I go on about this a lot, but nothing gets me down more than the fact that my hair is lifeless and lacking texture. I can spend up to two hours tonging it and misting it with several different sprays and still not manage to achieve the effortlessly tousled look I so crave. At the end of the whole ordeal, I’m left with one of two hair looks: matted, flat and greasy as a result of the excess product in there or a Dolly Parton–esque bouffant. 

If you ask me, achieving beachy lengths that look effortless is one of my hardest beauty feats. And while I’m still eagerly anticipating my post-lockdown haircut, it’s safe to say that I am looking for all of the tips to style out my rather ridiculously long hair right now. Luckily for me, I recently got the chance to sit down with Laura Polko, T3 ambassador and hairstylist to the likes of Gigi Hadid, Kate Bosworth, Lea Michele, Lucy Hale and Martha Hunt, to discover exactly how to achieve effortlessly tousled hair. This is what she had to say…

Dry Shampoo Makes All the Difference

It turns out a huge problem that so many of us face is that we’re repeatedly opting for the wrong styling products. "I see so many people using too much spray. When you use too much texture spray, it can make the hair look matted,” she warns. The answer? Steer clear of sticky texturising sprays and instead opt for targeted dry shampoo application. "Just take a small amount of dry shampoo to the crown. Spray it, and then shake it all out. It’s the best way to get that undone look.”

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Invest in Your Tools

A key point that Polko is keen to drill home is that relying on product to style your hair just isn’t enough and usually won’t work. "It’s all in the tool,” she says. It would seem that there are lots of things many of us don’t consider when shopping for hair tools that can totally make or break the end result. "A hair tool that reheats itself often will make things a lot easier. It means that you don’t have to go back over things or end up with one half that looks dramatically different from the other.”

The other thing to keep an eye on? The lengths of the plates. "So many people struggle to curl their hair with straighteners, but the key is finding a pair that uses longer plates so that the hair doesn’t fall out,” she says. But if you still can’t nail it, there are other things you can try. The ultimate undone, natural-looking style, according to Polko, is flat-iron waves. "It’s not a look that comes across as overly styled. The key is, though, to always open up the face. Always bend up first. Otherwise, you get unnatural volume where you really don’t want it.”

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Face Framing Is a Thing

Speaking of opening up the face, Polko suggests that this isn’t something that needs to take time or be a laborious task. In fact, it can be super quick and easy. "It’s called face framing. You don’t have to do anything with the hair except for one really subtle wave just where the eye is. This is where your hair would naturally tuck beside your ear,” she advises. If this seems weird at first, just try it and see the difference it makes. "The minute you add that, it makes everything look really natural. It’s subtle, but it really opens up the whole face.”

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Never Forget the Ends

Here’s one that I can definitely take note of. When styling your own hair, it can be tempting to put all of your effort and attention into the middle section, where the eye is naturally drawn to. However, Polko warns that neglecting the ends can totally make or break your ’do. "You have got to pay attention to the ends. It’s the key to natural-looking tousled hair,” she says.

With the ends being the most fragile part of our strands, it makes sense that we are often reluctant to inflict heat upon them. However, making sure you use a hardworking heat protector first should do the job at protecting them. "If your hair is long, the key is to make sure the ends all go in different directions. If it’s short, curl them under a little bit. Naturally, the ends would all be doing a different thing,” says Polko.

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We may never be able to emulate the glamorous lives of Victoria's Secret Angels, but we can start wearing our underwear like them. (Hey, it's a start.) There's one specific trend they all swear by right now, and Martha Hunt was kind enough to fill us in. We caught up with her in Los Angeles last night, where she was celebrating the launch of the newest Body by Victoria collection that features bras with three lining levels: Nothing, Something, Everything.

"To be totally honest, the most popular underwear trend is wearing our pants really high," Hunt told Who What Wear of the Angels. "I see the pants line going higher and higher. I think the trend is really in right now: the '80s cut riding way over your hips. The stylist's hand comes to push it down on set, and the model pushes it up higher when she walks off set. That's the ongoing trend amongst the VS girls." Easy enough to emulate, right?

Unlined

Related: The 14 Most Common Underwear Mistakes We All Make

Lightly Lined

Push-Up

Scroll through to see (and shop) more of our favourite unlined bras.

Next up, the best three bras according to shoppers.

There’s perhaps no chicer summer kick-off party than the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards, which ushered in the fashion elite for a glamorous evening at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Hosted by funnyman Joel McHale, the event brought trendsetters from Olivia Palermo to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen under one roof to honour the best of the best in fashion right now.

2016 CFDA Awards Winners

Fashion Icon Award: Beyoncé

Womenswear Designer of the Year: Marc Jacobs

Swarovski Award for Womenswear: Brandon Maxwell

Swarovski Award for Menswear: Orley—Alex Orley, Matthew Orley, Samantha Orley

Swarovski Award for Accessory Design: Paul Andrew

Menswear Designer of the Year: Thom Browne

Accessories Designer of the Year: Mansur Gavriel—Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Norma Kamali

The Founder’s Award in Honour of Eleanor Lambert: Donna Karan

International Award: Gucci—Alessandro Michele

The Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award: David Bowie

The Media Award in Honour of Eugenia Sheppard: Imran Amed, editor in chief of The Business of Fashion

Keep scrolling to see our recap of the unforgettable looks of the night! 

WHO: Olivia Palermo

WHO: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

WEAR: Michael Kors Collection dress and Transeason 2016 Yasmeen clutch.

WHO: Taylor Hill

WEAR: Thakoon custom Summer Rose Jacquard Gown.

WHO: Jamie Chung

WEAR: Banana Republic dress.

WHO: Karlie Kloss

WEAR: Rosie Assoulin dress with crystals from Swarovski; Stuart Weitzman shoes with crystals from Swarovski; Atelier Swarovski jewellery.

WHO: Ashley, Elizabeth, and Mary Kate Olsen

WHO: Ciara

WEAR: Roberto Cavalli ruffled dress and belt.

WHO: Alexa Chung

WEAR: Prabal Gurung Leather Zip-Front Sheath Dress.

WHO: Jourdan Dunn

WEAR: Jonathan Simkhai Pre-Spring 17 dress; Eva Fehren jewellery. 

WHO: Hari Nef

WEAR: Gucci F/W 16–17 Panther Embroidery Dress, gold leather clutch, and leather platforms.

WHO: Martha Hunt

WEAR: Diane Von Furstenberg F/W 16 Jemmie Romper and RE16/17 clutch; Christian Louboutin heels.

WHO: Olivia Culpo

WEAR: Kate Spade New York blazer, bag, and heels; Mattia Cielo necklace and rings.

WHO: Lauren Conrad

WEAR: LC Lauren Conrad Runway Collection for Kohl’s fall 2016 slip dress and tuxedo jacket.

WHO: Joan Smalls

WEAR: Givenchy dress; Eddie Borgo Vic Minaudière and Idle Line Earring, Allure Cuff, Pavé Zenith Cuff, and the Extra Thin Safety Chain Bracelet.

WHO: Julianne Hough

WEAR: Michael Kors Collection F/W 16 silver metallic embroidered stretch-tulle dress, clutch and sandals; Borgioni earrings; Hearts On Fire diamond ring; Stuart Weitzman heels.

WHO: Naomi Campbell

WEAR: Brandon Maxwell custom dress; Lorraine Schwartz jewellery.

WHO: Alessandra Ambrosio

WEAR: Michael Kors Collection dress.

WHO: Doutzen Kroes

WEAR: Calvin Klein Collection Pre-Fall 16 jumpsuit.

WHO: Sophie Kennedy Clark

WEAR: Creatures of the Wind F/W 16 suit and blouse.

WHO: Olivia Wilde

WEAR: Rosie Assoulin F/W 16 dress; Edie Parker Jean Clutch.

WHO: Lena Dunham

WEAR: Creatures of the Wind Pre-Fall 16 dress; Irene Neuwirth jewelry; Streetzies shoes.

WHO: Riley Keough

WEAR: Proenza Schouler dress.

WHO: Jennifer Hudson

WHO: Mia Moretti

WEAR: Alice and Olivia top and skirt.

WHO: Adriana Lima

WHO: Shanina Shaik

WHO: Heidi Klum

WEAR: Roland Mouret Pre-Fall 16 Lauriston Gown; Lorraine Schwartz jewellery; Olgana Paris Decouverte heels.

WHO: Jasmine Tookes

WEAR: Atelier Swarovski earrings, bracelet, cuff, ring, and clutch.

WHO: Irina Shayk

WHO: Jessica Hart

WEAR: Alexandre Birman heels.

WHO: Emily Ratajkowski

WEAR: Atelier Swarovski Mira Earrings; Atelier Swarovski by Peter Pilotto Arbol Large Hairpin.

WHO: Kristen Dunst

WEAR: Rodarte F/W 16 Hand Beaded Metallic Moss and Lace Dress and Metallic Heels; Joseph Free Orchid Earrings with Fresh Flowers.

WHO: Coco Rocha

WEAR: CO+CO dress.

WHO: Jessica Chastain

WEAR: Prabal Gurung F/W 16 Falling Leaf High-Low Organza Lurex Dress. 

WHO: Elsa Hosk

WEAR: Naeem Khan jumpsuit and clutch.

WHO: Hilary Rhoda

WEAR: Monique Lhuillier dress.

WHO: Zosia Mamet

WEAR: Maiyet F/W 16 dress; John Hardy Classic Chain Magic Cut Silver Diamond Ring with Black Onyx and the Dot Silver Lava Ring with Red Sapphire.

WHO: Sarah Sampaio

WEAR: DVF F/W 16 Margarita dress and Slim Tonda Miniaudiere Clutch in OxBlood.

WHO: Josephine Skriver

WEAR: Sachin & Babi F/W 16 Josephine Dress.

WHO: Rachel Zoe

WHO: Alek Wek

WEAR: Aquatalia heels.

Who do you think is best dressed? Get your opinion in the comments box below…

Opening Image: Startraks Photo/REX/Shutterstock