Hairstyle How To For Summer | Half-Up Topknot
The Coolest Hairstyle in Paris Right Now Is Perfect For Summer — and SO Easy to Do
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.
I couldn't pronounce "s'il vous plaît" if a croissant depended on it, but even I know that the French have the best beauty tips. They've mastered the happy contradiction of chic and undone. They've uncovered the products that'll make you smell good and look glowy and maybe even order you a café au lait if you ask nicely. More importantly for me: they've cracked the code on easy, model-off-duty hair.
"The Parisian way is always very effortless — nothing ever looks too 'made up,'" said celebrity hairstylist and T3 brand ambassador Laura Polko. Exhibit A: the half-up knotted hairstyle that's all over the streets of Paris right now. "I've been seeing this messy knot everywhere that looks like it'd be hard to do, but it's actually so easy."
The key, as you might have guessed, is simplicity. "This look gets the hair out of your face and still has texture because of the waves, but it doesn't look too polished," she said. "Flyaways and looseness is what makes Parisian hair so desirable, so try not to focus on making it look perfect. It's the imperfections that make it cool."
If the step-by-step ahead isn't convincing enough, let me attest: this half-up topknot style isn't just easy — it'll also conjure a collective ooh, la la.
Step 1: Curl Your Hair
Want that messy, undone texture that matches the ripples of the ocean? First you have to make waves with a curling iron. (Don't worry, you'll fuss it up later.) To start, divide your hair into sections. Then, grab the T3 Whirl Tapered Interchangeable Styling Wand (£140) from the Convertible Collection and curl one-inch sections all over.
Step 2: Switch It Up
For waves that evoke an "imperfect" Parisian vibe, alternate the direction of the curling iron for each one-inch section of hair. "The only part of the style that needs any thought is the very front, and that's as far as which pieces you want left out to frame your face," Polko said. "If you favour a middle part, direct the curl away from the face on either side of the part. For a side part, again, curl your hair away from the face, and use the wand to get lift at the root."
Step 3: Pull Hair Back Into a Half Pony
Step 4: Create the Topknot
Step 5: Loosen Up
Step 6: Do the Twist
Step 7: Add Texture
Once you've repositioned the topknot, use the same T3 curling iron to revive any limp curls and add extra bend. "Texture spray is always my go-to for this look," Polko said. (We used the IGK Beach Club Texture Spray (£25), but any formula with grit and hold will do.) Fuss up the style with your fingertips.
