Coley Wellman is an expert hairstylist who’s been in the business for 10 years, three of them at award-winning Lili Salon Spa in the Galleria. She cites the glamour of Sofia Vergara’s recent wedding hairstyle as an example of what is trending now: half up, half down, soft waves and curls. “We’re tending not to call them up-dos or down-dos,” she says. Instead, “if bobby pins are involved, it’s considered a ‘specialty style.’ ” In any case, some combination of up-do and down-do will be popular this spring and summer, for weddings as well as high school dances. As for other trends in specialty hairstyles, adds Wellman, “we’re seeing a lot of texture. Braids are big, too.”
Nino Altobelli, vice president and creative director at Rocco Altobelli Salons and Spas, agrees. “We’re generally looking at a lower elevation,” he says. “We’re using bobby pins, but the hair is going to the back of the head. We no longer have the structure of up-dos of the past.” As to the process, “we back-comb the hair and texturize it. We twist and pull pieces out. We’re looking for a loose, textured, ‘piece-y’ feel.”
“Loose takes on old styles,” is the way stylist Shanna Steffens puts it. The former Hair District stylist, now an independent at Vixen Beauty Lounge at Sola Salon in Edina, says popular specialty hairstyles for spring and summer include “things that look a little whimsical, like a messier French twist, or a messier chignon—classic but not so classic.”
Go to Any Length
All three professionals dismiss the idea that a certain hair length is essential for specialty styles. “Long hair is not necessary,” says Altobelli. Increasing both the volume and length of hair is possible with clip-in, taped-in or even keratin-bonded hair extensions (which can last six to eight weeks), says Altobelli. The risk-free aspect of such styling (clip-in extensions can be removed daily, for example) makes experimentation even more attractive, and variety becomes almost unlimited with the range of color in hair extensions available today. He cites clients who have chosen hair extension colors to match wedding party dresses and other accessories.
Hair extensions and hair pieces are always an option, says Wellman, but “one of the more fun things is to show someone with chin-length hair how we can put that hair up, too.” Hair texture is another consideration, says Steffens. “With thinner, finer hair, more length can be preferable. Generally, the more textured the hair, the longer the style will last,” she says, adding, “Don’t wash your hair before you come in.”
Schedule a Consultation
What is the recommended lead-in time for a specialty hairstyle appointment? “I’ve had a wedding party call eight months in advance,” says Steffens, but usually three months ahead is plenty of time. She encourages brides and bridesmaids, and even girls prepping for prom or other high school dances, to come in for a free consultation. “Brides often want the additional assurance of a trial. For a fee we can sit down and play around with a lot of different styles,” Steffens says. Wellman also recommends a trial appointment. “About three months out is a good range.” At Rocco Altobelli, it’s wise to schedule even the consultation ahead of time. “Give us one or two weeks to get ready for your free consultation,” says Altobelli. “Picking hair [extensions] includes considerations like color, length, texture, curly or straight, and hair strand diameter. At Rocco Altobelli we have a lot of inventory”—960 options, he says, “but if you want something not in stock, we can order it and have it ready for your appointment.”
Time and Money
Lili Salon and Spa stylists charge different flat fees based on experience; a specialty style can cost from $68 to over $100, says Wellman, adding that a typical bridal style session might take two hours. The whole bridal party can meet at Lili’s special bridal station “for breakfast, styling and a lot of fun,” or Lili stylists can meet a wedding party at a different location. At Vixen Beauty Lounge, Steffens charges according to the amount of time it takes her to complete a style, “about $75 for an hour or a little over an hour.”
Prices and appointment duration at Rocco Altobelli depend on the style and quality of hair extensions you want included, says Altobelli. Clip-in hair extensions can be placed in about 15 to 20 minutes, and clients can even learn to DIY. Semi-permanent extensions take an hour. Permanent hair extensions will take 1½ to 2 hours to insert, and again to remove. While there are generally three price points, Altobelli says their salons do not sell the cheapest extensions available commercially, claiming that those do not stand up well under many styling conditions. “We’ll give you two options,” he says. The less expensive is “memory hair,” manufactured hair that can be heated and curled. The other, more expensive option is human hair. Overall, prices for specialty styles at Rocco Altobelli Salons and Day Spas can vary considerably, from a few hundred to as much as $1,000.
Special Thanks to Scheherazade Jewelers in the Galleria for the exqusite accesories worn by the models in this story. sjewelers.com; 952.926.2455
Lili Salon Spa
Special Thanks to Scheherazade Jewelers in the Galleria for the exqusite accesories worn by the models in this story.
3464 Galleria
952.935.5000
Rocco Altobelli Salon and Spa
3509 Hazelton Road
952.920.5006
Vixen Beauty Lounge at Sola Salon Studios
3519 W. 70th St., Minneapolis
612.209.1581
