Glastonbury may be over but never fear! There are plenty more opportunities to dance in mud with strange things in your barnet. Here are four easy ways to hide the greasy disaster that is festival hair, and the best news is that they all work better on unwashed locks. Clever eh?
FESTIVAL HAIR IDEAS
Wear at: Bestival or Somersault with wellingtons and dungarees.
Why: This Heidi delight is a doddle to do, stays put all day and looks better the messier it gets. The lovely Laura of What Laura Did Next taught me how to braid and pin my hair a few weeks ago, and since then I’ve been a bit obsessed. It looks great with a sundress and it keeps all your hair off your neck in hot weather. Plus, it suits pretty much everybody.
How to: Brush your hair and leave a few strands loose around your face, then split your locks into two even bunches. Tightly plait one side from your ear downwards. Flatten out the braid a bit with your fingers, then pin it up on the crown of your head with Kirby grips. Plait the other side. Pin on top too, tucking the edges under the first plait. Add extra pins anywhere the plaits feel a little loose.
Wear at: Wilderness or End of the Road with a scrap of chiffon.
Why: Flowers on your bonce at a festival are so ubiquitous they’re almost cliché, but there’s a reason for their popularity – they look pretty damn adorable. They are also a cheat’s way of making an effort, as you’ll look suitably hippied up even if you’re just wearing a grungy vest and ancient pair of shorts. There are tons of pretty plastic garlands about but I like making my own out of real blooms. They won’t last forever but they’ll look very nice. I used chrysanthemums for mine, but Michaelmas daisies are also great.
How to: Pick flowers with long, sturdy stems and plait the stalks together, starting a few centimetres down from the first flower head. Keep checking the crown against your head until it feels like a nice snug fit. If you have the time and inclination you can sew the stalks tightly to one another with green thread for a neater look.
Wear at: Festival Number 6 or Port Eliot, with a retro teadress.
Why: Feathers are the new flowers, don’t you know. Wearing a huge bit of bird over your hair is a wonderful way to hide the fact that you haven’t washed it in a while. Team a big feather fascinator with a fancy bun or soft curls and you’ve got vintage styled hair that even a hairspray phobic klutz like myself can knock up in a tent sans mirror.
How to: Brush your hair and make a deep side parting. Loosen two locks of hair in front of your ears, twist and pin together at the back. Pop your feather fascinator on top and voila!
Wear at: Womad or Green Man, with a floaty dress.
Why: Easy to do and looks especially nice on ladies with fringes. This is also perfect for casual summer weddings.
How to: Find a pretty patterned headscarf or, even better a fabric headband with an elasticated bit on it. I love this Louche stone twist hairband from Joy and this Vero Moda Muanta scarf from Zavvi – buy them via Voucherbin for a serious discount. Pop it on, leaving bits of hair to frame your face. Take hanks of loose hair and start tucking them back into the hairband, like so. Keep going until all your hair is tucked in neatly, then pop a few hairgrips in to keep in place.
All brilliant and I love the scarf/headband one, so easy peasy!