Big and bouncy ‘Texan hair’ is in – here’s how to get the look
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If you’re grown-up enough to recall Sue Ellen from the TV show Dallas, then you’re probably feeling rather nostalgic right now. Texan hair, that’s any style which is coiffed high and wide, is back. And evidence is plentiful. On Thursday, Texan model Jerry Hall appeared as one of the new faces of Chloé, showing off her famous tumbling blonde curls in all their glory.
Meanwhile, pop icon Beyoncé, who’s out promoting her new single Texas Hold ’Em, has been seen with amorphous platinum waves, occasionally accompanied by a cowboy hat, giving the oversized look that’s been by and large unfashionable since the 1980s a major boost.
If we’re splitting hairs, we ought to thank Miley Cyrus who appeared at this year’s Grammy Awards with a dialled-up version of the Texan look; part Dolly Parton, part New Romantic. Her hairdresser, Bob Recine, confirmed that the inspiration was a “punk Raquel Welch from the 70s” which he achieved by dry teasing the hair into a messy interpretation of the actress’s fluffy feathered style. “We wanted it to be a little messy where you see some of the teasing,” added Recine.
Cyrus’s take fits the singer’s reputation for pushing boundaries. And at 31, she has the taught, glowy skin necessary to carry such an extreme style without looking too old fashioned. It’s fair to say that most of us won’t be following Cyrus’s look precisely, but we can create our own take on Texan style, even if it’s no more than a quick tease at the roots.
“The bigger is better philosophy in hairstyling can be attributed to a broader cultural shift towards embracing and amplifying individuality,” says Jason Crozier, art director at Neville Hair and Beauty. “The Texan hair blowout serves as a refreshing counter-narrative to the minimalist aesthetic. It’s a visual feast, a celebration of excess in the best possible way, reminding us of the joy and empowerment that can come from full self-expression.”
Hairdresser Sam McKnight, who is the stylist behind the buoyant supermodel looks of the 1990s suggests a degree of restraint. “Never take an extreme trend literally; you don’t want to look like you’re attending a costume party,” he warns. The two ingredients necessary are “volume and a high shine finish”, he says. “You need to put in some effort, this is not the natural look we’ve been used to getting away with.”
Long and glamazon
The exertion begins, says McKnight, with a voluminous blow dry. “Use a round brush to blow dry hair to a smooth finish with volume at the crown, using mousse at the roots and a styling cream if you’re prone to frizz,” he advises.
When hair is 90 per cent dry, apply large velcro rollers from front to back starting in the centre and working your way to the sides (though to be honest, a couple at the crown will do if time is short). Side note: if you own Dyson’s Airwrap multi-styler, this will do the work for you.
Once rollers are in, McKnight often uses a bonnet hair dryer attachment that can be bought from Amazon for just £7.99 to speed up the setting process. But in lieu of one, do your make-up or check emails while you wait for your hair to set.
If your hair is fine, you’ll need more product to get the right amount of hair height. “If you haven’t got thick hair you can do a demi version with a couple of rollers at the back and a light mousse,” suggests McKnight.
Once hair is fully dry, take the rollers out and brush through lightly, being mindful not to disrupt the height you’ve just created. At this point, a light teasing underneath the top layer will help to add cushioning. Adjust accordingly.
Rub a small amount of light oil or cream between the palms of your hands and through the ends if you’re prone to frizz, then flip your head upside down and spray liberally with a modern hairspray – or texture spray should you need to boost thickness. Another light brush through could be necessary.
Feathered edges
Short and bobbed hair is more tricky, admits McKnight. “You’re in danger of looking too retro. I wouldn’t go there,” he says. And yet, hairdresser Larry King says there are ways to adopt nuances of the trend if you have a shorter haircut; most notably with feathering.
“Soft, turned-out fringes are back in,” says King who suggests getting your hairdresser to cut in a wide fringe or add some additional layers at the sides to coerce the hair outwards, then aided by a good product use your fingers to to tousle the edges for a fluffy texture.
Unwittingly, Queen Camilla’s staple feathered style is a source of Texan inspiration for mature women with shoulder-length hair, her shimmery blonde colour a clever ploy to retain a sense of modernity.
Do a quiff
Quiffs, as seen on Glenn Close and Hannah Waddingham at recent awards shows, give short hair a high Texan feel, but beware not to fall into 1980s newsreader territory when stiff immovable styles provided gravitas without a thought for facial flattery.
Keep yours soft and flexible by applying a pea-sized amount of volumiser to damp hair before blow-drying backwards, using fingers as a brush to create the all-important separation; the definitive difference between quiffs old and new.
Whatever you do, if this is a trend you wish to partake in then remember the Texan saying, “the higher the hair the closer to God.” In other words, get teasing.
Get the Texan hair look...
Denman D91 Dress-Out Brush £7; Larry King Hair My Nanna’s Mousse, £22
GHD The Blow Dryer Ceramic Radial Hair Brush Size 4, £26 ; Hair by Sam McKnight Love Me Do Nourishing Shine Oil, £32
Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist, £27; Kit.sch Ceramic Thermal Roller Variety Pack, £12
