3 styles, 3 ways: tress transformations from day to evening

SHORT AND SASSY

Think a close-cropped style means limited looks this season? Think again. As stylist Keith Campbell of the COI Studios in Brooklyn demonstrates, a great cut, a flat iron and some control paste are all you need to transform a razored pixie into a variety of looks. (1) If your goal is a clean, simple finish for the office holiday party or a Christmas brunch, opt for the easiest of the three styles (bottom right). Start by wrapping the hair before styling. After the hair was dry, Campbell used a smidgen of holding paste to mold tresses into place. (2) To give the look a bit more oomph, perfect for a family Kwanzaa gathering (bottom left), he added a side part and used the paste to smooth the front. He then bumped the ends with a small iron to create a shaglike rear and finger-shaped hair into place. (3) Finally, for that special formal occasion (left), Campbell used a small flat iron to create flippy ends and then shaped hair into place using a touch of control paste. Product picks: Aveda Control Paste for hold, and Aveda Elixer Leave-In Conditioner to coat and protect the hair before applying heat. Use three parts water, one part Aveda Elixer while hair is wet, just before wrapping.

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GREAT LENGTHS

Stylist Shirley Gordon of the Strands Hair Studio in Wheaton, Maryland, created this shoulder-length style by sewing in a full weave, using human hair in caramel and medium-brown hues. (1) The sleek and neat look (top) can take you from holiday shopping to a romantic dinner. (2) For an easy updo (middle), just right for a family celebration, Gordon cut a long bang and used the flat iron to form an asymmetrical sweep. Next she gathered the hair into a handheld ponytail and twisted it diagonally, securing it with pins and allowing the ends, which were slightly molded with a flat iron so they curved, to escape. Then the fringed bang was swept into the roll and spritzed for light hold. (3) Finally for those black-tie occasions, Gordon created this dramatic coif (right). After parting the hair on the side, she pulled it into a high ponytail, securing the bang with hair wax. To finish off the look, Gordon created the soft large curls with a flat iron. Product picks: Bumble and bumble Brilliantine, which Gordon used before curling the hair, Sebastian Laminates Silicone Drops for sheen, Bumble and bumble Wax mixed with Sebastian Laminates Finishing Polish for shine and hold.

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TWISTS AND TURNS

This dazzling mix of cornrows and twists was created by Diane Bailey of the Tendrils Salon in Brooklyn. (1) Bailey produced this design by cornrowing the hair at angles on one side. She then created Afro-twists (two-strand twists) throughout the remainder of the hair, incorporating human-hair extensions on the sides and crown for length, volume and longevity. Finally Bailey cut and shaped the extensions. The result (top right) is ideal for that secret Santa office party or a night of caroling. (2) Bailey altered the style (far right) by opening the twists and finger-combing the loose pieces to add volume and height. She used a holding spray for lift and definition for a look that's easy and relaxed, perfect for your child's Christmas pageant or a tree-trimming party. (3) For that gala affair, this ultraromantic look (left) takes the loose strands of the easy, relaxed style and flat-twisted them at the back and sides in an upward direction, securing them with pins. The top of the hair is pushed forward toward the face by the upward flat twists. Product picks: Try Luster's Short Looks Gel'N on loose twists for hold and sheen, Organic Root Stimulator Herbal Cleanse, a great refresher for the scalp.

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