The Best Hair Trends for Spring 2017

You can always count on the Balmain show to serve-up sexy hair in either a super-high ponytail or soft wave. But for Spring 2017, like so many other shows this season, the sex appeal came by way of a slicked-back wet 'do. "It's swimming pool hair inspired by '80s shots by Peter Linbergh and Helmut Newton. It's tough and shiny," says hairstylist Sam McKnight. Backstage, stylists used a concoction of oils, creams, gels, and mousse to achieve the varying drenched effect. As for why wet hair is making such a splash (sorry, we had to), McKnight doesn't really know. "It's just a thing that works with really sexy clothes—it's nice and tough and strong," he said.

It was '80s supermodel Yasmin Le Bon on the beach in the Bahamas that served as inspiration for the wet and shiny knots seen backstage at Thakoon. Hairstylist Odile Gilbert used gobs and gobs of Kérastase Crème de la Crème blow-dry cream to totally drench the hair. After twisting it up and securing a bun high on the head, a small face-framing piece was untucked at the front. For Gilbert, the addition of the hanging piece was meant to add a sexy allure. For us, it grounded the whole look in reality: true beachy hair should never be too perfect, after all.

At Paco Rabanne, models didn't just have their hair raked back and away from their face. They also had it temporarily dyed various shades of red and blue, giving an added layer of interest to the trending hairstyle.

Taking inspiration from the "aquatic vibes" of the Thierry Mugler show, hairstylist James Pecis created a glossy look using a high-shine, strong-hold hair gel. The hair was parted and slicked down to just below the ears; the lower-half was styled into soft, loose waves. 

Even the Alexander McQueen show, often revered for its wild, inventive, and unusual hair looks created by Guido Palau, took the wet-look route this season. 

At Stella McCartney, the hair wasn't soaked or shiny. Instead, it was coaxed backward with mousse and a blowdryer, creating an end result that was slick with lots of volume.

Combed forward and slicked across the face, hairstylist Guido Palau utilized a ton of gel to create the almost helmet-like shine at the Givenchy show. Even more shine was added by way of Redken Diamond Oil mist when the hair was twisted and pinned in the back into a low chignon. 

The wet look doesn't have to mean sleek and straight. At J.W. Anderson, hairstylists created waves and curls that still had the dripping-wet effect.

The look at Versus Versace was a little sporty and a little sweaty. The slick hair was tucked behind the ears and into the collars and chokers.

A combination of smoothing serum and traditional gel have the hair at Jason Wu glassy shine that didn't look hard or crunchy. 

The sleek hair at Céline was a study in geometry. It also happened to mimic the reflection of the two-way glass panels flanking the runway.

The half-up style at Carolina Herrera was created by folding two sections of hair over one another, and then seamlessly securing each piece with bobby pins. The back of the hair got its shine factor from a hair serum, while the front got it from a dousing of hairspray.

The phrase "sexy mermaids" was thrown around backstage at Altuzarra. Hairstylist Odile Gilbert used a similar technique here as she did at Thakoon (styling cream as the wetting agent), but this time she left the hair down and slightly rumpled. 

Hair accessories are a staple no matter the season, but for Spring 2017 some key trends emerged. At shows like Bottega Veneta (at left), Marchesa, Fendi, and Ashley Williams, sparkly and ornate barrettes and pins were placed on the side of the head either right at the ear or just behind it. By ignoring the tendency to secure it at the crown, the accessory instead adds visual interest to the profile much in the same way as a statement earring. And it didn't matter if the models' hair was naturally straight or curly—stylists dressed-up every hair type and texture in a variety of pins, baubles, and bows.

At Tibi, belts were used to wrap and decorate the sleek ponytails seen backstage. Hairstylist Frank Rizzieri secured models' hair into sleek, low ponytails, then slipped on the custom-made belt accessories much like you would a grosgrain ribbon. The end of each belt hung parallel to the ponytail. If nothing else, this look has inspired us to give new life to the collection of d-ring belts we've long since forgotten about.

Hairstylist Odile Gilbert and her team used fabric scraps from the Rodarte collection to create dozens of pins and headbands for the show.The accessories were a jumble of tulle, sequin, organza, and string; some were adorned with flowers and jewels. Fastened randomly on the back of models' heads, the sheer prettiness of it all was a sight for sore eyes. It's even more impressive to note that Gilbert and her team whipped them all up in about a day.

At Monique Lhuillier, hairstylist Bob Recine pulled the hair back into a ponytail right in the middle of the head—it wasn't too high or too low. The hair was loosely gathered, giving the appearance that the girls might have just quickly done it themselves. The elastics were covered with a jumble of black ribbon to add a little bit of polish (the models were wearing gowns, after all). But they weren't weren't fluffed or knotted in a perfect bow; this is the cool-girl's take on a classic ponytail.

At Jacquemus, the hair was fastened into a hasty ponytail and knotted with a beige string. It was then topped with a wide-brimmed straw hat secured with a black ribbon under the chin. So no matter which way the model turned, there was a the beautiful simplicity of a bow or a ribbon in view. 

Have extra baubles laying around from a craft project? Then take a cue from hairstylist Sam McKnight, who used leftover Fendi trinkets to create the bobby pins seen at the Spring 2017 show.