Style Noted

 Jason Wu called his Fall Ready-to-Wear designs his “most womanly, most grown-up” collection yet.

Moving away from his previous quirky style to an assertive perspective, Wu’s new looks were a great

mix of the hip and the feminine. The models donned achromatic tailored suits; emphasizing shoulders

and nipped waists, they felt bold and decisive and womanly. Purple doe eyes with muted lips and

cheeks added the hip, street tough twist. Yet it was the hair we found most interesting. Taking the

braiding trend to higher ground, Wu had hairstylist Odile Gilbert create “chic and elegant” updos

involving several interwoven sections and artsy interpretations of the chignon. Like the collection as a

whole, the new take on the entwine shows fashion and beauty moving swiftly towards a more

sophisticated direction. To make Wu’s concept yours, click Style Notes. 

Step: To make these bold looks, Wu used strong center-partings with the hair slicked down. The

textural and visual interest is created in the back. Unless profile is flawless, make your center-part

slightly off center, so as not to split face down the middle. Use hair gel to slick down the sides.

Step: In the back, start with French twists and Chignon buns and, once mastered, you can experiment

with different ways to place them, add an entwine or folded pattern.

Step: To do, prep hair with refinish dry shampoo for texture, volume, and grip. Brush hair to back,

and split into two sections for the twist. Now twist one side up to the occipital bone and use pins at

the bottom, middle, and top to hold this ‘seam’ in place. Grab the other section and bring it over the

‘seam.’ Use big hairpins to ‘sow’ the two sections together. For the chignon, make a ponytail in the

back and hold the base of the ponytail with one hand, then lift the tail straight up with the other.

Begin to coil it clockwise around the base. When you’ve made half of a circle, release the hand

holding the base and use it to hold the forming bun as you continue to coil the tail of the chignon.

Step: When comfortable with these techniques, try splitting into four woven sections or adding a

braid along the hairline. Keep it subtle and classy.