The stars assembled in Los Angeles this week to witness Jonathan Anderson present his first Dior Cruise show and while the FROW had their eyes firmly fixed on the runway, we haven’t been able to avert our gaze from fellow attendee Miley Cyrus. Decked in double denim, the Malibu singer arrived as the true spirit of Cali girl cool, clad in a look that read relaxed right down to her effortless beauty aesthetic. Subtly foreshadowing the undone hair and make-up brief for models backstage, Cyrus opted for a style that speaks to the rise of air-dried bedhead hair.
True to form, Cyrus’ new ‘do marks a moment of rebellion. ‘These looks are rising partly as a reaction to how polished beauty has become,’ says hairstylist and Grazia Beauty Panellist Tom Smith. ‘There’s always an element of rebellion in fashion and beauty cycles, and intentionally underdone hair reads as confident, effortless and slightly defiant.’
Unlike the ultra-perfect waves, glass hair and heavily controlled styles of yesteryear, Cyrus’ look is refreshingly modern and feels authentic. ‘There’s something emotionally appealing about hair that looks touchable and human again,’ adds Smith, ‘people are responding to texture, movement and imperfection because it feels more individual and believable.’
There are few who embody authenticity as well as Cyrus does, and it’s certainly evident in her hairstyling. Unstructured, lived-in, and understated, her bedhead hair comes through strongly with dialled up natural texture.
Cryus’ hair warmly embraces a naturally irregular wave pattern instead of being over controlled, but it’s not just the texture that lends it a low-key feel. ‘The haircut, rather than being blunt and weighty, is fluid, irregular and airy with piecey separated ends, layers throughout, and no hard or obvious lines. The colour, instead of looking ultra-glossy and saturated, feels softer, slightly matte and intentionally uneven in tone. And, the styling itself is designed to look as though it’s just naturally fallen into place, even though it will still have been carefully constructed to create that fluffy, airy, slightly frayed finish,’ Smith adds.
Cyrus’ go-to hairstylist Bobby Eliot likely began to create the look on her own natural texture before gently refining it with heat. ‘Finger styling is often key for looks like this. Manipulating sections with the hands while applying soft heat helps create bends and movement that doesn’t look too “done”,’ says Smith. But if you are trying to recreate the look at home, there is an easy hack.
Smith advises using a wide straightening iron. Rather than using it to fully curl or straighten the hair evenly, create random bends throughout the mid-lengths and ends to build up that slightly imperfect texture. The irregularity is what makes it believable, plus the wider the iron and the lower the temperature setting, the easier it is to keep it irregular and undone rather than risking ridges or unflattering kinks. The goal is controlled imperfection, so let natural texture do the talking.
Smith’s top tip? ‘Air drying partially before refining a few areas with heat usually gives the best result. Focus more on movement and separation than on creating a consistent pattern. Avoid over-brushing and leave some pieces slightly disconnected or fluffy. It also helps to avoid making the roots too neat. A little lift and softness around the crown keeps the whole look feeling modern rather than accidentally messy.’
This story first appeared on GRAZIA UK.
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