Getting ready for prom is one of the most exciting times of the whole school year, especially if it’s your last prom in high school. However, each aspect can add up, cost-wise, and if your parents have given you a strict budget, or if you don’t have additional funds to kick in yourself, you may want to think about doing your own hair.
By saving on hair styling, you can put more money into your dress, your ride and your after-party. Remember: These days, it’s easier than ever to create wow hairstyles at home; you just have to research, prepare and practice. Read on for some tips you can follow for stress-free DIY prom hair-styling today.
Plan Out What You Want
It’s important to make a plan of what you want your hair to look like on the big night. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to think about this as you might need to purchase accessories. For prom, you don’t want to settle for less than the best affordable hair extensions you can find, a tiara, clips, ribbons or other bits and pieces. You may also need to find something in a hard-to-get color that has to be ordered in or made.
In addition, you may want to change the cut or color of your hair before the prom to get your desired look. This takes time, and you definitely don’t want any big changes made the day of the event, just in case it doesn’t end up how you envisioned. Also, if your hair is currently not in its best state, it pays to make a plan about the types of leave-in conditioning treatments and other steps you want to take to get it looking its best.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Next, make sure you spend enough time before the prom practicing the style you want for your hair for the occasion. You might think you want to style your mane in a particular way but then find that it doesn’t suit your face, your hair type or length. It might also be too uncomfortable, not practical for dancing or simply too difficult for you to manage by yourself.
You should plan a number of trial-runs in the weeks leading up to the event. Try out numerous styles since you might be surprised and actually like one you didn’t expect to. In addition, consider what will wear well over a few hours and have a back-up do in your arsenal. Hairstyles such as soft waves, for instance, can look really lovely when you first create them but can fall out and end up looking rather ratty after some time.
Your second style, which you can implement later in the night, needs to be something you can pull off in just a few minutes, with only the tools you can fit in your handbag and with likely not-great lighting or mirror access on site. The more practice you have of the style(s) you want to implement, the more you can enjoy the day of your prom, and the event itself, without stressing.
Ensure Your Hairdo Matches Your Outfit
Another element to consider is how your hairstyle goes with the rest of your outfit. For example, if your dress is quite elaborate, with lots of crystals, beading, sequins, bows, cut outs, intricate details or other features, you don’t want your hairstyle to compete with this and give you a look that’s just too over the top.
An extravagant, detailed dress will be best paired with a basic yet elegant up-do or simple straight or curled hair. On the other hand, if your dress is lovely because of its simplicity, you can opt for a much more look-at-me hairdo. If your outfit has a stunning back design, consider an up-do or a side braid or ponytail, so this feature doesn’t get covered up when you want it to stand out.
Furthermore, think about the jewelry you want to wear. If you plan on adding a statement piece to your outfit, such as a bold necklace, big earrings or glittering tiara, you’ll want to pair this with a hairstyle that suits and that doesn’t cover up or take away from the jewelry’s beauty.