Great Hair: Elegant Styles for Every Occasion

Quick quibble with book description: the book only has 62 styles, not 100 as advertised in the book review, and some styles are teenager-ish rather than elegant, but there are more than enough gorgeous styles for every length. Each and every style has clear step-by-step instuctions plus a colour photograph illustrating each step. A bit tricky if you're not used to styling your own hair, but the book makes it as easy as it will ever get. I am VERY happy with this product.

Although some of the hairstyles are a tad trashy, most of them are really lovely.

They're explain step by step, and each step and a coloured photograph and instructions.

I would recommend this book to people who have a basic knowledge of hairstyling. They dont teach you how to blow dry your hair perfect or exactly how to tease hair so you'll need to know just a bit to start out.

The hairstyles range from very simple to extrememly complex(even for me I'm a hairstylist), the complex ones look abit messy sometimes.

But all in all its a FANTABULOUS book, and if you actually can get your hands on this, practice, practice, practice, and soon all your family members will be begging you to do their hair up

Buy Great Hair: Elegant Styles for Every Occasion Now

This was just what I was looking for. I do hair for special occasions (weddings mostly) and this book gave me some new ideas. There's probably something in there for everyone-elegent, funky, prom. Some of them are a little more work... so not so much a do it yourself.

Read Best Reviews of Great Hair: Elegant Styles for Every Occasion Here

I am not a hair professional. That being said, I have healthy, well maintained waist length hair that I know how to style several ways, including french braids, a french twist, twisted rope, inside out french braids, and anything using hair elastics that you can dream up. On other people's hair, I can style it into herringbones, french rope braid, cornrows, etc. so I have a decent amount of experience for a non-professional. That being said, I was really, really disappointed with this book, and really, really glad I got it from the library.

The pros:

Lots of very pretty styles for your longer hair, with clear instructions on how to create each style.

The cons:

There weren't many styles that someone could do themselves. Most required someone to help or do them for you.

Nearly half the styles (or more) in this book use bobby pins. If you have really fine, super shiny hair, bobby pins don't stay in 90% of the time, making several of the styles shown completely useless.

Speaking of bobby pins: If I'm putting my hair up elegantly, I consider it "bad form" to have bobby pins showing. In many of these styles, you can see the pins. Easily.

A few of the really pretty styles in this book use hair extensions. I have waist length hair, and enough of it to probably do some of the styles without an extension, but there aren't directions to do it without extensions. I figured out most of them, but you have to improvise.

Many of the final photos of the completed style are using dark haired models photographed on a really dark background that makes the hairstyle blend in, and difficult to see.

Lots of the styles in this book involve pin curls (basically forming a section of your hair into a curl that is held in place with bobby pins.) While most of the styles were very pretty, I sort of thought that once your hands know how to make a pin curl, it's kind of a waste of paper showing so many styles that are nothing more than a variation on how many pin curls and where they're placed on your head.

This is nit-picking, but one of the styles shows a chain wrapped through someone's hair. I've tried a variation of this style with a soldered shut chain (so the links won't as easily catch in my super straight, super fine hair.) It's a recipe for a hair disaster. The chain got snarled and tangled in my hair so badly I ended up cutting the chain out. I imagine if you have thick & heavy straight hair, this style would work fine. But any curl, frizz, or fine hair, I would avoid, avoid, avoid this style.

Want Great Hair: Elegant Styles for Every Occasion Discount?

Love this book! Davis Biton has a unique talent for creating updos that are not fussy looking and would be equally stunning on both younger and older women. The creativity of Biton's styles is incredible! I have several hairstyling reference books and most of Biton's styles and techniques I have not seen before. Yes, some of the styles have teased ends or resemble mohawks but I truly could see myself or others wearing these funky styles for a night out or a fun weekend. There is a also a selection of more traditional Victorian-like low-buns, French Twist-like styles and some beautiful curly hair styles if you prefer to wear your hair down (complete with instructions on how to curl your hair if you aren't blessed with natural curls). The styles are demonstrated on women of all races which is a nice touch as well. I am so inspired by this book. Definitely put this on your wish list.

Save 25% Off