The most elegant hairstyles from this year's Academy Awards and how to do them yourself.
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Sure, you've never had a personal stylist or set foot on a red carpet — but that doesn't mean pulling off one of this season's glamorous dos is out of the question. Here we have the most elegant styles from this year's Academy Awards — and tips on how to create these evening hairstyles yourself.What would your favorite celebrity hairstyle look like on you? Try it on in our Virtual Hair Salon!
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Kathryn Bigelow
Kathryn Bigelow became the fist female to nab a best director statue — something certain to put her in the history books — and her look for the evening spoke to the qualities that have brought her this far. She opted for a sleek, no-nonsense do, parted straight down the middle with very little fuss or flounce, yet the hair length and controlled waves are simultaneously feminine and assertive. Read our Q&A with the Oscar winner here.
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Ben Goldstein
Hairstyle Handbook
Use a light conditioner to add shine and rinse with a half-cup of apple-cider vinegar.
Work a texture cream through the ends before blow-drying on low heat.
Pull a little more texturizer through your ends to emphasize movement and separation.
By choosing to leave her hair down, Sandra Bullock stands out by looking both youthful and elegant. The severe side part adds a hint of sophistication, while pinning pieces to one side is a delicate and feminine touch.
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Ben Goldstein
Hairstyle Handbook
Unwashed straight hair is the perfect foundation for this style. Run a little mousse through hair to give it some extra hold and volume.
Make a deep side part and tease the front section pulling it loosely back, over your ear instead of tucked behind it. Do the same with the other side.
Use a little styling cream on your ends and pull loose hair forward over your shoulder.
Charlize Theron's sleek side-swept bangs and low-knotted bun are a perfect mix of classic and modern. The style is ideal for showcasing a gorgeous pair of earrings and a beautiful face.
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Ben Goldstein
Hairstyle Handbook
A quick updo for short hair. Grab a handful of bobby pins and take little sections of hair and twist them back leaving the ends sticking out so you get a messy chignon effect.
Spritz your bangs with a little volumizer at the roots and blow-dry them so they lay sideswept across your forehead.
Finish with a light, fine mist of hairspray to keep everything in place.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS BOBBY PINS are one of the fastest ways to get a whole new look. Scunci Bobby Pins, $1.29.
In this updated version of a pageboy, Sigourney Weaver takes the classic look a tad higher on the neck and adds volume for a style that's flattering at any age.
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Ben Goldstein
Hairstyle Handbook
While hair is still damp, make a deep side part with a comb.
Then blow-dry your hair with a medium-sized round brush so you get a smooth finish.
Quickly run a straightening iron over large sections of hair — you don't want to flatten your chic bob cut but a little extra heat adds a lot of extra polish. Finish with a spritz of shine spray.
The ultimate in modern glamour: the tousled chignon. Well suited for wavy or curly hair, the loose tendrils draw attention to delicate features and elegant bone structure — a perfect look for Anna Kendrick.
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Ben Goldstein
Hairstyle Handbook
Curly hair lends itself nicely to a messy chignon.
Flip hair over and spritz with hairspray all over. This will give your hair a little extra grit and keep your chignon from wilting after an hour.
Rake hair up and back with your hands, pushing it forward at the roots to encourage lift, and secure ends in a twist at the nape of your neck. Keep sticking in bobby pins and pulling out pieces to loosen the style.
Then, mist the twist with a little shine spray. This shouldn't look perfect but fast/sexy/chic.
No stranger to the red carpet, Gabourey Sidibe mixes up her style with corkscrew curls on her shoulders and sweet, texturized bangs.
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Ben Goldstein
Hairstyle Handbook
Use a small curling iron (holding it parallel to your head) and wrap small sections (about an inch) around the barrel for a glam, '40s look.
Do your entire head, curling all the way up on one side of the part. Vary how much curl you get on the other side so you leave a bit of super-smooth roots on one side.
Spray your whole head with a setting spray and a bit of shine spray when you're done.
The pixie cut is a style that speaks volumes about the personality of the woman wearing it. Carey Mulligan's newly shorn locks add playfulness and edge to her already gamine look.
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Ben Goldstein
Hairstyle Handbook
A cropped pixie cut for curly textures looks so chic — but you need to use products that add a lot of moisture and shine to keep hair from puffing up. Even though hair is short, use a rich conditioner.
Run a cocktail of styling cream and gel through damp hair. If you can stand it, let your hair air-dry.
Otherwise, use a small round brush to smooth out the very front sections, then blow-dry brush-free on a very low setting.
MARIE CLAIRE RECOMMENDS STYLING CREAM like Rusk Str8 Lotion, $10.95.
