New York Fashion Week is officially over, but Fashion Month is just getting started. As we wrap our collective heads around another Yeezy Season and prepare for the Hadid sister takeover on the catwalks of London, Milan and Paris, we’d also like to send a special shout out to Blake Lively for being a flaxen-hued ray of sunshine in New York City thanks to hairstylist Rod Ortega.
PeopleStyle caught up with Ortega to get the scoop on Lively’s best hair moments.
When prepping for a week with multiple events, Ortega says it’s important to “cover your bases” and research photos.
“I get inspired by old pictures and the latest fashions,” he says. “I like looking at pictures of Paris and the French Riviera. But you have to consider the designer, too.”
For the Michael Kors show, Rod wanted to create a more effortless look on Blake. “He’s a little bit more sporty, nothing too uptight.”
They decided “’60s-inspired” half-up look.
“I back-combed the crown a little bit, just to give it more shape — it’s very French, it’s very Italian,” Ortega says. “The texture is very loose. Hair isn’t as curly right now.”
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To create the look, Ortega “finger dried” Lively’s hair with T3 Featherweight Luxe 2i blow dryer so it didn’t lose any volume. Then he sectioned her hair and curled it with the T3 Whirl Trio (1.5” straight barrel), leaving the root smooth and wrapping the hair from middle to ends.
Next he back-combed the crown for additional volume and took several pieces of hair that framed her face and pinned them to the back of her head using matte bobby pins to secure the look. To straighten the ends of Lively’s hair, he used the T3 SinglePass Luxe flat iron. Ortega finished with a spritz of L’Oréal Paris Elnett Hairspray and L’Oréal Paris Advanced Haircare Nutrigloss Shine Elixir Treatment.
Another Lively hair moment that was immediately pinned to our hair inspo Pinterest boards was her amazing “heart hair” at the L’Oréal Paris Galentine’s Day event.
“It’s nice to have someone who trusts me and will say, ‘go ahead!’ I like that” Ortega says of collaborating with Lively on the look which he created with a hair piece from His & Her Hair Good Co.
“Blake doesn’t wear any extensions for length or body, but for this I thought it would be cool to make something using hair,” Ortega explains. “I could have done it with her own hair, but I just thought something placed would be pretty.”
Ortega added loose waves to Lively’s hair using the T3 BodyWaver. Then he twisted in the clip in hair extension and brought the twists together with a clear rubber band.
“I put bobby pins and hair pins around it just to hold it. I didn’t want it perfect.” he says. “I wanted a lived-in heart. Nothing too stiff.”
Lively’s sister Robyn Lively is also blessed with great hair. Ortega gave her a trim for the L’Oréal event to add “shape” to her curls.
“Robyn’s hair is more curly,” he says. “We had fun doing a middle part, normally she wears it on the side.”
Blake has also been having fun switching up her look. From her chic twisted updo at the Golden Globes to her center-parted straight strands at the People’s Choice Awards to her New York Fashion Week run, she’s all about experimenting right now. But if you’re wondering wear her signature beachy waves have gone, don’t worry: They’ll be back.
“I just think it’s about change and evolving,” Ortega shares, adding, “You can go back!”
Which look is your favorite? Share below!
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