by Tiffany Liles

Created on: May 13, 2008

As every girl knows, hair dos can make or break a prom. The dress may be fabulous, your date the hottest around, but if your hair is a disaster, then it could be an out and out tragedy. Luckily there are several very simple hairdos that can be accomplished at little cost in your own home with some bobby pins, hair ties and some creativity. These are do's that will stand up well to party prom atmosphere as well as the dancing so that all your pics turn out perfect

Up dos- For those with medium to long hair, there are several different things that you can do at home depending on the look you are going for. To get that elegant Audrey Hepburn look, use a simple slicked pony tail pulled high on the back of your head, not the top, securing that with a tie use bobby pins to pin down the end of each section of hair near the base of the pony tail. Fluff and spray with hair spray.

This will give you an elegant up do that is more secure and less severe than the traditional bun. The do can be decorated as little or as much as you like with hair decorations, like sparkly barrettes or jewels. But don't overdo this style is about your hair being gorgeous not loaded with accessories.

Another up do that is neat and not widely used is the upside down French Braid. To do this hairstyle you need someone who is adequate to excellent at the French Braid. Usually a friend can be found who has those skills or a friend's mom. It is a deceptively simple style just flip you hair over and French Braid from bottom to high on the back of the head. The further up you go the better.

For a more funky style, stop the braid just before the op of you head. Leaving the rest of you hair hanging, you can put curls into the loose sections or just tease it up, depending on what you're looking for. A few well placed bobby pins and you have an artfully arranged hairstyle that is different. Depending on the skill of your braider you can weave ribbons through the braid that match your dress or add hair accessories to set it off.

Another take on the upside down braid that works for shoulder length to long hair is to braid the hair all the way out then tuck the tail under itself and into the braid at the back of your head. This shows off the braiding and keeps the sleek elegant look. It would also look great with a dress that had braiding or a crossing pattern in the back.

Down looks- Long and short hair can both be curled for some serious sexy down looks. By adding curls and hand separating them they look both contained and wild. You can do the cascade of curls thing by pulling your hair into pony tail sections, one upper and one lower. Bobby pins are a great way to maintain placement of curls and add support if your hair is thick.

In short hair I love a sleek look, straightening out the entire wave and bringing the hair forward to frame the face. Short hair looks great on the dance floor and is easy to fix throughout the night.

At last some quick dos and don'ts that come with prom hair styles.

1. Do try two or three different styles and try them with your dress on.
2. Do try out your hairstyle a few days earlier so that you get a time frame for
dressing.
3. Do use hair accessories to set off your look.
4. Don't overuse hair accessories. Pick one theme and stick with it.
5. Don't be overly ambitious. Keep it simple.
6. Don't forget to have a good time.

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