September 2010

THE STYLE A poufed-up updo pulled off the neck and into the air

WHERE An LACMA gala in Los Angeles

WHY WE LOVE IT For most women, pulling off a hairstyle like Kim Kardashian's latest would require a dose of courage-and a bit of gravity-defying luck. But on this beauty maven, the look is unexpected and impossibly effortless.

THE STYLE Ultra-slick '40s waves

WHERE The amfAR Milano 2010 red carpet in Milan

WHY WE LOVE IT Maybe Heidi Klum was feeling a little bored of her shaggy bangs-but no worries, this innovative style was the perfect solution. Because her drenched strands have plenty of shape and structure, the look feels polished, not just-out-of-the-shower.

THE STYLE Loose, full waves with easy, sideswept bangs

WHERE The 6th Annual Pink Party in Los Angeles

WHY WE LOVE IT Jennifer Garner favors simple, low-key looks, which is why when she steps it up a bit, the effect is so stunning. Rather than opting for just a few aptly placed spirals, Garner has waves throughout for a voluminous, high-impact look.

THE STYLE Easy, piecey strands

WHERE An eBay event in New York City

WHY WE LOVE IT "When I met Whitney Port in the morning she had her fresh, clean hair up in a bun on the top of her head," said her stylist Charles Baker Strahan. "When we took that down, it had a soft wave. All it really needed was a little smoothing with a round brush on the top to create volume and frame her face."

THE STYLE A pretty, voluminous half updo with plenty of loose, face-framing strands

WHERE The You Again premiere in Los Angeles

WHY WE LOVE IT Kristen Bell's recent look was hard to figure out-which is exactly what kept our interest. Our final consensus? The look, created by Frederic Fekkai stylist Ange Grmoyles, was one part retro bouffant, one part breezy bedhead and equal parts gorgeous and glamorous.

THE STYLE A low, rumpled chignon

WHERE The Burberry Prorsum show in London

WHY WE LOVE IT Alexa Chung artfully merged bedhead texture with a perfectly mussed updo. The pushed aside bangs and imperfect part frame her oval face just so.

THE STYLE A heaping pile of loose tendrils pushed to one shoulder

WHERE The 5th Important Dinner for Women in New York City

WHY WE LOVE IT Usually it's Molly Sims's dimensional blond hair color that leaves us breathless, but this lush and curly style made us reconsider. The curls have just enough shape to feel polished, without the over-the-top body that can sometimes make looks like these feel unruly.

THE STYLE A sleek, straight bob

WHERE The TopShop Unique fashion show in London

WHY WE LOVE IT In her years on the scene, Lily Allen has experimented with wigs, shags and extensions, and while we admire a risk-taker, this neat and polished crop is our personal favorite. The curved-under ends aptly accent her round face.

THE STYLE Neat, glossy tendrils parted slightly off-center

WHERE The Black Swan premiere in Toronto

INSIDE SCOOP "I wanted to bring out the natural, organic beauty of Natalie Portman's hair,” said Nexxus hairstylist Kevin Mancuso, who created the look. "I went for touchable texture and a feminine silhouette." After drying the hair, he set it in Velcro rollers and let it cool. For further definition, he went back through the hair with a large barrel curling iron. A dime-sized dab of a smoothing cream and a gentle tousle finished the look.

THE STYLE Piecey, broken-up waves pinned in a sweet half updo

WHERE An event at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City

WHY WE LOVE IT Katie Cassidy's honey blond hair is darker and more playful than the looks she usually rocks. The imperfect center-part gives her hippyish look just the right amount of polish.

THE STYLE Poufy, slightly deconstructed curls

WHERE The You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger premiere in Toronto

INSIDE SCOOP "Freida Pinto wanted to try something a little different," said her hairstylist Jonathan Hanousek. "We went for rougher curls than she usually wears." He twisted thin sections around a small curling iron, alternating the direction of the spirals as he worked his way around the head. "I finished by having Freida flip her head and shake it all out," he said. A blast of hairspray kept the texture from falling flat.

THE STYLE Long, bendy and brushed-out waves

WHERE The launch of the Montblanc John Lennon Edition pen in New York City

WHY WE LOVE IT Gabrielle Union's hair looks smooth and eminently touchable. For a similar effect, wrap huge chunks of hair around a curling iron, hold for ten seconds and brush thoroughly with a natural bristle brush while strands are still hot.

THE STYLE Flat hair on top and rich, tumbling spirals

WHERE The Rebecca Taylor show at New York City fashion week

WHY WE LOVE IT "Michelle Trachtenberg's look was inspired by classic Veronica Lake waves with a modern touch," said Charles Baker Strahan, who created the look. "After twisting large sections around a 3/4-inch iron, I pinned the curls up and let them cool while Michelle did her own makeup! When she was done, I dropped the set and brushed through the curls with a hairspray-misted comb."

THE STYLE A clean blowout with a slightly off center side-part

WHERE The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles

WHY WE LOVE IT When your hair is as vibrantly colored as Emma Stone's, oftentimes the simplest styles have the most impact. Slightly strawberry blond highlights give this rich russet hue an extra dose of light and dimension.

THE STYLE Tight tendrils with hints of pink and blue

WHERE A sighting in London

WHY WE LOVE IT Katy Perry is no stranger to wacky hairstyles, but there was something subtle and refined about these pastel highlights. The take-away? Working in a few streaks of colored extensions is a fun, simple way to jazz up any style.

THE STYLE A curvy auburn bob with chunky blond highlights

WHERE Backstage at a Justin Bieber concert in New York City

WHY WE LOVE IT Miley Cyrus has turned heads with her extra lush extensions, but this latest style is one hundred percent real-and downright adorable. The strawberry blond is lighter than her usual hue, and the sunny highlights add a pop of cheery dimension.

THE STYLE A puffed up, pinned-back half pony with curled under ends

WHERE A Brian Atwood dinner in West Hollywood

WHY WE LOVE IT Paired with a polka dot blouse and petal pink lip gloss, Eva Longoria Parker sported a fully adorable, retro-inspired look. The style accents her pretty face in two distinct ways: Hair pulled off the forehead draws attention to the eyes; face-framing strands show off the lines of her cheekbones.

THE STYLE A low ponytail with sculpted bangs

WHERE A launch party for Dancing with the Stars in West Hollywood

WHY WE LOVE IT Audrina Patridge has her California rocker girl chic style down pat-but that doesn't mean she can't step it up when needed. This dressed-up 'do is polished without being overdone. (And the swipe of matte red lipstick finishes the look to perfection!)

THE STYLE A clean blowout with a slightly off center side-part

WHERE The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles

WHY WE LOVE IT When your hair is as vibrantly colored as Emma Stone's, oftentimes the simplest styles have the most impact. Slightly strawberry blond highlights give this rich russet hue an extra dose of light and dimension.