Long hair is the most versatile length to play around with and the more hairstyling essentials you have, the more fun styles you can create to look fabulous.  Easily order all your hairdressing supplies online and you’ll be amazed at all the amazing looks you can create from curling, straightening, back combing, pinning… the list is endless.

In this post, I'll show you how to re-create the fabulous long hairstyles that were featured in this years hottest Autumn / Winter 2013 fashion shows including Valentino, Alexander Wang and Diane Von Furstenberg. This includes beautiful braids, classic ponytails and stunning bouncy curls.

Beautiful Braids

Wearing hair natural and long is beautiful but can also get a little boring. Twisting hair into a pretty braid can instantly add interest with little effort! At Valentino’s Autumn / Winter 2013 show, models wore their hair in a sleek and shiny side plait finished off with a thick headband for a feminine and chic style. Hair was prepped with straightening balm and blow dried sleek, braided to the side and finished off with shine spray. For a more messy and relaxed style, leave hair to dry naturally and braid a section from each side of the face and tie round the back of the head; finish off with light hair spray.

Classic Ponytail

A stylish and simple option to wear long hair is the trusty and effortlessly chic ponytail. But despite appearing ‘effortless’, the perfect ponytail still requires essential hair products and lots of prepping and styling.  At Alexander Wang's Autumn / Winter 2013 show hair was blow dried straight, pulled back from the face and secured into a low neat ponytail, finished off with a blast of high shine and strong hold hair spray. Alternatively you can create a messy, matt look by blow drying hair with a large brush, adding texturising spray and back combing. Tie into a loose ponytail and pull out random strands for an undone, carefree style.

Bouncy Curls

Glossy curls and waves are perfect for injecting glamour into long hair if worn loose. For a bouncy blow-dry similar to the models at Diane Von Furstenberg Autumn / Winter 2013 show, tong hair, brush out and finish off with shine spray for luxurious waves. Style in a side parting for a timeless and sophisticated look, or part in the middle and swap the shine spray for wet-look gel to create a grungier, caught-in-the-rain, sexy edge.

Braids, ponytails and curls are just a few of the gorgeous hairstyles you can create with long hair. If you're looking for even more inspiration, check out Cosmopolitan's guide on how to style long hair in a sexy fashion including fishtails, bedhead, bangs, flat irons and straight stands. 

As long as you stay well stocked up on all your hairdressing essentials, the sky’s the limit when it comes to creating fabulous long hair styles. So, what's your view? I'd love to hear about your opinions on the best ways to style long-hair in a fuss-free way.

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Victoria is a freelance hair and beauty writer for CoolBlades.co.uk. She also works as a buyer for one the UK's biggest fashion companies.