This is a great take on a traditional braid, but with a twist.

Step 1: Spritz Aussie’s Leave-In Conditioner spray on the fringe that you will twist.

Step 2: Take two pieces and cross one over the other (and, surprisingly, do NOT twist). With each piece, add a little hair from the root of the loose hair.

Step 3: Follow half way down and secure with 2 bobby pins or a clear elastic underneath the top layer of the hair.

Step 4: Curl the hair with a 1” curling iron and spray with Aussie’s Sprunch Spray.

Jeni Hoover, owner and stylist at Pearl Hair & Make-up Studio, gave us a great how-to on how you can recreate this look. I haven’t tried this yet but I plan to try it out this weekend for a wedding. Enjoy!!

1. Make a side part in the your hair, we will be working with the stronger side.

2. Using your curling iron, make horizontal barrel curls below the part, spraying a setting spray on each section, combing through, wrapping all hair around iron, and then sliding it off the rod and pinning against your scalp with a pincurl clip. Hair should be in a similar shape as when it was on the curling iron.

3. Do this down to your ear, there should be about 4-5 curls pinned parallel to your part.

4. Spray all curls with hairspray.

5. Once curls have cooled, take down and brush thoroughly, roots to ends. This pulls out the curl a bit, creating a wave, and also joining the curls together into one piece.

6. Use some polishing creme, or a light pomade, to smooth this section and create one large waved section.

7. Position this wave with a bit of slack and bring it and the rest of your hair back into a pony tail or loose bun.

8. While keeping the natural shape in the waved section, slide bobby pins in from the front of the wave, about 1/2 -1 inch apart. Pin the whole wave starting a few inches from your part. This will hold the wave in place as well.

Photo: Jon Gurinsky

Sheer black ribbon woven into the hair in a spontaneous and organic way was the look at Jason Wu’s Fashion Week show. Lead hairstylist Odile Gilbert for Aveda wanted a style that is feminine, yet contemporary and edgy.

Photo: Jon Gurinsky

“The collection is rich with different textures and materials, so Jason and I worked together to create a hair look that plays with this idea,” said Gilbert. “The key to recreating this look is to have fun and to be spontaneous. Start by blow drying smooth, create a ponytail with the back section of hair, and weave ribbon and hair against the head, pinning in place as you go. This look can be playful to wear during the day or elegant with an edge for the evening.”

Here are Aveda’s steps to re-create this look:

Step 1: Apply Aveda Smooth Infusion™ Style-Prep Smoother throughout damp hair and blow dry straight.

Step 2: Work Aveda Smooth Infusion™ Glossing Straightener through hair to achieve a straight, smooth, glossy finish.

Step 3: Separate hair into front and back sections. Pull back section into a tight ponytail to the middle/back of the head and secure with a bungee elastic.

Step 4: Tie a 7-foot long piece of 6-inch wide, black horse hair ribbon around the ponytail. Secure each end to the head on either side of the pony with bobby pins the color of hair.

Step 5: Mist the entire head with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for added shine and workable hold.

Step 6: Weave front section of hair back in smaller, 1-inch pieces, over the ribbon, securing against the head with bobby pins. Continue weaving hair and ribbon, creating loops with the ribbon around back of the head, until all hair has been worked through.

Step 7: Weave ponytail in 1-inch sections in loops throughout the ribbon, securing against the head with bobby pins, until all hair and ribbon are used. Hair and ribbon are looped together spontaneously, creating a sculptural, voluminous updo. Fray the ends of the ribbon and leave exposed.

Step 8: Spray with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for finish and hold.

In what will be deemed the couture show of the hair world, 50 contestants will compete for the biggest hair and first place prize of $7,500 as they raise money for the New Hampshire Food Bank. In its fourth year, this Hair Competition is a unique charity event that combines fun with the vision of assisting the hungry in New Hampshire. Bring on the weaves, blow dryers, curling rods and hair spray; for the International Fantasy Hair Competition, the more eccentric, the better!

Check out pics from last year’s event here.