Four festive hair ideas you'll love this party season

If you’re anything like us here at Team Hood, your festive style might be a tale of two halves. Outfits on point, makeup perfected, but hair – well, that’s another story.

Most of us have a catalogue of key styles we opt for on a day-to-day basis, but when it comes to special occasions, the pressure’s on to step up your game and try something sleek and super-glamorous.

But if you struggle with stepping out of the box and creating hairstyles worthy of the A-list, have no fear. We’ve got the experts on hand, sharing their top tips for getting your hair under control and looking red carpet-ready, even for just a low-key day with the family.

Scottish superstar hairstylist Jack Baxter, who looks after the likes of Jamie Genevieve and Kate La Vie, has given us his hero hairstyles for the holidays and Hogmanay, whilst hairdresser to the stars Jason Collier, whose clients include Victoria Beckham and Sienna Miller, shares with us his favourite styles for the festive season.

The office Christmas party: the sleek snatched ponytail, by Jack Baxter

“After a full day in the office, you need a style that’s easy to do but will look fresh and party-ready,” explains Jack. “Try a slicked-back high ponytail – it’s simple to create but will look sleek and glamorous for your night out, taking you from desk to dancefloor with ease.”

Jack’s tips to get the look:

Brush through hair thoroughly to ensure it’s smooth and free of tangles.
Using a bristle brush, pull the hair into a high and tight ponytail at the crown of the head – smooth out any loose sections or bumps with a fine-tooth comb to ensure a completely flat, sleek finish. Fasten the ponytail with a snag-free band.
Pull one small section of hair to the side, and wrap this around the base of the ponytail to create a seamless look. Pin this piece in place.
Using a wide-barrel curling iron, tong the ponytail in small sections to create lots of waves, curls and movement. Leave the hair to cool before loosening the curls slightly with your fingers.
Mist the hair with a high-shine, strong-hold hairspray to fix it in place.
Finish with a glitzy hair accessory, fastened onto the base of the ponytail, for a glamorous final look.

Christmas Day: the messy bun, by Jason Collier

“The messy bun is a hugely popular style this year, thanks to Meghan Markle wearing it so frequently, but it’s actually a perfect style for those days when you want to make an effort, but not be too overdone – such as Christmas Day,” says Jason. “This look is chic but relaxed, and looks just as good with a sparkly party dress as it does with jeans and a jumper, making it an ideal option whatever your festive style.”

Jason’s tips to get the look:

Mist the lengths of the hair with a texturizing spray, and then backbrush lightly from the mid-lengths to the roots, to give hair volume, smoothing out over the top layer with a comb.
Scoop the hair into a ponytail and fasten with a snag-free band.
Tease out some strands all over to give texture, but especially around the front sections if you want to emulate Meghan and her signature look.
Backbrush the ponytail and then twist it in the direction that your hair naturally wants to run. Twirl it into a bun shape and secure with kirby grips.
Mist with hairspray and ruffle lightly with the fingertips for an undone look with regal credentials.

The family visit: the halo braid, by Jason Collier

“That period of time between Christmas and New Year, when you’re relaxing with friends and family, is a great time to experiment with styles that are fuss-free but look like you’ve made an effort,” Jason explains. “I love the look of a halo braid, which takes a minute to get right, but then stays in place all day and is low-maintenance, whatever you’re up to – perfect for getting through a busy day with the family and then heading out in the evening.”

Jason’s tips to get the look:

Create a deep side parting, then brush the hair through thoroughly to get rid of any knots.
Start your halo braid with a section of hair from the front of your head, on the heaviest side of the parting, and begin to braid, adding in strands from the rest of your hair as you go.
Continue this technique the whole way around the head, ensuring the braid stays quite tight all the way round.
When you reach the end, braid the hair into a three-strand braid and fasten with a snag-free band, before tucking under the main braid and securing in place.
Finish with a light mist of hairspray and tease out some loose strands around the front for a beautifully relaxed finished look.

Hogmanay: the glossy blow-out, by Jack Baxter

“Hogmanay is the biggest party night of the year, so it’s only right that you should feel super glamorous for this very special occasion,” says Jack. “When you’re getting all dressed up, I like a laidback take on occasion hair, for balance, so I think that a glossy blow-out, with a beachy texture, is a very modern way to do glamour. It’s shiny, healthy, glossy hair but with a bit of real-life edge.”