2010 10:08am

    I always feel like a bit of a kid when I do this, thinking I’ll try it with some eyeliner.

  • Posted by: Nita Supporter // Fri, 5 February 2010 10:13am

    Love it! Any ideas of how to get this ‘do’ without the pins being visible?

  • Posted by: Elle // Fri, 5 February 2010 10:36am

    Oh honey, this is very beauty!! Love it! xo

  • Posted by: JessyT Newbie // Fri, 5 February 2010 11:15am

    Love this do! I think you’re take on it way better than Ange’s – perfect combo with the mid-length hair and centre part. Loves it!

  • Posted by: akisa // Fri, 5 February 2010 11:36am

    I wear this hair do all the time!

  • Posted by: lwz // Fri, 5 February 2010 11:52am

    this is my work hair!!! I take the sections of hair at my temples twist em a bit and clip em back with one of those little tiny claw clips. I have very fine hair so I buy childrens hair clips anything heavy just slides outta my hair (they’re pretty and colourful too!)

  • Posted by: lwz // Fri, 5 February 2010 11:55am

    and Zoe you gorgeous thing you! happy and smiley for a friday… you’re doin the Friday dance now aren’t you? :D

  • Posted by: Bels // Fri, 5 February 2010 01:27pm

    Lovely, and Zoe, can I ask what blush/illuminator you’re wearing here? Looks gorg.x

  • Posted by: Michelle // Fri, 5 February 2010 03:21pm

    Oh you foxy little minx Zoe. I love this hair, although it never quite works on me. Admittedly, I do give up quite quickly. I’ll try a bit harder tonight. Promise.

  • Posted by: MissAbi Newbie // Fri, 5 February 2010 05:02pm

    Ohhh Yess I love this! Unfortunately, I have curly hair -my curls arn’t afro, yet too tight to pull this off, it makes me look like a little girl.However, Ange pulls it off nicely and Zo, you just look gorge! x

  • Posted by: MissAbi Newbie // Fri, 5 February 2010 05:06pm

    Ps Zoe, You kinda look like Amy Pearson in this pic :)

  • Posted by: Teneal Supporter // Fri, 5 February 2010 11:13pm

    I love the half up half down. It only works on certain days for me though.

    Zoe it looks great on you!

  • Posted by: Stinu // Sat, 6 February 2010 04:33am

    I love wearing my hair like this! It’s so practical! And cute! And it works perfectly with my face shape! And I can wear earrings with it! Happy to know that guys like it too! :D

  • Posted by: Annie Spandex // Sat, 6 February 2010 10:54am

    You look gorgeous with your hair like that and Angelina can get away with anything. I’m a little dubious about half-up/half-down hair in general and its appeal to men, though. It’s also known as Laura Ingalls hair. Lol, maybe that’s just my association. You’re definitely doing it right with those relaxed waves and your lovely forehead.

  • Posted by: Elayne Enthusiast // Thu, 17 June 2010 02:52pm

    Oooh, I might change my hair to this for drinks tonight! Thanks for the inspiration Zoe! You look great, by the way! :D

  • Posted by: AmuraaNoNo Newbie // Tue, 3 August 2010 11:36pm

    yes. I’ve been doing this do for a number of months now. please refer to Gossip Girl Ep. 01 Se. 03. Serena (Blake Lively), my inspiration does this do with a single braid to boot. <3 so many plusses

  • Posted by: Felicety // Wed, 8 June 2011 12:10am

    I just spent AGES trying to find this post because I yesterday I remembered the half up thing and decided to give it a whirl. I didnt look in the mirror, just shoved it (half) up and pulled some whispy bits down. My husband walks in about 20mins later, stops dead and says “What have you done with your hair? It looks really nice” and then he said a few crude things about sex… But the point was that a man that never notices anything, othewise known as a man, noticed the half up thing! Proof positive ladies!

Independent Digital Media Network