When you’re looking for something different, yet still elegant, heading back to your roots (no pun intended) is one great way to spice up your formal updos. Old fashioned formal updos have a certain elegance that a lot of hairstyles nowadays just can’t beat. So here are a few tips, tricks, and hairstyles that you can try!

Formal Updos Tips

First of all, you’ll need products. Look into products used in the olden days and see what you can replicate with other, more modern products. If you have a family member who is familiar with old fashioned formal updos, give him or her a ring and see what they know and what they can explain to you. It might even be worth a trip!

Next, try and find as much information as you possibly can on certain updos—and practice, practice, practice! You wouldn’t believe how much it’ll help you if you just practice the hairstyles that you’re planning on doing!

A lot of older formal updos also had a lot of teasing involved—learn how to tease your hair effectively.

Formal Updos Tricks

As for the tricks, while teasing your hair for any hairstyles, try spraying, letting dry, and then re-spraying after teasing the hair that you plan on teasing. This helps you to hold volume longer.

As for bangs—to keep them sleek and shiny, use just a little bit of non-hardening gel. You’ll need maybe one fourth of a dime of gel to do this.

Don’t straighten your hair—most people in the 20th century WANTED curls. Unless you’re going for a straight hairstyle, then try and leave your hair unstraightened or curl it slightly. Make sure to use a heat protectant.

Formal Updos Hairstyles

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At first glance dreadlocks might seem too coarse to create something so smooth and sleek as updo hairstyle for special events, but it all comes down to styling and you can be surprised how sophisticated and elegant dreadlock hairstyles can be. Here is a great example of African American prom hairstyles, excellent also for casual occasions. You need to have at least shoulder length locks for this hairstyle. You will also need a hair net and French hair pins.

Take few locks, around 8 to 10, from the temple area on both sides of your head. Bring them to the back and pull underneath the rest of the locks. Tilt forward and tie those two sections of locks to form a knot supporting your hairstyle and creating volume at the crown of the head. Take few more locks, pull to the back and tie over your hair to secure the formation. French hair pins will give you all the necessary anchorage you need to keep the locks and the formation at the crown area in place.

Now you want to create a bun from the rest of the locks. For this purpose you are going to use hair net. If you can see that your net is very loose twist it and fold it in half. Now your net should have the right size and tightness to anchor your bun. Put the rest of the locks into a ponytail, secured with an elastic band. Push the ponytail into the hair net, trying to fill it out evenly and create nice circular shape. Use the French hair pins to secure the base of your bun and to prevent your locks from falling out of the net. In the end you should have a nice full bun in the back of the head and corresponding with it volume at the crown of your head.

There really isn’t much cuter in the world than great curly updos.  Ringlets hanging in the right spots, bouncing with laughter, are beautiful additions to many different types of facial features. The best part about these types of hairstyles is that they are very easy to create and are appropriate for any occasion.

The number one thing a person will have to battle with any of the curly updos is the frizz factor.  The good news is this can be fixed with quality conditioners and products.  Don’t be afraid to try different types of products until the right one and the right look is achieved.  Watch for sales or coupons to help make the prices more reasonable.  Ask friends what kind of gels and styling aids they use. Curly updos get wonderful definition because of using high quality product and the right kind of styling gel, mouse, sprays or creams, for different types of hair.  So it’s crucial to play around until the best option is found.

To get the most out of curly updos, only shampoo hair every other day at the most, and try conditioning two or three times a week. Shampooing can cause hair to be stripped of its naturally occurring essential oils, making it frizzier and less defined.  Over conditioning tends to weigh it down, which will take the spring out of lovely curls.   It’s also a great idea to keep it trimmed regularly which will help keep split ends in check and make hair overall healthier.

One of the simplest ways to wear hair that is curly is to go for the tousled, or messy look. To get a great messy look, pile most of the hair in a loose bun or pony tail and leave some defining curls out around the face and ear area.  If going for something a little more formal then adding some shiny clips and twists will really enhance the look.   A key ingredient to great curly updos is to have fun playing with different ways to put hair up, and then enjoy the finished look.