5 Sophisticated Hairstyles for the Mother of the Bride

5 Sophisticated Hairstyles for the Mother of the Bride

Look, comfort, and simplicity are all key factors in choosing the perfect wedding day hairstyle. Whether you're after a chic updo or some bouncy, tousled waves, we've got you covered. So, let's look at five sophisticated mother-of-the-bride hairstyles.

Your daughter's wedding day is an incredibly special and emotional occasion, and of course, you want to look absolutely stunning as you watch her start this new phase in her life. So, let's talk about one crucial aspect of your overall look - hair!

Look, comfort, and simplicity are all key factors in choosing the perfect wedding day hairstyle. Whether you're after a chic updo or some bouncy, tousled waves, we've got you covered. So, let's look at five sophisticated mother-of-the-bride hairstyles. 

• Soft Waves
• French Twist
  
• Classic Chignon
  
• Half-Up Half-Down Bun
• Wrapped Ponytail

Soft Waves

Let's start with an effortless, timeless look, which is perfect for a daytime or nighttime wedding; some soft waves. 

Ruqaaya is wearing our One Piece Curly Clip-in in #1B Queen of the Night

• Apply a good heat protectant to your hair
• Gently brush through the lengths of your hair, ensuring it's tangle-free and evenly coated in the heat protectant
• Divide your hair into manageable sections using clips to separate
• Using a large/medium barreled curling iron (or straighteners if you prefer), curl your hair away from your face in small sections, working from bottom to top. 
• Spray your waves with hairspray as they begin to cool
• When your hair is cool and set, run a wide-toothed comb through your waves to soften and blend them

TOP TIP: If you have finer hair or just want a bit more body in your soft waves, using a clip-in hair extension is a low-commitment way to achieve your desired look.
At Stranded, we offer a Wand Wave Clip-in or a One Piece Curly Clip-in, which are both perfect for achieving this look. 

French Twist

The French Twist hairstyle is an incredibly elegant updo. It's chic, sophisticated, and not as tricky to achieve as you might think. Reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn, here is how you can achieve a look ready for a wedding-Breakfast-at-Tiffanys. 

Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Blake Edwards' 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1961)
Still taken from classiccriticscorner.com

• Gather your hair into a low ponytail
• Pull up your hair at the crown for some extra volume, and pull out any face-framing pieces if you want a more tousled, romantic look
• Hold your ponytail in your right hand, and tightly wrap the base of your pony around the index and middle fingers on your left hand
• Use your left index and middle fingers to hook and tightly twist the hair to the left, completing one full twist as you pull it up to your crown
• Hold your twist in place with your right hand, and use your left hand to pull the base upwards slightly
• Make sure you tuck your hair (especially the ends) as you go
• Once you're happy with the placement and look of your French twist, secure it in place with hair grips or French pins and spritz with some hairspray for extra hold

TOP TIP: If you want to create a twist more true to Hepburn, take some time at the beginning to tease a small section at the crown of your head for that bee-hive look. 

For a more in-depth, step-by-step guide on creating the perfect French Twist, watch this video by Alex Gaboury on YouTube

Classic Chignon

This is probably one of the more complicated styles in this list, but please don't let that put you off. A chignon is a refined and understated updo, where the hair is gathered into a simple knot at the back of the head. It has a classic quality, and although it requires a little bit of extra time, the final result is definitely worth it. 

Image credit to @hairspray_studio on Instagram

• Gather your hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck, and secure it with a hair tie
• Loosen your ponytail, creating a gap just above the hair tie
• Pull your ponytail through the hole. 
• Tease the underneath of the ponytail, ensuring that the top stays smooth
• Secure this with a hair tie a few inches from the ends of your hair
• Roll them underneath the backcombed section to create a smooth, rounded chignon.
• Pin this section into place and use some hairspray for extra hold. 
• (optional) Accessorize with some fresh flowers or a detailed comb clip to bring that extra something special.

TOP TIP: Pulling out some delicate strands of hair can give your chignon a romantic touch and soften the look. 

Half-Up Half-Down Bun

The half updo is a look that's never out of style. Simple to recreate, this half-up half-down bun is the perfect hairstyle for any wedding, and lends itself well to all hair lengths, types, and textures. 

This look was created by @elmartina on Instagram, using our One Piece Flicky in #2/5 Azalea

• Tease a small section of hair at the crown of your head, ensuring it is smooth on top, creating a slight bouffant
• Take the front sections of your hair, making sure to leave out any face-framing tendrils, and smooth them towards the back of your head
• Gather the ends of these two sections at the back of your head, and twist them together into a small bun
• Secure this with some hair pins or even a hair tie if you feel you need something more
• Style the lengths of your hair to your desired texture. I'd recommend some loose waves or flicked-out ends. 
• Set your style with some hairspray, and accessorize however you wish. 

Wrapped Ponytail

Who doesn't love a ponytail? This simple updo is the perfect style for any type of wedding and is an amazing option for any mother of the bride who wants a quick and easy hair-do that doesn't sacrifice style.  

Ruqaaya is wearing our Bounce Wrap Ponytail in #1B Queen of the Night

• Style your hair into your desired texture
• Brush your hair up and back into a sleek ponytail, at whichever height you feel most comfortable with
• Secure this with a hair-tie
• Take a piece of hair from the underneath of your ponytail and wrap this around the base of the pony, disguising the hair tie 
• Secure this strand with a bobby pin, taking time to hide the pin at the back of your ponytail. 
• Add a quick blast of hairspray to make sure your pony lasts all night!

Alternatively, at Stranded we offer our Bounce Wrap Ponytail which is a quick and easy way to achieve this look. 

Want some advice on accessorising your wedding day hair? Why not read our article on the Top 5 Wedding Guest Hair Accessories?

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