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‘Tis the season for floral updos! After Lucy Hale blew us away with her romantic look infused with craft store flowers, Elle Fanning showed up to the New York premiere of her latest film, The Neon Demon, on Wednesday in an equally gorgeous blooming (and braided!) look that paired perfectly with her super-feminine, one-shoulder pale pink Gucci tulle gown.
And because the dressed-up ‘do is what bridal hair Pinterest boards are made of, we tapped the star’s hairstylist Jenda Alcorn to break down how she created the style for this week’s Look of the Week.
Alcorn says the plaited updo was actually inspired by the supermodel-themed thriller the 18-year-old stars in, which is why the pro decided to incorporate floral embellishments into the hairstyle. “The combination of braids and flowers creates a cool innocence to this look,” she tells PeopleStyle. “Pulling your hair back in braids adds texture while showing off your natural beauty, and the addition of flowers takes it to the next level, making the style more modern.”
The look took about 30 minutes to create, Alcorn says. She began by giving Fanning a deep side part on the left and made a 2- to 3-inch section of hair in the front that she twisted into a French braid that wrapped around the back, stopped in center at the nape of the neck and then continued to the ends of the hair.
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After securing the twists with rubber bands, the hair pro continued the process on the right side, and then split the center section, creating two more soft braids. “The key is to not make the sections too perfect and clean, so it has an easy effortless feel,” says Alcorn.
Once she was done braiding, Alcorn twisted and then pinned the tails of the plaits into a braided bun on the low right.
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Next, it was time for the flowers — and, yes, those gorgeous blooms are the real deal, says the pro. “They’re a combination of roses, ranunculus and others from Belle Fleur Flowers in N.Y.C.,” Alcorn tells PeopleStyle. “Elle knew she wanted real flowers in her hair, as it was a nice play on the big flowers on her Gucci dress.”
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Alcorn pinned in the mini blooms with bobby pins, arranging the accessories in no particular order. “There is no real science to this,” she says. “It’s balanced but not too perfect.” The key, she says, is to “keep it artful and have fun.”
A mist of Oribe Soft Lacquer Heat Styling Spray tamed flyaways and finished the look. “Elle squealed, ‘Oh my gosh, I love the hair! It’s perfect!'”
Do you like the look? Tell us in the comments!
–Sarah Kinonen
Follow @sarahkinonen
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