Kate Middleton: Royal Wedding Beauty

Will she or won't she ... wear her hair up?

That's the question royal watchers are asking about Kate Middleton's 'do for the big day she marries Prince William -- April 29 -- in Westminster Abbey.

One thing's for sure: The 29-year-old future queen of England has her own sense of style, and she won't take orders from the royal advisers just because it's "tradition."

With her long, shiny chestnut locks that are often topped with a hat (so very British), Middleton might want to wear her hair loose when she walks down the aisle -- that's her signature look, after all. But given the fact that this is a royal wedding, with 1,900 gold-leafed invitations sent out and a fairy-tale glass coach to ride in after the vows are exchanged, some speculate that Kate's hair should be as formal as it gets: worn up in a classic style, such as a French twist.

This sleek, sophisticated 'do would showcase the tiara the bride will undoubtedly wear, chosen from many in the queen's "jewel pool" and usually presented by the queen as a wedding gift. However, "a French twist is so structured, it can look too severe and mature on a young woman," says hairstylist (and fellow Brit) Christopher Dove of The Doves Studio in Santa Monica, Calif. "That said, I'm sure Kate would look amazing with her hair up in a French twist, but I'm voting for a much more youthful half-up, half-down style."

Makeup Fit for a Princess

"All of the young brides I make up are asking for smoky eyes on their wedding day," says Eugenia Weston, an Emmy-nominated makeup artist and owner of Senna makeup studios in Los Angeles. She imagines that Middleton, however, will skip the sultry makeup.

"I think she'll go for a fresh, clean look -- starting with her skin -- to take advantage of the fact that it's naturally luminous," says Weston. "I'd define her eyes with delicate eyeliner, and add a few individual false lashes to fill in where needed for a feathery fringe. I'd also groom her brows so they are dramatic frames for those lovely eyes. And for her mouth, I'd suggest a rosy lipstick, or maybe even a matte shade that reads like a rosy stain."

The bottom line: Middleton is so pretty, there isn't much to be done, and in the conservative splendor of Westminster Abbey, dramatic makeup would look inappropriate.

Your Own Wedding Countdown

Here's how to achieve the healthiest and most beautiful hair possible on the big day.

4 weeks before the wedding:

Schedule a practice session with the hairdresser. Bring in a photo of your dress and the actual headpiece (veil, jeweled clip, headband, tiara, silk flowers). Bring a camera to capture the range of hairstyles (updo, French twist, half-up half-down, long and flowing). At home, print out the winner so the hairdresser has a handy reference point for the big day.

3 weeks:

Start weekly at-home deep conditioning treatments.

2 weeks:

Have hair cut or trimmed. Book an intensive in-salon conditioning treatment.

1 week:

So your hair color looks as fresh as possible, wait until now to have your color or highlights done. Have bangs or fringe trimmed. Continue with at-home conditioning.

Day of:

At least three hours before the wedding, meet with the hairdresser. If you've chosen an upswept style that can be pinned up securely, you can have your hair done earlier. But if your hair will be worn down with soft curls that can go flat, the appointment needs to be closer to the wedding's start time.

If you're headed for a tropical honeymoon, don't forget to pack that at-home conditioner to maintain your hair's shine and to protect it from the sun and the sea.

 

Laurie Drake is a former Vogue staffer. She has also written about beauty, health and fitness for Allure, Glamour, SELF, Prevention and InStyle magazines. She has won three Gold Triangle Awards for print journalism from the American Academy of Dermatology.

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