Prom night is the epitome of most Young girl's high school career. It can also be extremely expensive, and as I'm sure many people have noticed, saving money is great idea for anyone.
A typical up-do at a salon can cost anywhere from $40-$300 depending on where you go and what you have done. The fact is, this is a car payment for one night of vanity. Your date will be much more impressed with how fantastic you look on a frugal budget. Up-do's are not only easy, but are incredibly fun to do and can express whatever style you want.
Long Hair:
You have many options here. There are many types of hair to begin with so I'll just go through a few of the most common and some ideas I've tried out.
Hair Down
Wash your hair the night before the event. Make sure to thoroughly rinse and condition your hair at this point. Most conditioners are like a coating for your hair strands, almost like a coat of wax. Your hair may look shiny with these product, but it will fade as the layer wears off. Simply condition to remove tangles and give your hair a shine boost.
The next day, keep your hair away from elastics that cause kinks. Do not apply product- we want a clean palette and the natural oils in your help help to control it and add shine. Feel free to run your fingers through it as often as you like- the oil from your hands helps too!
Grab some large barrelled velcro rollers from the local dollar store or drug store.You will also need extra hold hair spray in an aerosol can. For a great hold with movement, I like Aussie Stay Put. While in the hair aisle, grab some hair serum or shine oil. The oil is clear, usually very fragrant and generally comes in a small bottle. Bio Silk is very well known name.
Take a very small dab of the serum in your palms and work it through your hair right to the tips. DO NOT OVER APPLY. This oil can make your hair very oily looking if you use too much. Just enough to add shine and help control fly aways and split ends.
Take a large clip and divide off the section of your hair closest to the base of your neck. Using the velcro rollers, wrap your hair around the end of it and twist into place like a hot roller or regular curler. Remember to curl in the direction you want the hair to go. For this style, hold the curler to be facing the ground, your fingers horizontal. Roll down towards your neck, making sure the curler stays in the very center of the section of hair. If you drag it down, you lose volume. Repeat this either layer by layer depending on how many curlers you have or all over your head. Eventually you will need to do this all over anyway. After the rollers are in place, spray them with your hairspray making sure they are all covered. Don't over apply here, either. Too much hair spray makes your hair hard to work with.
Take your blow dryer on low setting and run it over your curlers, letting the hairspray and serum dry and shaping your hair to the curlers. Leave the curlers in while you apply make up and get ready.
When removing the curlers, do so in a way as to not frizz up your hair. If you find your hair does look frizzy, go over the curl shape with your finger and some serum to close the ends. Your hair will be curly, or at the very least extremely wavy. The thicker your hair is, the thinner the layers of curlers you should use. Using your fingers, separate and relax the curls/waves so they look more natural. You should have a full bodied look with an elegant wave, suitable for any style.
Up-Do
French Twists are a staple up-do that is incredibly easy to accomplish. If you leave the front sections of your hair free while doing this, the can pinned back in curls or curled and left down for a more elegant look, or swoop it back with some volume for that faux-hawk look.
With clean hair, either curly or straight, divide your hair into 2 sections. You can part straight down the middle, or on different angles. The section with the least amount of hair is where the twist will sit. Choose a section to put in a pony tail (the largest, if angled part). Take the other section (the smallest, if angled part) and comb in smooth. You can use a serum or oil for this to help.Comb the section to the back of your head and pin it near the end with some bobby pins. To "lock" a bobby pin, cross them over like an x. Try use a pin that matches your hair colour best. When pinning the hair, make sure you don't pin too close to the tip of the hair, or else it will come loose. Any ends that are sticking out because of this will be covered. Spray into place.
Take the other section from the pony tail. Smooth out as before and comb it back to the already pinned piece. Take this piece and twist it slightly, like you would if you were rolling up a towel. While doing this, pull the other section tighter if need be, or leave it lose for a more relaxed look or for curly hair. The hair should look like a bit like a croissant on your head is the best way to put it, though it doesn't sound sexy. Secure the twist to your head, making sure it covers the first section and any pins underneath. Pin it through the side to secure it. Spray to finish.
You can put small flowers, jewels or other accessories in and around this style to really add some class or originality.
Short/Medium Lengths
When you have short hair, many people feel like they have no options for up-do's. Celebrities like Rhianna and Victoria Beckham are proving that short hair can be sexy, no matter what the occasion.
For medium length hair, take a pin tail comb and divide your hair into small vertical sections starting from hair line. You can leave out your bangs if you have them or any other pieces for a more relaxed look. Like the twist, this works for both curly and straight hair.
Take each section and lightly twist the pieces, starting at the hair line and twisting back, picking up hair as you work your way back. Try leaving the hair rather loose and full for a more casual look, or curl it for elegance, or even tighter for a bit of a corn row look. Spray the twist with a bit of hairspray to hold in place. Use a bobby pin to secure. Do this all over until the your hair is completely off your shoulders and face. The twists should lead to a ponytail or at least a bunch of excess hair in the back. You can purchase a hair piece that wraps around the pony for a full look, available at salons and Beauty Supply Outlets. You can pin the hair into spikes as well, or curl the pieces to make a faux-but-full pony tail. Adding an accessory or jeweled hair band can add to this style as well.
A great idea is to get a really good and sexy trim before the event. If your hair is just too awkward at this stage or you're just do for a change, a good hair cut styled properly can make just as much of an impact as an elaborate up-do. Why not apply a rinse colour while your at it? Freshen up those locks but don't be too drastic or pick an extreme colour (unless that's what you're going for!).
For short hair, accessories can work for you. Jewels pieces, accents and barrettes are available to turn your every day look into something more classy. If you normally have wacky hair, consider taming it down by combing your bangs back for a Rhianna-type look.
You can also swoop one side of your hair loosely over and pin it with a stylish clip for a sexy asymmetrical look. If you're just dying for a different look and short hair is not where you want to be, try extensions. If you know a friend who can do them, try buying the hair and tools yourself. It will save you big time.
Hopefully these ideas are useful. They've all worked for me in the past and for my clients and friends. The only thing better than saving so much money is the fact that no one will ever guess you did it at home!