Baubles, Bangles and Braids

Long hair is still in style, and it’s anything but boring--innovative hair ornaments made of everything from silk to marble are becoming a must. Gone are high-maintenance, moussed hairdos--replaced with clasped, knotted or pinned sculptural ponytails, braids and chignons.

Astute jewelry and beauty-industry designers are creating ornaments rich in color and baroque in shape to match current fashion trends. Materials include fabric, wood, metals, wire, acrylics and gold leaf. Bejeweled or sculpted hair sticks secure a bun or French twist, while the common hair bow adopts the more sophisticated look of stainless steel mesh. And don’t settle for a plain old rubber band to hold hair in place--go for a wired silk rope or spiral of copper, which lends elegance to even a simple ponytail.