Medium Length Hair Styles for 2011

Medium length hair styles this year are all about touchable texture, softness you can see, and effortless beauty. Nothing has to be perfect and your attitude reflects that carefree feeling. Jill Flint boasted a chic straight bob with soft ends on the red carpet and Meagan Good upped the playfulness by flipping out the ends on hers just a bit. Both had a medium length bob, but each gave off a completely different vibe. While no two hairstyles are exactly the same, there are factors in each that are. Keeping those key elements in mind while you style your own hair will put you in the trendy group while maintaining your individuality.

Curly girls: you’ve either got natural curl or you’ve mastered a particular curling technique. Either way, you know your way around a good curl. It’s time to learn a new technique, try some different products and switch up your routine a bit. If you’ve always started at the root, scoot your hot tool down a little ways. An inch or two should work! Starting the curls a little lower leaves a little smoothness on top which is a definite DO for 2011. How much space you leave is totally up to you and your hair, but try it out to see how you like it.
Instead of curling tightly, stretch those curls out or brush through them when they’re hot to pull them out a little bit. Softer curls are huge right now! Use your flat iron to create curls. You may have tried this technique before, but if you haven’t mastered it be patient. It’s a strange motion and takes a while to perfect. The key here is that all curls do not have to look the same. While the curls may look strange after coming off the flat iron, pulling through them when you’re all done really breaks them up and adds more body and wave than anything. Don’t be afraid to experiment with this. Just keep in mind the tip that your flat iron may not need to be turned up as high as it will go to get the best results. Start low and work your way up to preserve the quality of your hair!
Beachy waves are so much fun! You can get them using a curling iron and/or a salt spray product (like Bumble and bumble Surf Spray –approx. $23 for 4oz). Wrap hair loosely around the outside of a smaller curling iron for half a second before letting go. Just that little bit of heat is all you should need to get the messy-but-not-sloppy curl.
Adding details like braids or twists amps up the texture and makes your hair more fascinating. If you don’t know how to braid your own hair or just don’t have the time, pick up a braided headband at Sephora.com for about $10. Feathered headbands are also huge right now and there’s a style out there for everyone. Headbands are a quick, simple way to change the overall look of your hair without really putting in a lot more effort.

If you’re not a curly girl or you just want to try something different, there are a million different ways to style that medium length hair and still be in style. Basic elements for 2011 are volume and texture, but you can also add in bangs to really update your look. Big bangs are back, but not in the crazy 80’s way. They’re deep cut and more blunt than in the past few years. Whether they round out around the corners, sweep off to one side, or march straight across your forehead, bangs can add a whole new element to your hairdo.
Your stylist can help you out in the texture department when you go to get your haircut by using a specialized cutting technique, depending on your natural texture. They can undercut it, use texturizing shears, razor cut, slide cut… the options seem endless, but if you don’t tell them what you’re looking for, odds are you won’t get exactly what you want. Take in a photo of a style you like and ask them what it will take for you to get something similar. They may choose to cut your hair a little differently and they may also recommend product that will help you achieve that look. It’s in their best interest to have your hair looking its best, so they generally won’t steer you wrong.

A big no-no this year is dull color. You can have the trendy Ombre style or bright blonde to fire engine red to darkest black, but whatever you do make sure your color looks healthy and fresh. Getting it touched up on schedule keeps the color looking fluid instead of broken up by re-growth lines (your stylist may call this the “line of demarcation”). Also ask your stylist what they recommend you use to help preserve the color longer.

Keep up your volume with products that amp up your hair starting with shampoos and conditioners for your hair type. Most product manufacturers have some sort of line available for volume building and the bonus here for you is that they’re available at every price point. You should be able to find them at drugstores, department stores and salons. Keep in mind the return policies for each in case the product doesn’t work as well for you, though.

If you’re living in a climate where humidity is an issue, there are fabulous new products available to help maintain smoothness. You definitely get what you pay for here, so have your stylist try their best solution out on you before you hit up the local drugstore. Not all hair is created equal, so what works for your mom or best friend may not work for you. Do a little research to find out what hairstyles for 2011 are getting the best reviews in your area by talking to stylists and people you see with amazing hair. This next year promises to be a fantastic one for all hair and personality types. Take advantage of it by really creating an updated personal style for yourself!