Bohemian Chic

In my opinion, few women in Hollywood can throw together a cooler outfit (sans stylist) than Sienna Miller. Take a cue from her braid-as-headband look for hair that says nature-lover-meets-city-girl. To rock it, comb hair back so that there’s no part. Take a 1” to 1.5” section of hair from the back of your left ear. Braid it, lift, and lay it the desired distance from your forehead (I like about 1” or 1.5”); bobby pin into place. Repeat on the right side, and cross the new braid over the one already pinned. Secure both braids with more bobby pins behind the ears. Leave hair loose and wild behind the braids for Alicia Keys’s sexiness, or pile into my old friend, The Messy Bun, as Sienna does. Give the braids extra gloss with a little shine serum or, in a pinch, hand lotion. Add dangly earrings in earthy stones or colors to play up the look.

Office Elegant

For a beautiful and office-appropriate braid, look no further than The Four-Strand Braid. Run a paddle brush through dry hair, and then smooth on some shine cream. Pull hair away from face into a ponytail at the nape of your neck. Separate into four sections of equal thickness, and braid as you regularly would. Admittedly, your fingers will feel a little unwieldy at first. Secure the braid about an inch from the ends, and tie on a ribbon in a rich color or texture. So easy, and you’ll be receiving compliments all day from people who can’t put their fingers on why your braid looks so unique. Stud earrings polish the look.

Short and Sassy

Okay, I just wanted the (semi) alliteration, because this look is just as cute on long-haired girls. Draw hair into a side part; use the arch of your eyebrow as a cue. Take a 1” section of hair in the front, and make a French braid, ending the braid at your temple. Bobby pin into place. The braid should be about 4” long. Leave the rest of your hair loose and sleek, like Lauren Conrad’s signature strands, or keep braiding and pull hair back into a low, modern chignon like Jessica Alba does. Two minutes, tops.

Sooo… Convinced?