We’re all feeling the urge to mark the end of lockdown with a bang, or in the case of our hair, a bob. The universally-flattering style is set to be the most popular choice for 2021, with everyone rushing to secure a salon appointment for a chop after months of grown-out, limp-looking hair.

While we’re pretty set on the length, there’s still the small matter of deciding what type of bob is best. There’s the shag bob —sexy, natural texture with a bit of oomph at the crown, the asymmetric bob — a classic twist on a classic bob cut where one side is longer than the other, and the outgrown bob (otherwise known as the Lob, or long bob) which offers a great choice to anyone who can’t quite commit to cutting off too many inches. There’s even the ‘modern Diana bob‘, inspired by the most recent series of The Crown, which has a deep side parting and the volume and layers throughout the lengths.

Another classic cut that’s always a safe bet is a super blunt bob, otherwise known as the ‘paper cut bob’, which sees hair cut into a razor sharp line without a layer in sight. Not only does this style always look super chic, it can also be a great way to re-set hair if you’ve been wearing long layers or experimenting with ombré or dip dyed ends, creating a beautiful blank canvas. Plus, if you have thin or fine hair, the blunt edge will act as an optical illusion, making hair look thicker and lustrous.

Keep scrolling to see our round up of the very best paper cut bobs to screenshot and show to your hairdresser at your salon appointment. 

Pretty pink paper-cut bob

Pastel pink is back in a big way for 2021 – so long as it’s paired with a slick paper-cut bob rather than festival waves.

Slanted paper-cut bob

Ever so slightly slanted so that the front sits slightly longer than the back, this is the perfect choice for thicker hair.

Classic blonde paper-cut bob

Classic blonde is always a great summer hair color and with a paper-cut bob, it’s never looked better.

Block color paper-cut bob

Block colours add even more drama and sharpness to the paper-cut bob – both in terms of your choice of hair dye, and your outfit.

Ring-lighting paper-cut bob

Ring-lighting, the latest hair trend that adds a pop of face-framing colour, can shake up the paper-cut bob into something edgy.

Cropped paper cut bob

Great for anyone looking to chop off all signs of split ends, the cropped look will make hair look healthier than ever.

Jaw-length paper-cut bob

Icy blonde tones take a paper-cut bob to new levels of sleekness.

This story originally appeared on Glamour UK. 

Wondering what way to go with your hair color? We’ve been thinking the same thing. We’ve grown to love mousy, natural hair colors thanks to the fact that laid back shades feel relaxed and low-maintenance.

But we can’t deny that a drastic ice blonde offers up the sort of hair escapism and statement refresh that we’re craving.

It’s a tough one. Or it was, until we spotted a pretty highlighting technique that combines a little bit of both. Ribbon blonde, was originally coined by the experts at Los Pastel‘s dreamy salon (sadly based in Australia, but with a bunch of inspo on Insta). The trend takes delicate sections of hair and weaves ribbons of light blonde amongst darker sections to create a beautiful mix of tones that adds depth and dimension to hair.

If you’re bored of drab-feeling strands (aren’t we all, cheers lockdown), it’s a gorgeous middle-ground between natural, non-committal color and a brighter blonde that requires more upkeep.

It’s essentially a high-contrast form of balayage, with gleams of light expertly lifted to create a sleek balance between the darker and lighter shades.

You can sharpen or soften the contrast depending on how dark your natural base is and how statement you want to make the style. We love tonal ribbon blonde in a mix of buttery, sandy, champagne and platinum shades, which gives a subtle lift to dirty blondes. But we also love 90s ribbon blonde which creates a piecier, chunkier color clash between darker brunettes and bright blonde.

The best news? You can get that bright, light feeling with zero upkeep. Since balayage won’t create harsh lines at your roots, you can go for touch-ups as little or often as you like – depending on how fresh or lived-in you want it to look – either way, it will remain looking seamless and beautiful.

This story originally appeared on Glamour UK.

As optimism starts to creep into out collective consciousness, it appears it’s also infiltrating the bridal market, as short wedding dresses are having a moment. After canceled big weddings, postponed town hall ceremonies and downsized receptions, one might have suspected the bridal landscape would look subdued going into the summer of 2021. Far from it. Despite ongoing restrictions, couples are ploughing on with preparations and preparing to finally say “I do” on the wedding days they’ve dreamed about. Fashion is playing a vital role in this newfound optimism, with the overarching theme of bridal searches leaning toward fun over traditional.

“Following a year of uncertainty, we predict a significant shift towards partywear and maximalism as brides, grooms, and guests will be making the most of being able to finally celebrate big life moments in person,” says Morgane Le Caer, the content lead at global fashion shopping platform Lyst. “With show-stopping dresses, bold suits, statement accessories, and high heels once again making their way onto everyone’s wish lists, it’s becoming clear that if 2020 was the year of the Zoom wedding, 2021 will be the year that’s bringing the (after) party back.”

Brides, accordingly, are shopping for looks packed with personality over conventional confections, including short wedding dresses.

 Searches for mini bridal dresses are up 170%, embellished pants have spiked 37%, and rhinestone heels, which have seen an increase of 31%, are currently the most popular shoe style to walk down the aisle in. Grooms are feeling emboldened too. Since Dan Levy, as David Rose, wore a Thom Browne groom skirt suit on his wedding day in the Schitt’s Creek finale, searches for “men’s wedding skirts” have increased 26% year on year.

Naturally, Bridgerton, the bodice-ripping period drama that swept the nation in December, has played a part in the endlessly romantic end of the bridal market. Demand for corsets is up an eye-watering 291% since last year, while embellished headpieces have seen a surge of 156%. Next we’ll be hearing that spoons are the wedding favor of choice.

This fabulously OTT fashion is countered by the new accessory sweeping the scene: the face mask. “Bridal,” “wedding,” and “matching” face coverings have been generating over 30,000 searches per month collectively, as guests seek out snazzier options than medical-grade masks. But even the hunt for discreet PPE can’t dampen the spirits of those who have RSVP’d to an IRL event this summer and are seeking out fashion-forward alternatives to wear as they celebrate the union of their friends. As online searches for wedding attire have nearly quadrupled year on year, expect some extra looks worthy of extra-special nuptials this season. Three words: Bring. It. On.

This story originally appeared in British Vogue. 

Another Taylor Swift appearance, another chance for never-ending Easter egg analysis from Swifties about her future rerecorded albums.

On May 11, Taylor accepted the Global Icon Award at this year’s Brit Awards, and she shared a photo of her outfit for the evening: a sparkly Miu Miu skirt and matching top. She completed the look with her old signatures, a red lip and straightened blond bangs.

So like any Taylor clue, this one is multifaceted—will 1989 (Taylor’s Version) be next, or Red (Taylor’s Version)? Or, as one fan posited, both? “Taylor ‘red’ era hair with the bangs with ‘1989’ filter vibes IF WE GET TWO RE-RECORDED ALBUMS IN ONE RELEASE ISTG,” the fan wrote.

But the Easter eggs don’t stop with Taylor alone. Olivia Rodrigo was also in attendance, which means she’s also fair game for clues. Fans picked up on Olivia’s memorable flowing red dress during her performance of “Drivers License,” connecting the dots to…Red (Taylor’s Version). The two even got to finally meet for the first time, with Olivia sharing the evidence on Instagram. As one fan put it, “If if olivia rodrigo is not on RED (taylors version) I’m suing.”

Easter eggs aside, the moment was a big one for Taylor, whose win was preceded by a montage of congratulations from celebrities including Selena Gomez, Annie Lennox, Griff, and Zoë Kravitz. In her acceptance speech, she thanked all of them, plus her boyfriend Joe Alwyn and the Folklorians. And perhaps acknowledging Olivia and other young artists in the audience, she took a moment to offer some wisdom.

“If you’re being met with resistance, that probably means that you’re doing something new,” she said. “If you experience turbulence and pressure, that probably means you’re rising. And there might be times when you put your whole heart and soul into something and it’s met with cynicism or skepticism. You can’t let that crush you. You have to let that fuel you.”

This article originally appeared on Teen Vogue. 

It’s no secret that Princess Diana stole the hearts of people everywhere with her kind, charitable soul and impeccable style. Every so often a picture of the late icon wearing a pair of biker shorts and a sweatshirt, her little black “revenge” dress, or another one of her many other notable fashion moments will go viral as people yet again praise and remember her for her effortless glam and street style. Plenty have re-created these and other looks of hers (including Hailey Bieber for French Vogue in August 2019) to honor her legacy. Now TikToker Rose Van Rijn is going viral for basically transforming into Diana’s twin with her latest hair tutorial. 

On May 7, Van Rijn shared the viral video with her large following of nearly half a million other TikTok-ers, who were immediately shocked at how much she resembles Princess Di. In fact, the resemblance is so striking that she could give Kristen Stewart, who is playing the beloved royal in the upcoming film Spencer, a run for her money. The tutorial begins with a screenshot of an old illustrated guide on how to achieve Lady Diana’s bouncy hairstyle before diving into the styling. 

Van Rijn found the illustrated guide on Pinterest and decided to use it as inspiration to cut her hair in mid-April, which she also posted on TikTok. She cut her shoulder-length hair into a chin-grazing bob with a set of bangs and the perfect amount of layers. To create Di’s hairstyle, she curls her hair away from her face section-by-section, using a blow-dry brush and a heat protectant. (The GHD Rise Hot Brush is a great option to use.) Then she runs a paddle brush through her hair before setting everything with hairspray. 

For the final reveal, she changes out of the gray floral shirt into a gray blazer and a pearl necklace to look just like Lady Diana. Van Rijn is clearly a huge lover of vintage beauty; just a scroll through her Instagram will momentarily transport you to the boogie-down era of the ’70s. She wanted to give praise to Diana’s style with this video and clearly succeeded. “Diana is long gone, but I hope to carry on her legacy, even if it’s just a bit by wearing her hairstyle again and showing it to other people on the internet,” Van Rijn tells Allure. “It’s such a beautiful sophisticated cut, and I love it.” We do too.

This story originally appeared on Allure.  

Irina Shayk recently stepped out in New York City on the set of Clueless 2. 

Okay, just kidding, but her look was very Cher Horowitz. In her purple plaid suit, the model channelled the classic 1995 film, specifically the scene where Cher blows a stop sign in her white Jeep and rolls up to her high school in a checkered skirt suit, proclaiming “Ugh, as if!” to any grungy skater boy who even looks in her direction. 

To be fair, Cher’s look was yellow. But as one of the most memorable ‘fits in Hollywood, all plaid suits feel a little like an homage to her.

Irina Shayk’s take on the iconic movie look, however, doesn’t feel costume-y at all. Her plaid skirt suit by Vivienne Westwood included a shrunken blazer silhouette and pleated mini skirt. Westwood’s signature punkiness made it feel updated, fresh, and fun. Instead of knee socks like Horowitz, Shayk paired her suit with leather combat boots by Magda Butrym that hit below-the-knee—a tougher, edgier, more New York shoe than Cher’s white Mary Janes. 

There’s something perfectly cheeky about the whole ensemble—it’s making us want to dress like our favorite movie characters for spring, too. Officially pinning outfits from Josie and the Pussycats to the mood board now. 

This post originally appeared on Vogue.com.

 

Former Bachelor star and NFL player Colton Underwood shocked the world last week when he came out as gay in an interview with Good Morning America. The very same day, entertainment publication Variety reported that Netflix is developing an unscripted reality show with Underwood that will focus on him “living his life publicly as a gay man” with the help of “gay guide” Gus Kenworthy, an out Olympic freestyle skier.

Although Underwood’s coming out was warmly received by many, a petition seeks to highlight the reality star’s abusive past while calling for the cancellation of his forthcoming Netflix series.

The description of the petition—which had over 22,000 signatures at the time of publication—alleges that Underwood stalked his ex, Cassie Randolph, whom he met on Season 23 of The Bachelor. After the show aired, Underwood allegedly “placed a tracker on her car, sent her and her friends anonymous threatening texts, and was even seen standing outside her window extremely late in the night, resulting in her brother attempting to de-escalate the situation.”

“Cassie is a victim of Colton’s abuse, and he does not deserve a platform in any way,” the petition reads. “Regardless of his sexuality, Colton should not be given a platform as a result of his abusive, manipulative, and dangerous behavior.”

Randolph filed a restraining order against Underwood last September, although it was later lifted after the pair were able to resolve their disputes privately. The petition also includes a link to the relevant court records, which describe the behaviors listed in the petition in detail.

The documents allege that Underwood “admitted to his roommate and his roommate’s girlfriend…that he goes on multiple walks a day to Ms. Randolph’s apartment building” and that he had harassed and threatened her verbally following a visit from a friend. Attachments include screenshots of Underwood’s many texts to Randolph and to her friends and family, as well as pictures of the alleged tracking device Underwood placed in Randolph’s car.

Underwood and Randolph’s relationship lasted just over a year, beginning when he gave Randolph the final rose on the long-running reality competition series in March 2019 and ending in now-deleted breakup posts on Instagram in May 2020, according to Us Weekly.

Despite his history of alleged abuse, former contestants on the Bachelor franchise have expressed support for Underwood following his sit-down with Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts. Supporters include former host Chris Harrison, who recently announced he will not host the next season of the show following allegations of on-set racism, and Hannah Brown, who initially appeared as The Bachelorette during the spinoff’s 15th cycle before coming in seventh during Underwood’s season.

“Sending you support every step of the way as you continue to embark on your self-discovery journey,” Brown said in an Instagram story.

For his part, Underwood apologized to Randolph on Good Morning America. “I’m sorry for the pain and emotional stress I caused,” he told Roberts last Monday. “I wish it wouldn’t have happened the way it did. I wish that I would have been courageous enough to fix myself before I broke anybody else.”

While thanking people for their “kind comments and messages,” Randolph said following the segment’s airing that she is taking a week off from her weekly YouTube channel, per Cosmopolitan magazine.

Netflix has not responded to calls to pull the plug on Colton Underwood’s as-yet-untitled series, but these are not the first criticisms aimed at the reality star after his coming out. Former ’NSync member Lance Bass, who famously revealed his sexuality on the cover of People magazine in 2006, predicted backlash if people perceive Underwood as “monetizing the experience” of coming out. In an interview with the reality show podcast The Ben & Ashley I. Almost Famous, Bass instructed Underwood to “sit back, listen, and learn” from the controversy.

“That’s all you need to do right now, is just listen to the community, listen to everyone around you,” he said last week. “Educate yourself and then you’ll naturally find where you belong in this community.”

This post originally appeared on them.

The world of hair possibilities has opened back up and we couldn’t be more excited to have our mop chopped and curated by the pros. The good thing is that our time in hair purgatory has made us think long and hard about our next cut (our Instagram is full of saved snaps for reference). The tricky part is deciding on one style above the rest.

Two styles in particular are tipped to headline this summer. The first is the bob—no surprises there. It’s chic, it’s simple and it’s refreshing to be able to see our shoulders again after all that regrowth. The second style is the shag—basically sexy, bed-head texture that offers oomph at the crown. Yum.

It’s a tough one. But there is another style we could consider… and that’s mashing the two together. Typically, bobs don’t tend to have too much in the way of layering going on around the crown, but the shaggy bob inspirits hair with the rock ‘n’ roll attitude and texture of a shag, alongside the shorter, fresher, collar-bone baring length of a bob. It’s kind of a match made in heaven.

Not sure how that would play out? We have 9 ways to wear a shaggy bob below for your viewing pleasure…

Wavy shaggy bob

This celebrates pretty natural texture with cute flipped ends.

Vanilla shaggy bob

One of the biggest shades of the season, vanilla cream is a bright color refresh but you can keep it a bit rooty to feel more relaxed.

Flipped shaggy bob

The good thing with a laidback texture is that it’s deliberately non-neat, so you can flip the parting from day to day.

’70s shaggy bob

The ’70s are back, complete with butter blonde and Farrah Fawcett inspired hair. This is the modern way to wear it.

Swaggy bob

We love this bob by Michelle Leep. “Shaggy, with a touch of swag.”

Jaw-length shaggy bob

This cute textured bob ends just at the jawline for plenty of neck and shoulder action.

Bleached shaggy bob

This is light and bright, but a little bit grungy too, with plenty of attitude.

Fringed shaggy bob

Shaggy, layered and complete with fringe.

Tucked shaggy bob

Add extra interest with an ear-tuck.

This story originally appeared on Glamour UK.

Another signature of Lady Di? Blue liner: the bright, cheery, less boring, 80s alternative to black. Already, The Crown has inspired us to switch up our usual eye makeup and give blue a revival, according to beauty retailer, Escentual.com, sales of blue liner have almost doubled on the site since the series aired. “There’s a huge growing interest in bright and light blue makeup colors,” they reveal. The most popular shade, Sumi Sky from Shiseido, is often sold out.

Windswept cheeks look fresh and healthy

Despite being the nation’s princess, Diana looked like the girl next door, back from a quick stomp around the countryside. Rather than anything too contrived, her cheeks always look fresh, flushed and healthy. Some of it was an endearing side effect of rosacea (which meant Diana’s cheeks would often blush when she was excited or embarrassed), but for her engagement photoshoot, her makeup artist, Clayton Howard used the shade “Blushing Frost” in Max Factor’s since discontinued blusher stick.

She was big on skin care

Diana took good care of her complexion and always took time out to get stuck into her skincare. She was particularly fond of using rosewater on her sensitive skin and regularly shopped at brands such as Guerlain and Clarins. “Diana was very sensible when it came to her skin,” her former makeup artist, Mary Greenwell told Stylist. “She would always make sure she took her makeup off at the end of the day and make sure she always had a clean face before applying makeup.” According to Mary, Diana would cleanse, tone and moisturize twice a day. Full marks for Princess Di.

’80s florals scents deserve a second spin

Heavy, heady florals seem to have got lost behind in the ’80s, in favor of the subtler more delicate scents that swept the nineties and noughties. But, it’s high time to give loud perfumes and retro florals another spin. Penhaligon’s Bluebell perfume (a blast of hyacinth, cyclamen and jasmine) was known to be a favorite of Diana’s, but for her wedding day, she chose Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant,(a sweet, vintage blend of soapy florals). “She always, always, always wore fragrance,” says Greenwell. “It’s kind of the final touch of beauty, walking out smelling divine and chic and individual.”

This story originally appeared on Glamour UK.

It’s been a long year in lockdown, and though salons have been open in some capacity, many of us weren’t blessed enough to get a midyear trim. Thanks to a year of hibernation, the vast majority of us have seen our hair grow to new lengths— and while I’m convinced I currently resemble Cousin Itt, it seems I’m onto a new trend.

Enter: XXL hair—incredibly long, Rapunzel-like hair that’s derrière scraping and seriously glam.

Whilst the brave among us are making the decision to chop it all off via a bob hairstyle, if you’re too nervous to take the plunge, XXL hair is the perfect antithesis.

“Most people are turning up to salons with hair longer than ever before following months in lockdown and no access to hairdressers,” explains BaByliss ambassador Syd Hayes. “After a year of on-and-off lockdown and summer on the horizon, most are choosing to go with it and mix up their normal go-to style with XXL hair.”

Hayes highlights that the most important thing to take into account when you have long hair is to make sure it’s healthy— and after months in lockdown, we’re guessing it’s not in peak condition. “Make sure you get rid of split ends and request for the ends to be sliced out or even razored so you don’t have too much of a blunt line at the bottom,” he suggests. “This will make the maintenance easier and ensure it looks healthier for longer.”

Need some inspo? Anya Taylor-Joy, Lara Stone, the Kardashians and Rochelle Humes are all embracing the trend. “The possibilities are endless but what’s key is that hair looks healthy and shiny and doesn’t have straggly ends,” Hayes says.

To really maximize the look, ask your stylist to recommend not only a shampoo and conditioner, but an at-home treatment to maintain your salon fresh hair.

Where a bob requires more styling and maintenance, XXL hair can be left to its own devices and can be worn super sleek à la Taylor-Joy or with a tougher edge. “Try channelling Kate Moss’s cool undone hair,” Hayes suggests. “Simply wash your hair, use a heat protectant, and then add some tousled waves to the ends using a wand like the BaByliss 9000 Wand.”

See, those missed hair appointments paid off.

This story originally appeared on Glamour U.K.