Tips for Great Prom Hair

It's prom season, and the talk you can hear spilling out across hallways, in locker rooms, and throughout the ladies' lounge is the hushed giggle and squeamish talk of prom fashion. For months to the night of the prom it's all talk of glitz, glamour, and high-drama.

While most of the attention tends to focus on the fantabulous prom dress and the ubiquitous dates, everybody knows that if in all your glitz you arrive at the prom with a hair that resembled a bird's nest, you are an instant flop. Let's face it, the hair isn't called the crowning glory for nothing.

Here're a few tips on getting you that perfect 'do for the perfect prom.

A Measure of Face Value

Use your face as your reference. Are you oval? Does your jaw jutt out, or doesn't it? Facial reference is probably your biggest asset in assessing the kind of hair you should have. Think of it as a hat that you can rearrange. What kind of hat would you like to wear?

Here's an easy step-by-step way to figure out the shape of your head:

1. Check the length from the top of your head to the base of your chin;
2. Measure the width of your face from cheek-to-cheek, temple-to-temple, and cheekbone-to-cheekbone; and now,
3. Connect the dots.

Having finished this, you should now have a graphic representation and better idea of what your face is shaped like. Some head shapes can carry a variety of styles, while others might look better with their hair pulled back or curled to add curves to the top of the head. Prominent foreheads beg for wisps of bangs to soften the effect, while less-prominent ones need to be exposed.

Aerodynamics and accessories

As far as up-dos are concerned, the natural pull of gravity is a fierce enemy. The problem with styling your hair is that it usually requires the application of various products and sprays that lend weight to your tresses, thus making gravity's job all that easier. Accessories such as pins and clips can help keep them in place, and you can have fun choosing the trendiest of accessories to add depth to your 'do, while keeping it in place.

If you're into more experimental methods, you might want to give color highlights and hair extensions a go. Highlights can give your hair that added depth, while extensions in the right places can widen the possibilities for styling your hair.

Don't be afraid to experiment with various hairdos and accessories; since more often than not, you'll end up finding that there are plenty of looks you can create that would suit you. Please just remember not to -- at the last moment -- conduct a creation that conjures up a Frankenstein re-make here!