New
Romantics: 2004 Fashion & Hairstyle Trends
By
Megan Woods
What
begins on the catwalk migrates via the red carpet
to the sidewalk, and 2004 is no exception. What
then, is 2004 serving up for fashion and hairstyle
trends? The first piece of advice for those
of you who want to keep your clothes and tresses
up-to-date is to get in touch with your feminine,
romantic nature. 2004 is awash in a sweet, pretty,
and flirtatious aesthetic. Designers continue
to be inspired by the middle decades of the
twentieth century, combining the glamour of
the thirties and forties with the fun and frivolity
of the fifties.
Fashion
Trends
At recent showings by the top fashion houses,
swathes of chiffon, lace and satin have enveloped
the catwalks not only in evening wear but also
in delicate tops to match with tailored pants
and day skirts. Chanel's ready-to-wear collection
features playful chiffon sundresses, and even
the ultimate rock-chick Stella McCartney's latest
collection has been described as a "dreamy
and ethereal" affair. It was McCartney
who responsible for transforming the formerly
leather clad and androgynous Annie Lennox into
a Hollywood princess at the 2004 Oscars. The
Scottish songster positively wafted in1930s-inspired
ice blue, silk satin gown.
At
the 2004 award ceremonies, many celebrities
wore ultra-feminine dresses. Commentators labeled
Sarah Jessica Parker's Golden Globe ensemble
as "sweet", and Charlize Theron as
looking "romantic". On the other side
of the Atlantic, Scarlett Johansson and Laura
Linney's BAFTA outfits have been described as
the "girliest gowns" seen outside
of a bridal party.
Hairstyle
Trends
Accompanying these soft and pretty clothes,
hair has also taken a soft and pretty turn.
It seems the reign of the hair straighteners
may finally be coming to an end. Ever since
Jennifer Aniston first flipped her famously
straight locks across our TV screens, women
everywhere have spent hours removing any wave,
bounce or body from their hair.
In
2004, wave and curl are making a comeback; Vogue
is even heralding the return of the perm for
bouncy and bountiful tresses. For those readers
having frightening flashbacks to the eighties,
be assured, big hair has yet to stage its renaissance.
One
of this season's hottest trends is set to be
the un-do - an up-do that's purposely loose
and seemingly about to tumble down. To achieve
this look of stylish dishevelment simply pin
up random sections of hair with bobby pins and
then let the rest hang loose for a sexy tussled
look.
Despite
not receiving a nomination for this year's Oscars,
many fashion watchers acclaimed Nicole Kidman
as the fashion belle of the ball. She teamed
her Chanel gown with a soft "up down"
hairstyle. She wore her curled hair loosely
pulled back and piled on top of her head with
the back section left to cascade down her back
which was left bare by a backless gown.
On
the catwalks, frizz has been the word du jour.
From Karl Lagerfeld's Coco Chanel look-alikes
to Valentino's wild Seventies inspired creations,
frizzed hair was in abundance. The jury is still
out, however, on whether this style will make
it big on the heads of ordinary women.
Let's
face it; the romantic look is not for us all.
While the 1930s and 1950s are influencing the
romantic look, for a more edgy style, look to
the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. At their 2004 Spring
Showing, Gucci had models with heavy pageboy
hairstyles straight from the streets of 1960s
swinging London. Chunky bobs are also big this
season, especially when they are choppy, texturized
and ultra-messy. Reinvent this style with multi-dimensional
color. Try bleaching and darkening sections
of your hair a la Kelly Osbourne.
The
other look making a strong showing in 2004 is
the ultra-cropped Twiggy look. This is a style
that has been catching on ever since Alyssa
Milano of Charmed graced our screens sporting
this style.
From
the "I thought I would never see it"
files come this season's other hot edgy look
- the mullet. After years of being an object
of ridicule, the mullet is making somewhat of
a comeback. Try updating this "classic"
by going for an asymmetrical mullet.
To
experiment with the latest hairstyles, visit
www.stellure.com.
With this world-first 3D hairstyle visualization
software, you can try all the latest hairstyles
with no risk. Stellure is the only place in
the world where you can try out the latest hairstyles
on your own face in three dimensions!
Read
more of Megan Woods' hairstyle advice, tips,
and trend analysis at http://www.stellure.com/directory/