Oscar Trend: “Old Hollywood” Hair

Adele’s Half-Up ‘Do

As usual, Adele’s look screamed old Hollywood glamour. Hairstylist Michael Ashton created a voluminous, half-up hairdo that complemented her classic black Jenny Packham gown.  

1. Towel dry wet hair, removing excess moisture before working through product on mid-lengths and ends.  

2. Flip hair over with your head between your knees, blasting hot air down the hair shaft for instant lift at the roots and thickness through the rest of the hair.

3. When hair is about 80 percent dry, flip your hair back over and take large sections, smoothing them with a medium sized round brush. Pay particular attention to the ends to ensure they are bouncy. 

4. Section the hair into quarters and apply a medium-large curling iron to each section to achieve a contemporary and feminine texture. Next set in hot rollers. Once cool, carefully brush through hair with a natural bristle brush. Continue for the remaining three sections, ensuring that as you have finished curling each section you pin it in a barrel curl using a sectioning clip while it cools and sets.

5. After 5-10 minutes, remove sectioning clips and gently tousle hair. Pull half of the hair back and tease at the crown, securing pieces together in the back of the head. Leave down two small sections of hair to frame the face. Mist with hairspray.

Jessica Chastain’s Deep-Parted Waves

Hairstylist Renato Campora created Jessica’s old Hollywood waves. Jessica’s deep side part and curled layers frame her face for a classic, sophisticated hairstyle that complements her Armani Prive gown. Red lipstick completed the look.

1. Create a deep side part. Then prep damp hair with mousse, applying at the length for touchable volume. 

2. Blowdry hair with a large round brush until dry.

3. Then spritz a heat-protecting spray to protect hair while curling it. Using a ½ inch curling iron, curl the ends for 10 seconds, remove and pin immediately. 

4. Once the hair cools, remove the pins and brush the curls out for a soft wave. Tuck hair behind one ear.

5. To finish, spray hair with hairspray to hold the style in place, leaving it with a sleek look.

Naomi Watts’s New Take on Old Hollywood

The inspiration for Naomi’s Oscars hair was “a romantic Grace Kelly” according to her stylist, Giannandrea. “I wanted to separate her from the rest of the group,” he says. 

1. Starting with we hair, blow out the whole head in large sections with a large round brush to amplify volume mostly at the top and crown area.

2. Use a 1-inch curling iron on mid size sections and spray with heat protecting spray to hold and define the texture.

3. Run fingers through the whole head and apply a little styling cream to create texture and separation.

4. Using your hands and fingers softly pull back the hair. Using bobby pins gently bring the hair into a twisted bun. Secure the bun with the pins and then using your fingers, create separation. Maintain the top volume and softness all around the head and finish with hairspray.

Stacy Keibler’s Faux Bob

“We wanted to create a modern retro look, very old Hollywood in the 30s glamour. We chose to do a low side part, deconstructed into a faux bob with loose volume,” says hairstylist Rovert Vetica.

1. Start out with wet hair, adding a few drops of serum to give hair the strength and flexibility it needed for the initial blow dry.

2. After blow-drying, apply a heat-protecting product before curling her hair into loose waves and setting it with hair spray.

3. Brush out curls and sweet hair into a loose faux bob. Finish off the look with shine spray to give hair a lasting, red-carpet shine.

Naomie Harris’s Retro Waves

Naomie and hairstylist Ben Skervin chose a classic Hollywood style to pair with the Skyfall actress’s rich, golden dress. 

1. Starting with we hair, create a low side part on either side of the hair and then blow the hair out.

3. Once dry, use a 1-inch curling iron to curl 2-inch sections.

4. After all of the hair is curled, brush out into soft waves using a boar bristle brush.

5. Apply a small amount of shine spray over the top of the waves.

6. To finish the look, lightly mist hairspray to hold waves in place.