Best bridal Hairdresser 2016, Vicki Lord took to the stage at Pro Hair Live London on Monday the 25th April, Vicki also presented on the Balmain stage as their Bridal Hair Specialist. Here she explains the advantages and options available for choosing your hairstyle based on the style and neckline of your wedding dress!
The perfect bridal hairstyles for your dream wedding dress
It wasn’t in my interest to use editorial models, as brides are real women, all beautiful in their own right. My aim was to demonstrate to other hairdressers, as well as hair students at the show, the versatility of bridal hairstyling and the need to offer bespoke services for brides, particularly when including the inspiration of the all-important dress.
If you have bought your dress already then ensure that you show your bridal hairdresser a photo of it, preferably of you wearing it, so he or she can use this as inspiration. If you know what hairstyle you are after, but have not bought the dress, then your hairdresser may be able to advise you on what dresses will suit your hairstyle… it can work both ways, but the main aspect is that you ensure the dress and hairstyle complement each other.
Classic Bride
My classic bride, Kate is wearing a round neck dress, which is simple and elegant, with the added modern touch of the keyhole opening at the chest… Kate has a modest bust line and so this dress remains demure, perfect for the classic look I wanted to achieve.
The perfect hairstyle for a simple round neck dress with clean lines is the classic chignon… It is a base hairstyle that I teach other hairdressers in my academy, because it is easy to build up creativity by adding more hair pieces, or accessories. I have added a wave to the side of the do, to create a more interesting finish. A round neck dress can cut off the neck a little, so by having the hair up, the neck is elongated, and some height is created at the back too.
I used two Cannes Balmain hair extensions in walnut, as Kate’s hair, although quite long, is fine, and it is better to have more hair to work with on this style.
Vintage Bride
My vintage bride, Katie, is a real-life bride of mine, and is perfect to show off the very popular retro vibe of stunning Hollywood actresses from the twenties through to the forties. This adapted Marcel wave is glamorous with the large curls, and I have made it modern with a messy scrunch, and graduated the curls from small at the top to big at the ends.
This hairstyle looks amazing with an ornate slide on one side and volume on the other side, which brings out the details on the shoulder of the dress. The deep V-neck needs a strong hairstyle with lots of volume, which means the chest area doesn’t look bare.
I used a lot of Batiste Dry Shampoo. The tip here is to keep the curls on, or slightly above the shoulders and around to one side for added glamour and to ensure that the bejewelled shoulders of the dress are on show. So I used a 40cm Complete Balmain hair clip-in in Nordic, instead of the 60cm, which I sometimes use for the more classic Marcel wave.
Boho Bride
My Boho bride, Bekah has very long hair, but I still had to use two of Balmain’s Catwalk Ponytails in walnut, because as soon as hair is braided it is used up. The ‘fallen out’ look of this hair suits the scoop-cowl neck, because the hairstyle is relaxed, and even though it is an intricate up-do, it has a floatiness to it. The braided detail is achieved by braiding the hair whilst the head is tipped forward or upside down, and using Batiste dry shampoo, this adds texture and makes the hair easier to work with.
This pretty hairstyle is suited to a festival bride or to an outdoor venue, perhaps a forest or fairy theme. It is such a versatile hairstyle and has been a growing trend over the previous few bridal seasons. The reason why it suits this dress so well is because the neck line falls as if effortlessly in place, creating folds in the luxurious fabric, which perfectly complement the folds and loops in the braided detail of the hair.
The accessories for a hairstyle like this are best if pretty and flowery like I have used on Bekah. Fresh flowers work wonderfully too, especially if they are in season, adding another dimension to the overall theme and added impact to a simply boho dress like this satin design. The straps are thick and this picks up on the thick feature braid across the front, and contrasts with the thin strains of hair I have left loose to further create the relaxed nature of this look. Note here, that making a hairstyle seem or look messy, relaxed or effortless, actually involves a lot of effort, patience and an eye for getting it just right.
Avant-Garde Bride
This is a signature look of mine. I first created it for an avant-garde photo shoot, with a concept of Gladiator Queen, and then adapted it to a more wearable look on my sister, and have been creating it since on brides. Many Modern brides are looking for striking, creative masterpieces, and this is the perfect style for any bride that adores high fashion, or theatre – this style is a real show stopper, it is dramatic and edgy.
It takes time and skill to create a sculpted, detailed hairstyle such as this, not to mention six Cannes hair extensions, and one 60cm Complete (Balmain), both in expresso shade to match the model’s dark hair, which is chin-length. You can get away with wearing a big accessory, as it doesn’t get lost. This feathered accessory adds a touch of showgirl and this style suits a high neck illusion or lace collar because it has so much height to it.
None of my real brides have had their style so high, but this Mohawk is so versatile and has been a popular choice with clients, both brides and VIPs, including Jocelyn Brown.
For more on bridal or to find out about my academy go to Vicki Lord Bridal Hair
All my models are wearing dress designs and accessories by Kate Edmondson Bridal Couture.
Hair was created with Balmain extensions and Batiste Dry Shampoo.
Kelli Walwock did the make-up, and photographs were taken by Natalie McCarthy except for two portrait images shot of the Boho and Mohawk by Chris Bulezuik
