Words: Jonathan Wells
We’ve all been there. Waking bleary-eyed to the shrill ring of the alarm, only to realise you’ve inadvertently hit ‘snooze’ 30 times and are now running a good hour late. But the inevitable scramble for clothes and mad dash to Starbucks are the least of your worries. Your main problem – and one that’s really going to have you tearing your hair out – is the state of your barnet itself.
A night of tossing and turning has likely left your tresses looking less than presentable. With strands sticking out from the sides, any illusion of a parting destroyed sometime around 1am, and many of your locks looking like they’ve managed to defy gravity, bed hair isn’t the most stylish of dos.
But, sometimes, there simply isn’t time. So how can you make the most of a tousled mop? How can you pull off straggling strands as intentional? How, in other words, can you rock bed hair?
The first step should be away from the hairbrush. You don’t have time to make your hair look pristine, so don’t even try. Instead keep your hair looking as matted and messy as you possibly can, but try to flatten it slightly.
Remember, every strand doesn’t need to be neatly in place. But, if your hair’s so huge that it looks like birds have nested on your head, you want to smooth it down. A spritz of hairspray, dab of wax or even a drop of water will help with this, and you’ll be amazed how much more presentable you look after confining the hair-splosion your woke up with.
A couple of small rogue strands could be considered charming – but several thick and aggressive looking tousled tentacles won’t do you any favours. Identify three or four of the worst flyhairs, and set out weaving them into the rest of your matted mess.
Again, use some product or water to keep them in check, but remember not to go over the top. You still need to keep a couple of errant hairs to maintain the ‘casual and care-free’ look.
If you’ve not got time to tame your hair, then it’s unlikely that you’ll be suiting up or going for full formalwear. But, if your plan is to pair your tousled tufts with a full three-piece suit, replete with pocket square, tie pin and cufflinks, you’ll end up looking as if someone’s stuck your head on a different body.
Instead, eschew fancy formalwear and embrace jeans, a t-shirt and a casual jacket. Even if you are going to the office, and have to make an effort, go for chinos, a shirt and a knitted tie for that informal edge. You don’t want your hair to jar with your outfit, and if time’s tight, you shouldn’t be spending valuable minutes primping anyway.
The last thing you want is for people at work, or on the tube, to be looking at you with judgement in their eyes and their hands twitching at the combs in their bags. If you’re going to rock bed hair, confidence is key. Own the matted mess, and act with the same swaggering nonchalance that your hairstyle dictates.
Run your hands through it, smooth it down, blow it out of your eyes. It’s bed hair – so you mustn’t shy from the tangle, and instead embrace it. The success of this style hangs by a hair, so make sure that hair is as messy, misshapen and thoroughly muddled as it can possibly be. Rock on.
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