The holidays are almost upon us, and I can’t think of a more appropriate time to turn up the volume on your hair color by switching gears with one of the newest buzz-worthy trends of the year — ombre.
You have seen Cover Girl Drew Barrymore in this easy, breezy, beautiful color, and even our favorite much-missed television character, Carrie Bradshaw, knew a thing or two about it, always ahead of her time. Not only did she bring back our love of New York City, but also put Manolo Blahnik on the radar and even brought “roots” back into fashion.
Ombre is a French word that literally means shading. This gradient, often subtle transitional shading of darker hair color into lighter hues toward the ends of the strands is huge right now.
Not only does this modern approach to coloring the hair give a more youthful vibe and energy to your hairstyle, but it puts more money in your bank account with fewer touch-ups between salon visits. It’s right on trend this season, and I invite everyone to revitalize hair color moving into the holidays by thinking outside the box. Wrapping yourself up in a version of ombre is a surefire way to have all eyes on you.
Ask your colorist about this dazzling new trend. My favorite way to decorate someone with ombre is by pulling the hair into a high ponytail, teasing the strands and applying the darkest natural color nearest the base of the ponytail and growing lighter toward the ends. Then cut away the ponytail holder, and voila — hair color that sparkles from the darker roots to the lighter ends.
The best thing about this gorgeous coloring technique is its deliberate lack of precision. The different hues melt together across layers of waves and strands of bobs in a seamless way. I would not recommend trying this at home, however, because it’s not a do-it-yourself project. What appears so imprecise actually requires some thoughtful artistry by a talented colorist.
Put some ombre under the mistletoe this year and watch what happens!
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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