top - david lerner @ equation, belt - b-low the belt, paper bag - lunds & byerly’s 😉

Oh hairdressers, we love and miss you so much! In what must surely be a scene playing out the world over, my seven-year-old just asked me to cut his hair which was “all the way down his neck.” Yesterday I saw one friend doing her own highlights on Instagram and another wondering if her mask distracted from her roots. As for me, I’ve got curls for the first time since I was 15 – with absolutely no idea what to do with them! If you too are dealing with a do that frequently feels like a don’t, take heart. Spring 2020 offers many accessories to cover, tame or distract from a bad hair day - and even turn it into a good one. Here are eight ideas.

1. Headbands

To Eugenia Kim, Lele Sadoughi, Jennifer Behr and all the other designers who’ve decided headbands are hot this season – thank you! This year’s generous designs cover a multitude of grey, frizzy, unruly sins. Plus, by taming the tresses around your face, they make you look pulled together, even if your hair feels anything but. Some headbands can get painful, so, since you can’t try before you buy, it’s great to at least read the reviews.

2. Silk scarves

A scarf is a softer alternative to a headband – but no less effective. Just fold your silky square, a popular SS2020 piece, into a two-inch band and knot it at the back. This is also an easy way to add a pop of color, pattern or panache to an otherwise basic look.

3. Scrunchies

Never+too+busy+good+hair+day+leopard+scrunchie

Scrunchies, once the laughingstock of hair accessories, have been staging a comeback. For the last couple of years, the piece popularized by Desperately Seeking Susan-era Madonna and pre-Sex and the City Sarah Jessica Parker has been sneaking back onto runways, Instagram feeds and celebrity heads. Whatever you think of their form, scrunchies do offer function. They’ll hold your hair back without denting or tugging and provide a big, fat, flouncy distraction at the same time.

4. Hair clips and barrettes

If your hair is more mop than mane, clips and barrettes can whip it into shape. Back when my hair was relaxed and sleek, I recall my stylist saying, “of course, I’d cut it differently if you were going to wear it curly.” Now I realize what she meant was, “beware: style this cut curly and you’ll look like a triangle.” Happily, hair clips are hugely popular. A few well-placed ones and we’re back looking like a person, not a geometric shape.

5. Sunglasses

sunglasses - Lele Sadoughi; blazer - derek lam 10 crosby

Sunglasses are a stealth hair helper. You can pop them up on your head like a headband. Or wear them as intended and hopefully look so sharp no one will notice your un-tamed tresses! Different face shapes suit different lenses, but some of the on-trend options this spring include aviators, cat-eyes, granny classes and square – some with extra-wide (i.e. root-covering) arms.

6. Bright earrings

Another ‘nothing to see here’ option is earrings – especially spring/summer’s brighter, bigger, sometimes mis-matched options. Colorful jewels can brighten your complexion and add oomph to your outfit. They’re also a bright, shiny object to draw the eye from any less bright, shiny hair.

7. Hats

If you want to completely take cover, you can do so stylishly in one of SS2020’s trending hats. Baseball caps have become cool, with everyone from Madewell to Isabel Marant to Tory Burch offering options. Fedoras and wide-brimmed hats are back around for summer too. These will hide your hair and protect your face. All while adding a spot of drama to your outfit.

8. Acceptance

tank - the range, cardigan - equation boutique

And, of course, there is one final solution to fighting your natural texture, color or shape. Acceptance. I feel slightly like a hedge or someone who’s been dragged through said hedge backwards. But others have said they like this squiggly texture. This un-processed time may be a chance for us to try something new. At least until our hairdressers open again 😉.

I hope these tips are helpful and a little bit of fun in these not-always-fun times. Please let me know your bad hair banishing secrets with a comment!