Celebrity hair styles: be inspired

Women who work it!

Looking for a new hair inspiration? Look no further than the women who rule the runways and red carpets. Their looks are stylish, elegant and wearable. By Yanar Alkayat

Elle MacPherson

What\'s magical about Elle\'s hair is how uber-shiny it is. The dusky blonde shade is perfect for this time of year and if you don\'t want a fringe, cheek-skimming lengths are a great way to frame your face.

Get the look: Prep just-dried-hair with a styling spray like TommyGuns Climate Control Spray, (£5.99 www.tommygunshaircare.com) wrap in rollers and blast with heat and then wait til cool. Do a cold-air blast before releasing and brushing out. Finish with a spritz of shine spray Frederic Fekkai Glossing Sheer Shine Mist (£18, www.spacenk.com)

Sharon Stone

Sharon Stone\'s hair has grown into an easy-to-manage shoulder length. It\'s the perfect happy medium for maintaining healthy hair at this age, especially if you don\'t want to go short.

Get the look: Use a straightening balm like John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Straightening Balm, (£4.79, www.boots.com) on towel-dried hair before blow-drying smooth and going over difficult strands with a pair of straighteners. The balm will protect hair from heat and keep everything straight as a poker.

Claudia Schiffer

The queen of blonde colour, Claudia Schiffer, looks dazzling in this popcorn-blonde shade. The slightly darker roots means that the one-block colour doesn\'t look artificial.

Get the look: Keep bottle-blonde hair in beautiful condition with a hair care system fit for celebrities. Use a shampoo specifically formulated for blondes such as Blond hair products - Phytolumiere shampoo for blonde hair and follow with a mask every three to four days such as Jo Hansford Intensive Masque for Fine Hair (£25, www.harveynichols.com)

Susan Sarandon

Susan Sarandon is a striking redhead and her curly-do is full of character and life. To get a great shape, make sure your hairdresser cuts layers to suit your face shape - a pre-cut consultation for curly hair is always a must.

Get the look: For a glamorous - rather than dishevelled - curly look, it\'s best to use rollers even if your hair is naturally wavy. Apply a curl mousse like Bumble and bumble Curl Conscious Curl Defining Mousse or curl balm such as Styling Treat Curl Balm by Schwarzkopf (£8.80 www.schwarzkopfsalonfinder.co.uk) evenly through dampish hair to define curls without frizz. Apply rollers, blast with hot then cool air and wait for 20 minutes (while you do your make-up). Unravel and shake hair through with fingers. Finish with a spritz of hairspray for extra hold.

Madonna

The mother of reinvention is looking elegant with a classic blow-dry. Her butter blonde hair has depth and dimension with darker roots - something your hairdresser can achieve if you talk the look through.

Get the look: Prep hair with a conditioning styling cream such as Tommy Guns Leave Me in Conditioner Styling Creme (£5.99 www.tommygunshaircare.com) as it keeps everything super smooth. Blow-dry using a nozzle and round bristle brush and don\'t forget to roll the ends as you go around. Add rollers to the roots for added lift - once they are out, hair will be full of volume.

Sandra Bullock

The Proposal star has pinned her long tresses up giving the illusion of shorter lengths. Her elegantly tousled hair has a fairy-tale feel to it.

Get the look: Prep hair with a texturising spray - try new Swedish hair care brand REF Ocean Spray (£10.75, www.martynmaxey.co.uk) and follow with a rough dry. Next, take small strands, no more than an inch wide, and wrap around tongs - do this with all the hair. Part to the side and pin one side under using Kirby grips. Tweeze a few random strands out for a pretty, whimsical look.

Helen Mirren

Screen star Helen Mirren dazzled at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January with her silver-blonde ‘do in a classic French-pleat.

Get the look: Once hair is blow-dried, apply Velcro rollers all the way through the crown because root-lift is essential for this hairstyle - these can be picked up cheaply at Boots or any local chemist. Then scrape hair back loosely to avoid losing the lift and secure with pins or a grip. Keep front strands unstructured and natural, spraying them to the side for a glamorous look.

Nicole Kidman

This graceful up-do is perfect for long hair like Nicole Kidman\'s. Hair has to be smooth as silk before styling to make sure you blow-dry hair well before putting it up.

Get the look: Before blow-drying, prep with a smoothing cream - Essensity Smoothing Cream by Schwarzkopf (£9.45 www.schwarzkopfsalonfinder.co.uk) is light enough for fine hair and medium hair with added essential oils and vitamins. Take a large section from the front and leave out. Pull the rest back and tie with a hair band. Separate the pony into three sections. Take a section and loop it around itself, tucking the ends through the hair band. Do the same with the other sections but create a voluminous look with the hair loops. Then take the front section, spritz with hairspray, and pin it discreetly into the bun of hair.`

Kylie Minogue

Kylie\'s up-do is au natural and not too styled - perfect for women on the go. Having hairgrips at your reach is always handy for mobile up-dos.

Get the look: If you\'re styling from scratch, then apply a volumsing mousse to give hair added lift and hold. Otherwise, shake hair upside down to give it the fluffiness. Then pull the ends together - leaving the crown loose - and secure with a comb-grip. If you want to smooth your front strands or fringe with straighteners, it will polish the look up nicely.

Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver\'s short bob looks cute with the waves at the front. It also has a hint of vintage twenties and is easily achieved.

Get the look: Keep short red hair vibrant with a colour-protecting shampoo such as John Frieda Radiant Red Shampoo & Conditioner (£4.49 each, www.boots.com) and blowdry smoothly. Apply hairspray to sections of hair at the front - strands approximately half and inch wide - and wrap slim rollers into them, rolling towards the front. When you take them out, finish with a mist of finishing spray for all-night hold.