Style does not end with what you wear.

We have all seen that woman who looks almost perfectly styled. Her outfit is phenomenal, you love her shoes, her makeup is perfectly applied in that "is she really wearing any?" kind of way-- with the exception of her obviously-but-fabulously painted lips, of course. Even so, something isn't quite right.

It's her hair. Yesterday you saw her in a Theory suit and today she's in trouser jeans, platform wedges and rocking a sunny yellow t-shirt with layers of red stone necklaces around her neck... so why hasn't her hair changed?

Style is as much about what you wear on your body as what you do with the things you're born with. Hair is all about manipulation, even if you're not doing anything to it with products or styling tools-- yes, honey, dreads are a manipulation too. And, incidentally, not one I'd advise.

Anyway, it's important to embrace your style head-to-toe. Often people perceive that as a direction to buy fabulous shoes, and by all means, do so! But it also means remembering to take it to the top; the hair on your head needs to be addressed when embracing your style.

It's not that the woman you saw who previously had on her work look can't switch it up to a relaxed ensemble and leave her hair the same. I am certainly guilty of doing just that. But... why not mix up your look and change it to something that fits the vibe of your overall appearance? A neat top-knot is perfectly fitting with a pair of slim dress pants and your leopard print Equipment blouse. Toss on a few layers of rosy pearls and you will be impossibly chic.

But is that 'do the best you can do for a look that fits an entirely different facet of your personality? I think not, my friends.

I am a big fan of good hair. I don't remember who said it, but I once read a quote about how if your hair looks good, you probably look good; I stand behind that statement 100%. Whenever my hair looks bad, I feel off. Now, the same can be said for my outfit; if it's not my ideal, I get grumpy. My hair, however, can transform a look that would have been otherwise thoroughly unspecial. It's as though that extra oomph of volume and bounce is enough to also amp up my confidence otherwise.

I am lucky enough that my hairstylist, Emily, is a good friend of mine. She knows my style, my life, my interests. A lot of people believe taking a picture of the hair you want into a stylist will be enough. I respectfully disagree.

The thing is, unless you're taking in a picture of your doppelganger, the likelihood of you leaving the salon looking the way you hoped is slim. Further, it's not just about face shape; is your hair as thick as whomever's style you covet? Is it the same texture? Do you have the attention span to take it past the cut and style it like your favorite model/actress/singer? So much has to be take into consideration. For that reason, I sent Emily a series of pictures of the attitude and style I'm looking to convey with my hair. She was amused, as at least one of the pictures involved someone wearing a hat, but all the same she got it. She understood what I was after.

The keywords I used in my e-mail to Emily were "Earthy, touchable, 70s cool" and "free-spirited, funky, fabulous".

As seen in the picture here on my blog, my hair is pretty long. It is also poker straight and pretty lifeless without a bit of manipulation on my part. I have always desired that beachy, relaxed look of wavy/curly hair. I have tried at least a dozen products and how-to videos via YouTube to get that look, but alas, nothing has ever worked.

Until now. Emily recommended a fantastic Paul Mitchell product that I am now obsessed with.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Texturizing Sea Spray

As directed by Emily, I comb my hair out with a wide tooth comb and let it air dry to a point of dampness. Then I spray this liberally through my hair and tousle it lightly. At that point, I can already see a curl forming. Followed by blow drying with a diffuser on a high heat, low intensity setting, I end up with fabulously curly/wavy hair and a ton of volume. I don't even need hairspray! I have received numerous compliments on this new look, as I typically have very straight, sleek hair and this gives me more of a loose and funky style. I am 100% sold on this product and highly recommend it to anyone whose look this Spring/Summer identifies with the wild and carefree sensibilities of the '70s!