Fashion Trending: Hip and Chic Hair Accessories

Add pizzazz to a ponytail or dazzle any up-do with a simple and chic hair accessory. From hip and haute headbands to brilliant braids there is a variety of ways to take locks up a notch.
 
With hectic college schedules, hair sometimes takes the backseat. Here are hair accessories galore that add a minimal extra second to your morning routine. And the glam they provide knows no boundaries; these trends are on the runway and within the trellises of beloved celebrity beauties.
 
Haute Headbands

Headbands are the jack-of-all trades in the hair accessory toolbox. Wear them on the tippy-top of the head, or across the forehead. Keep the trends coming by selecting one dressed to the nines with embellishment.
 
Allison Ramirez of Marie Claire recommends, “Channel 1970s glam, and spice up even the simplest party dress by parting pin-straight hair down the middle and wearing a shimmery, lacy headband to a festive event,” in “Great Holiday Hairstyles to Try.”
 
Real Simplefeatures velvet headbands in their December issue, while Glamour’s “Girls in the Beauty Dept.” blog raves about asymmetrical bands- a combination of unique placement and bold details.
 
Silky Scarves
 
These supple accessories are soft to the touch, as well as the perfect cover-up for a horrible hair day. Select a bright palette or dramatic print to make a statement, or stay subtle with a neutral tone.
 
“I am pro-scarf,” states Ashley Demory, UMD junior physiology and neurobiology major. “If I have a pop color scarf it can really bring life to an outfit.”
 
Bodacious Bows

Don’t be afraid to let your playful, feminine side take root in any ’do. Bows are versatile and absolutely in style; from sparkly to supersized there is one for every occasion. Try a barrette decorated with an elegant or eclectic bow. Glamour offers abundant advicefor barrettes.
 
Want to take a walk on the absolute wild side? Attempt a literal hair bow ala Lady Gaga or tie up some tiny braids into a bow for a style straight from Gossip Girl’s Serena. Compare the feats of custom, actual hair accessories here. And Glamour provides a guideto this daring do.
 
“Maybe I’d try it, just to see how it would look,” comments Jessica Wiley, UMD freshman journalism major in reference to Serena’s braid-bow. “I don’t know if I would go out like that though.”
 

Brilliant Braids
 
Braids are truly all the rage, and they come in every style. Small, sporadically placed braids or deconstructed, messy ones define hippie-chic, according to Marie Claire’s Maureen Choi in “Fall Beauty Trends to Try.”
 
“My hair’s really thick and it gets unmanageable; braiding takes it back so that it’s out of the way,” notes Wiley. “It’s better than just pulling it back into a ponytail, because it actually looks like I did something.”
           
When hair becomes a nightmare, opt for a thick side-braid or one that wraps around your head, like the classic Dutch braid perfected by Wiley, rather than your everyday ponytail.
 
Never be afraid to mix and match your hair accessories. Opt for a side braid with a pop from an embellished band, or, as Demory recommends, when you have a “little pretty scarf that goes around, if you make a fancy bow to secure it then it looks cute.” There are ample ways for you to play, and ensure a stellar hair day today.