To celebrate the songstress’ new album, Rated R,
BettyConfidential reviews her style evolution.
Rihanna’s certainly come
a long way from those pretty-but-princessy long waves she rocked
when she first hit the charts. Since then, the Barbadian pop star
has been absolutely fearless when it comes to playing with scissors
— with excellent results.
“Cutting her hair really put her in her own space,” says stylist
Titi Branch, co-founder and co-CEO, with sister
Miko, of Miss Jessie’s, which includes a product line for
curly hair as well as a salon in Brooklyn. “It redefined her as an
artist. She doesn’t look like anybody else.”
Read Get Rihanna's Look for Less
From her asymmetrical bob to her punked-out pixie,
BettyConfidential asked Branch to weigh in on the best of the
singer’s bold-and-beautiful ’dos.
Wavy Updo
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“This gives a nod to Hollywood
glamour while still looking youthful,” says Branch of this
“graceful” updo Rihanna wore after she burst onto the scene with
“Pon de Replay.” To master the red carpet look on your own, use
ARTec Texture Line’s Texture Spray
Firm Hold, a hairspray that will hold your updo in place.
Asymmetrical Bob
Rihanna showed off her shorter
‘do at Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards in March, 2007. Branch says
this edgy cut marks a “safe transition” to the shorter style
Rihanna now rocks. The in-between style also frames the singer’s
neckline.
The Helmet Bob
A few months later, she went even
shorter. Calling this Rihanna’s “flapper ‘do,” Branch says that
this strong, blunt-banged look has “kitschy glam and retro
charm.”
Heavy bangs like this can help shorten a longer face or hide a
large forehead, Branch says, while highlighting the eyes.
The Bob
“This is like a pixie cut with
long layers,” says Branch, who notes that the singer would have
blown her hair dry and used a flat iron to achieve this smooth look
when she went shorter again that August, proving that 2007 was
Rihanna’s year of reinvention.
Read 10 Best-Dressed Celebs at the AMAs
The Curly Bob
Rihanna’s ribbon curls earned
raves from the Miss Jessie’s crew. After all, straight hair may be
glamorous, but it’s fun to switch up your look now and again.
Rihanna premiered this style at the American Music Awards in 2007
where she won the Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B Award.
“This is a romantic look that accentuates her beautiful jaw line
while elongating and slimming her neck,” says Branch.
To copy those curls, Branch recommends using Miss Jessie’s Quick Curls styling creme to
scrunch locks before drying and using a curling iron.
Wavy Pixie
Rihanna added playful curls to
her pixie cut in 2008 for a fun, free, fresh look. “This look
conjures up rebirth,” the stylist says, noting the “Umbrella”
singer’s dramatic transformation of late. “It can go from day to
evening, or be dressed up or down.”
The Pixie
Side-swept fringe adds extra
oomph to Rihanna’s flattering pixie cut.
“The pixie highlights her cheekbones and frames the face while
giving a balance to the forehead and chin ratio,” notes Branch.
Edgy Fringed Pixie
The singer debuted a wild and
piecey fringed look in early 2009 that Branch says draws attention
to her eyes. Another plus? The top layering adds height and
balance.
The Pompadour
Elvis Presley
would be in awe of the ceiling-scraping pompadour the pop star has
worn recently. “It’s retro ’50s style with a level of grandeur,”
says Branch, who likes that the ‘do has “tons of volume.” The
upswept style perfectly offsets the architectural dress that she
wore for a night on the town in New York in May.
Blonde Bombshell
What does our expert think of the
blonde ‘do that Rihanna wore at Glamour magazine’s 2009
Women of the Year Awards this month? “I love it,” she says, noting
that the dark sides create a “modern, updated” spin on this “nod to
old-world glam.”
Do you have a fave Rihanna do? Have you tried one of these
styles?
Erin Donnelly is a London-based fashion writer who has
written for StyleList and Refinery 29.
To read more from BettyConfidential |
10 Tips From a Celeb Hair & Makeup Artist
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