Ron King: Spicing up Short Hairstyles

by The Style King/Ron King on Monday, August 23, 2010

Ron King has worked as a hairstylist, transforming people’s appearances, for more than 20 years. With a growing celebrity clientele, King travels the world taking inspiration from different cultures and countries. Along the way, he has developed his own “easy wear” style philosophy which plays up a woman’s natural hair texture and pairs it with natural-looking makeup that’s easy to apply. This mantra led him to launch a signature line of cosmetics for women who want to look pulled together but who are are short on time. King has worked with some of the most respected names in the industry, including L’Oreal Professional, Ted Gibson, Eva Scrivo and Rick Wellman.

Every summer (AKA party season), I get an influx of short-haired women asking for ways to style their crops for parties or black tie events, instead of just doing it as they normally would. Short hair is sexy, sassy and all the rage right now, yet many people don’t know it can also be versatile. Simply glance at a fashion magazine and see a bevy of bobbed and cropped beauties making the look work on the red carpet for inspiration. Stars like Carey Mulligan with her Mia Farrow-esque look, beautiful and elegant Halle Berry and unpredictable Kelly Osbourne have all explored hairstyling options which make their short ‘dos festive and so can you.

Carey Mulligan

The tried and true idea is to add hair accessories. Sparkly and vintage-inspired pins, combs and barrettes are all adorable but may be best saved for those on the younger side. Try piling 2-3 decorative bobby pins on one side of the head and play around with positioning for a more modern, mature look. Headbands of every size and type are a great option as well. Funky ladies like Kelly Osbourne go for a not so subtle look of oversized bow headbands and bright colors. This is also a fun going out style but is not for the faint of heart. It helps to have a similarly unique hairstyle/color and clothing style to pull it off. For a more sophisticated look, opt for a simple black or solid colored headband. Chunky bands work better the older you are. For this style, I recommend adding a little volume at the crown after the headband, for a more fun and fashion forward style.

Another option is to change up color, part or texture. Does your client have stick-straight hair but want to dazzle during a night out? Curl hair with a curling iron or create some texture with a texturizing spray and a blow dryer. If hair is naturally wavy and you want to switch it up, simply section your hair and blow dry then go over it with a flat iron for a smooth finish. For a more long-term solution for boring short hair, add some color and shine with a glaze. On crops, I prefer solid but dimensional color rather than highlights. They are too much coupled with the short hair … and if all else fails, you can always throw in some extensions!