Bridal Hair 2019 Trends: Personalized Beauty & Natural Effects

Messy updos and soft wisps are in, but also jewelled accessories and colorful accents. The only rule? The bride’s hair must represent her personality, even on the day of her wedding.

Bridal hairdressing trends for 2019 still feature soft and messy updos. Yes to imperfect hairstyles, with wispy tendrils that embrace the contours of the face. Please – no exaggerated volumes and anything that is too constructed and rigorous. Even unconventional colors are ok… if they speak to who you are.
A must? A natural effect. Intended as a an allusion to nature, but also to reflect one’s own personality. “2019 Bridal trends are seeing a big return to elegance, that for a woman’s world means ‘naturalness’,” says Mario Firriolo of Salone Firriolo in Torino, a Wella Professionals partner. “Updos follow the extreme naturalness and movement of the hair. Brides tell us ‘I would like an updo that looks like I did it myself’. This is the hairstylist’s challenge: to recreate a ‘natural effect’ that is also trendy.”

“One of the reasons why brides like ‘messy updos’ is that they enhance the beauty and hide the defects of their facial features. Pulled tightly back into a chignon only calls attention to irregularities, while soft strands that fall along the contour of the face soften the lines,” explains Egidio Borri, hairdresser and stylist, and Wella Professionals partner.

WHAT’S IN
The 2019 bride “is a bride that never has too much. Elegant and delicate, in either a Bohemian style (always popular),or in a sophisticated and precious style characterised by jewelled accessories,” says Gennaro Diana, Matrix hairstylist. “Soft locks are in, flowing styles that are slightly tousled and alive. And all types of accessories can work, too: flowers, barrettes, headbands, and deconstructed veils make it possible to personalize and brighten any look if used in an unconventional fashion, like a veil interwoven with strands of hair instead of the standard veil,” explains Salvo Filetti Hair Designer, co-founder of Compagnia della Bellezza and Joyàcademy.

WHAT’S OUT
“Out with over-teased and sprayed styles, big over-constructed looks. Brides want to live her hair, and be able to touch it and let it be touched,” says hairstylist Mario Firriolo. “Better also to eliminate extreme vintage and exaggerated volumes,” adds Salvo Filetti Hair Designer. “The ‘over-the-top’ bride is also out, the one with too many accessories or over-done makeup,” concludes Gennaro Diana, Matrix hairstylist.

WEDDING COLORS
And what about the bride’s hair color? What are the latest trends? “During a bride’s consultation the stylist must propose technical services. Color plays a fundamental role in hairstyling, in that it is capable of creating light and movement,” explains hairstylist Gennaro Diana. Here there are two macro trends. On one hand, unconventional color trends: “Those who usually wear crazy hair color want to maintain their own identity also in their wedding day. And tends to want to highlight this characteristic,” says Egidio Borri. On the other side, the natural effect: “To complete the natural styling effect, color must also look natural. Just maybe brightened up with a shine treatment,” explains hairstylist Mario Firriolo.

MAID-OF-HONOR AND BRIDESMAIDS
The bride’s hairstyle is flanked by those of the maid-of-honor and the bridesmaids. And 2019 trends recommend nothing too elaborate. Half updos and simple braids for the maid-of-honor: “The maid-of-honor is an important figure in the wedding party, but take care not to create a hairstyle that is overly structured and precious, that might outshine the bride. I advise something simple like a semi-updo and braids that are not too complicated,” declares Gennaro Diana, Matrix hairstylist. And for the bridesmaids? “The bridesmaids, as they are very close to the bride, must have a simple style with loose or slightly collected hair with very simple tiaras.”

THE ROLE OF THE HAIRSTYLIST
Two basic rules: take into account the proportions of the face and the bride’s personality. “Today’s brides have very clear ideas, a precise identity that they also want to express on their wedding day. Hairstylist’s main job is to listen and to adapt the bride’s request to her face, following the proportions,” explains hairstylist Egidlio Borri. “The first question that the hairdresser must ask before proposing any bridal style is: ‘Should this face be lengthened or widened?’ One of the most common mistakes is to replicate a hairstyle without thinking of the person’s face. Volumes are important because they standardize the face. A long thin face needs to be softened with waves and soft side tendrils, while a square and short face must be made more harmonic by raising the upper portion of the hair. And so on.”

One of the mistakes hairdressers made is also wanting to propose trendy and dramatic styles to the bride, that are not in keeping with her personality or other elements of the wedding: “There are plenty of wrong combinations around. It is totally our of fashion to mix and match contrasting elements,” affirms Gennaro Diana, Matrix hairstylist.

So go for hairstyles that express the bride’s individuality. There are three types of common personalities, according to Salvo Filetti Hair Designer: “For the dreamers who count daisy petals and go to the alter with their Prince Charming, soft and romantic styles: braids and updos blend wispy tendrils for flowery volumes, and rhinestones here and there. The veil can also be deconstructed and headbands become jewellery in the hair for brides with a strong character, ready to defy conventions. And then there are those who will never give up a refined and classic wedding: chic hairstyles with a modern touch lent by the selection of original accessories, like glazed porcelain clips.”