Barrettes: Dowdy No More
Thanks to numerous (and adorable) spring runway moments, the fashion backward barrette has become the unexpected toast of the beauty season. The look popped up at Prabal Gurung (glossed-over pony tails were clipped mid-mane); Cynthia Rowley (big metallic versions made modern chignons) and Carolina Herrera, where tress guru Orlando Pita created fanciful clips out of human hair.
Aveda lead stylist and legendary backstage beauty genius Odile Gilbert created the distinctive hairdos, and said she aimed to channel the blond, healthy locks associated with the archetypal West Coast girl “while still being chic,” rather than say, crunchy camping at Big Sur. While Ms. Gilbert conceded that the effect creates “an innocent look, almost like a little girl’s hair,” she also pointed out that “a barrette like those made by Rodarte is more like jewelry, a piece of art that you can wear—it’s more sophisticated,” which is all the encouragement we grown women need to attempt this at home.