“Tell me, darling. Who are you wearing?”
It’s Oscar night’s endless red carpet refrain.
But with all the attention lavished on colour, fabric and designer, celebrity hairstylist Jie Matar has some stark advice for Sunday’s podium-bound stars.
“The first thing you look at on the red carpet is hair,” says Matar. “And if the hair doesn’t work, you can forget about the rest.”
He’s not kidding. Remember the beautiful pale pink Reem Acra gown Jennifer Lopez wore to the 2002 Oscars? No? That’s probably because the tortured poodle standing to attention on her head made it impossible to retain anything south of her neckline.
Though serious hair missteps like Lopez’s are uncommon, Matar offers a few winning tips to make the tresses of any golden girl positively gleam — and change the mantra to: “Tell me, darling. Who did your hair?”
STYLE: Simplicity reigns
We need to get away from prom hair!
Most of the time, the actresses don’t use their regular stylists because they get overwhelmed and that’s where they make mistakes.
I like to see simple updos: chignons and twists that suit the actress’s bone structure. And the simpler the better. Sometimes I like to see nothing more than a sleek ponytail if the dress is too avant garde.
COLOUR: Bronze goddesses
I prefer gold shades for the Oscars. Copper hair is very in again for spring and summer. It’s about engaging with the public and being as simple as possible. And what I love is healthy, shiny hair, which we haven’t seen in a while.
DREAM CELEBRITY: Sandra Bullock
I would love to see (Best Actress nominee) Sandra Bullock in a very simple, chic hairstyle. I would slick it all back to expose her unique face. No bangs because bangs take away from her. And I would love to have a braid on the side and twist the braid to make it look like a seashell, putting a unique crystal accessory in her hair as a compliment.
Check out some of Jie Matar’s work at http://www.jiematar.com
