How To Recreate Evan Rachel Wood’s Unconventional Red Carpet Hair

Last night’s Met Gala made for a year’s worth of inspiration, in terms of totally out-there and daring fashion and some really epic beauty looks. However, amongst the sparkling makeup and giant, structured gowns, one hair look stood out in particular: Evan Rachel Wood.

Her vintage-style waves, dyed in a fresh new shade of steel blue, were styled in a way that felt carefree and modern, unlike most of the polished red carpet looks we’re used to seeing. We chatted with the man behind it, TRESemmé celebrity hairstylist John D., to find out more about it.

“Evan’s look was full and curly,” he says. “We went for some Marlene Dietrich vibes with a little side of St. Vincent for a fresh flair. The hair had a full curly texture that was reminiscent of old Hollywood, but was undone and piece-y, keeping [the whole look] modern.”

When it came to coming up with the style, he tells me it was more of a collaborative process, with the hair design bouncing off the dress, makeup, and everyone’s ideas. “It’s like a big creative glam brainstorm session before we get ready,” he says. Her androgynous fashion look, made up of an embellished dress worn over tuxedo pants, was simple and elegant. With that in mind, according to John D., she wanted to have fun with the beauty part of it.

Looking to recreate Wood’s modern take on old Hollywood glamour? John D. tells how, below.

Photo Courtesy of TRESemmé

First, he freshened up Wood's fading hair color. He opted for a semi-permanent dye by Manic Panic to take her faded blonde-turquoise color to a smoky blue. Once the color was rinsed out, he spritzed TRESemmé Repair & Protect 7 Pre-Styling Spray throughout her hair to protect it from styling. He then layered in TRESemmé TRES Two Extra Hold Mousse, starting at the roots, and raked it through the hair with his fingers to distribute the product evenly.

Once her hair was prepped, he blow-dried it, making sure to go in every direction. “Blowing hair in opposite directions really helps create more volume,” he says. “Rough drying using a vent brush and hands also helps maintain natural fullness.” After her hair was dried, he created her waves using a small curling brush, being sure to curl in different directions, as well, to create an interesting texture.

To finish off the look, he refined the final shape of her hair using the TRESemmé TRES Two Ultra Fine Mist Hair Spray and his hands. He kept Wood’s ends defined and piece-y by scrunching TRESemmé Perfectly (un)done Wave Creating Sea Foam into them.

If your plan is to wear this look to the party or the after-party, just like Woods, John D. stresses that it's crucial to not only prep but to finish the hair with the right products. “Making sure you’ve started with a great foundation to build on and finishing with a strong hair spray that locks hair into place, really finishes out a long-lasting look,” he says.