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Your Bridal Hair Guide: Expert Advice For The Best Styles, Inspo & Accessories

Jul 23, 2020

| By Alison McGill

Your Bridal Hair Guide: Expert Advice For The Best Styles, Inspo & Accessories

Pearls are a huge bridal hair accessory of the moment. As seen at Inbal Dror, headpiece by Keren Wolf.

What's new in bridal hair? LOTS! This may just be the best year ever when it comes to wedding day styles because the biggest trend happening now is keeping your look easy but also personalized—it should feel like your hair and not some 'do you have to find the vibe for. "I just think we are in a very cool time where bridal hair can be inspired by the red carpet and the runways and it isn’t just its own category," says Jason Lee, owner of Toronto's Jason Lee Salon. "Bridal hair sometimes gets a bad reputation because it can feel overly constructed with cascading curls and well ‘bridal’ feels. I think the best way to approach wedding hair is to keep it simple and stay on theme. Let the hair compliment your theme rather than doing ‘bridal’ hair because it’s a wedding."

We quizzed Lee for his thoughts on what thinks makes for great bridal hair, what celebrities are doing it right and what accessories he loves to work with and are fashion-forward this year.

What are the best bridal styles happening now? "I think styles will continue in a very clean classic direction but I think we’re going to see more dramatic architectural designs having a moment. Think Jennifer Lopez at the 2020 Golden Globes where her hair was pulled back but had that incredible braided bun. It’s almost a throwback to the 1960s updo. Hairstyling is back and we’re seeing more architectural designs. Celebrity stylist Joseph Maine also did an incredible style on a private client which throws back to that 60s era which is also pulled back but built with barrel curls. It’s Elizabeth Taylor in the '60s or Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady."

Anything really new and chic happening to get brides inspired about something cool and different? "As mentioned, I feel the craftsmanship of hairdressing is what’s exciting and cool. While beach waves are still fun to wear, we’re going to see a cleaner, more refined approach to hair. The pendulum always swings back and now we will be seeing hair being built using the classic foundations from the '60s where updos will be fashionable. Also, anything '90s-inspired in bridal hair will be big. We saw Dua Lipa at the Grammys wear her hair in a sleek knotted updo with strong front pieces worn down. This is a major return to the 90s updo and somehow feels fresh all over again."

What are your most requested bridal styles? "I think the most requested hair style for weddings still has to be the low chignon. It’s simple and it’s very beautiful and classic. It works well for most people because it’s elegant and works well with dresses that are less complicated. It can also balance out a very ornate dress with its simplicity. That said, this year we may want to build the chignon a little more and make it more dramatic. Perhaps adding some beautiful accessories or creating an interesting design with it. Hailey Bieber’s second wedding to Justin this year is a great example of that idea."

What celebrity looks are you loving lately that are bridal perfect?" "I always love a simpler approach to hair especially for brides. If you’re not ready for the big architectural hairstyles described earlier, take cues from modern looks like Reese Witherspoon or Scarlett Johansson from the Golden Globes. I loved Reese’s clean straight look which was glossy and elegant. I also really loved Scarlett’s slicked back chignon. The takeaway here is that hair can be glossy and slicked to update a style. I also always think Margot Robbie nails it on a red carpet and I loved her easy yet fashionable hair from the 2020 SAG awards. Margot Robbie does a beach wave like no other but I loved how she pinned it up in an up style at the SAG awards. I’m very into hair that is effortless and I just think it’s chic and not contrived." Who is a recent celebrity bride who is a great beauty inspiration? "I loved Zoe Kravitz’s look when she got married to Karl Glusman last year because I loved she opted for natural braids in a low chignon. Zoe is known for having a multitude of hair styles from short to long to blonde to dark, but I think it was the right choice for her to wear braids in a low chignon. It’s modern and elegant and beautiful. I think she really knows who she is and I think that’s the key to making sure your wedding is timeless and that the hair doesn’t overpower your entire bridal look."

What are your favourite accessories to work with when it comes to bridal styles? "I personally love using pearls whether it's in a headband or individual pearls being used in a suspended pattern throughout the hair or even just as a small detail. I think pearls just give an elevated feel to the hair but of course whatever accessory you choose needs to still make sense with the story you’re telling with your wedding and your dress. So I think the key to accessories is that they need to be used in a tasteful way and should really only be used if they add to the theme and are the cherry on top."