With her dimpled girl-next-door smile and a wide-eyed gaze that projects girlish charm, Jennifer Garner seems designed to be America’s sweetheart—a role her off-duty ponytails, self-described “undone mom-chic” waves, and classic red carpet updos perfectly match.

After taking a step back from the public eye over the past year, the actress is returning to the spotlight with a sure-footed lineup of hairstyles that celebrates every inch of her enviable locks with a new level of sophistication. From glossy voluminous curls that practically beg for a hair toss to sleek blowouts with a hint of lived-in bend, it’s clear the mother of three is also turning a new page when it comes to her style. Above, five reasons why she’s never looked better.

Whether you woke up with a serious case of bedhead or can’t deal with your blow-dryer today, there’s no easier way to craft a good hair situation than with a quick topknot. Just ask Gigi Hadid, who looked her model-off-duty best in New York City recently with her shower-fresh strands coiled into a high bun. It’s a split-second upgrade with the welcome side effect of allowing hair to dry into loose waves that can be let down at night.

Over in Formentera, Spain, Toni Garrn kept cool with her salty waves up and out of the way, while Alessandra Ambrosio’s gym-friendly spin on the style proved every bit as appealing post-workout. Meanwhile, Lily James took a romantic, off-kilter twist all the way to date night. Just in time for a lazy Saturday, here’s to the uncomplicated chic of summer’s most charming hairstyle.

Gigi Hadid

Toni Garrn

Alessandra Ambrosio

Lily James

This week on Instagram was all about behind-the-scenes beauty. New York Fashion Week kicked off a month of backstage peeks, like Guido Palau’s close-up of model Sarah Brannon’s wildly stringy downtown crop under a studded hat for the Marc by Marc Jacobs show, and Mark Carrasquillo’s capture of the glittering gold-rimmed eyes he created for Reem Acra. Then, of course, there are other kinds of behind-the-scenes moments, like Miranda Kerr doing an off-duty yoga backbend on the beach (so that’s how she stays so toned!). Lena Dunham captured Emma Stone wearing a teased-out brunette Gilda Radner wig in honor of SNL’s fortieth anniversary special. The faux hair would have won Rita Ora’s approval: she Instagrammed a photo of sherbert-colored wigs in a private plane with the caption: “If you ain’t got a wig you can’t sit with us!” Luckily, we have the digital equivalent of a front row seat.

@mirandakerr

@hannelim

@anthonyturnerhair

@dariastrokous

@ritaora

@lenadunham

@magicmollys

@jamespecis

@guidopalau

@markcarrasquillo

David Bowie

With New York Fashion Week coming to a close last night, all eyes are on London. With its history of rock and rebellion, the city is an endless source of inspiration to its young British designers and street style stars alike. True to form, expect to see a few bold sartorial departures on and off the runway—not to mention the occasional game-changing beauty risk.

Such countercultural impulses, of course, are nothing new. Consider the original English provocateur Queen Elizabeth I, whose theatrical ceruse skin, vermillion lips, and fiery curls redefined beauty ideals in the late sixteenth century. Speaking of royals: Who could forget the current Queen’s 1977 Silver Jubilee, during which the Sex Pistols delivered one of punk rock’s crowning moments by staging an impromptu concert aboard a rented boat floating down the Thames? The spiky-haired Sid Vicious would soon single-handedly inspire the country’s youth to spend their allowance on hair gel—a look Siouxsie Sioux took to next level with gothic sculptural brows and hyper-graphic cat eyes.

But perhaps it was David Bowie who delivered the most subversive punch, introducing a radical vision of psychedelic androgyny as Ziggy Stardust and imbuing glam rock with heaps of glitter and glitz—as well as arguably the only defensible mullet in history.

These days, fresh inspiration for both the cultural conversation and the runway is offered by idiosyncratic beauties like 2014’s breakout singer FKA twigs—whose unconventional beauty has taken braided spirals, baby hairs, and septum rings mainstream.

From Twiggy to Soo Catwoman, here’s a look at the weird and wonderful lovelies that have upended British style with their boundary-pushing beauty.

Siouxsie Sioux

Twiggy

Rita Ora

Sid Vicious

Amy Winehouse

The Beatles

FKA twigs

Queen Elizabeth I

Kate Moss

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If the sun-streaked brunettes spotted at New York Fashion Week invoke summers spent luxuriating surfside, the kaleidoscope of supernatural dye jobs embraced by our favorite street style stars offers a deliberately artificial antidote to the polar winter chill. Considering the snow-covered concrete landscape, it’s no wonder cheerful, punkish jolts of Manic Panic mermaid green, high-gloss black, and even dip-dyed violet ends feel fresh again. Not that it’s all Day-Glo brights: Fashion editor Sarah Harris matched her signature silver hair color to her coat, while faint washes of pastel pink reminded us that spring is just around the corner. One thing’s for sure: The colorful hair trend is just getting warmed up.

 

 

 

 

You know you’ve arrived when you can throw front-row tantrums and upstage Kimye just by showing up. But even when she’s not taking a prime seat at the tents, North West ticks off all the look-of-the-moment boxes by embracing her natural texture—not to mention a little seasonal static—in the form of a fuzzy mini topknot. And it looks like she’s taught her mother a thing or two about the virtues of laid-back style: We’d venture to say Kim Kardashian West has never looked better than with a little Manhattan-wind-tunnel tousle. If North keeps up her momentum as the first toddler of fashion, we wouldn’t be surprised if she takes in the next Alexander Wang show with a long wavy bob. Watch your back, Harper Beckham.

From graphic liquid swooshes at Suno to a faint morning-after smudge at Victoria Beckham, the tough-edged chic of black eyeliner is alive and well at the New York shows. Off the runways, the trend is also gaining momentum, albeit in a more subtle form. Spotted at Edun yesterday with a rimming of kohl along the waterline, Alexa Chung’s look still felt ready for spring, thanks to well-moisturized skin and a dab of tinted lip balm. Kerry Washington used the technique to add power to a silver smoky eye, which, along with a menswear-inspired suit, played well off her romantic waves and cool pink lips. Meanwhile, Rihanna and Zoë Kravitz celebrated the Fendi flagship boutique opening in New York with wraparound cat eyes. Here, four reasons to amp up your gaze with a quick flick of dark pencil.

Alexa Chung

Kerry Washington

Rihanna

Zoë Kravitz

Whether you’ve felt the sheer joy of spotting the first crocuses sprouting through the snow or are busy mentally shopping New York Fashion Week, the foreshadowing of the new season brings with it a fresh approach to beauty—and our Instagram feeds this week were teeming with inspiration for easy upgrades on everything from our makeup to our workouts. Joan Smalls showed off the subtle power of expertly contoured cheekbones and high-beam accents—a stealth move echoed by backstage makeup queen Pat McGrath, who softly sculpted models’ faces for the Kanye West x Adidas runway. Hair color looked bolder and brighter, turning up in shades of fiery red and sun-bleached blonde (hello, Lily Donaldson!). Meanwhile, Liu Wen had us looking forward to taking our workout outside again, while Drew Barrymore reminded those of us who’ve shunned the gym all winter that the best way to kickstart a new routine is with a few friends. Also offering food for thought, Amanda Seyfried made us rethink waiting until the warmer months to book our next seaside escape: If you were at the beach right now, wouldn’t you be jumping for joy, too?

@mingey

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@anthonyturnerhair

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@ohnetitelny

@lilymdonaldson

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