With all the excitement of the Oscars red carpet it’s easy to forget that many, many more celebs are out on the town at Oscars parties than are in attendance at the actual event. One such star with a noteworthy ‘do is Natalie Portman. Celebrity stylist and Nexxus Creative Director Kevin Mancuso created her glam look.

“I really wanted to give her a Bridget Bardot meets Audrey Hepburn style,” said Mancuso. “There’s nothing like an old Hollywood style for a young Hollywood actress!”

To prep the hair, body building shampoo and conditioner Nexxus Diametress and Sublime Volume were used to help give hair lift. Paul Mitchell Extra Body Daily Shampoo and Conditioner are also a good bet.

Mancuso used volumizing spray gel, Nexxus Lavish Body, on roots to ends and blew dry with a paddle brush directing hair up and away from the face and lifting at the root. This drying technique is really key in getting the maximum volume out of your blow-out. If you’re always blowing your hair down, of course it’s going to lay super flat on your head. Mancuso switched to a round brush when roots were almost dry, to help smooth hair.

One-inch sections of Portman’s hair were rolled up in Velcro rollers and allowed to cool. Rollers were removed and hair was tousled with Nexxus Sleek Finish smoothing lotion. You could also try Tigi S-Factor Smoothing Lusterizer.

Remove a one-inch front section, you may need to use a curling iron for this piece if it doesn’t come out right from the roller. Pull the rest of the hair gently back into a mid-level ponytail, securing with an elastic and using boby pins to artfully sculpt ends into a soft updo.

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Elegant updos were a staple on the Oscars red carpet, as always. This year they were mostly a bit retro, and not too constructed or complicated. That’s great for those of us hoping to copy the look for our own special occasion.

One of my favorite looks – in fashion and beauty – came from Elizabeth Banks, seen above. I love the simplicity of the side-parted hair swept back into a chic bun, and the sparkly headband adds just enough glam for a night as special as the Oscars. (The jewels help, too.) For this look you probably want to give hair a good blow out so that it’s smooth and voluminous at the start. Then part hair on the side most flattering for your face, and brush into a low ponytail. Some shorter pieces may need to be pinned, but with this look the headband will also help keep those pieces in place. Then construct a simple bun and secure with pins. Stick to “hidden” bobby pins since you’ve already got a glam accessory going. Lots of hairspray is key to keep this looking posh and put-together, I always like Redken Workforce.

Amanda Seyfried chose a more severe, lacquered-down version of the same look, with a more feminine bun with curled pieces escaping in the back.

Both Rachel McAdams and Jennifer Lopez, above, chose more modern, tousled updos. Stylist Robert Vetica created J. Lo’s look by applying Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream on locks and blow drying straight. After it was dry he pulled hair back into two pony tails, one on top of the other, just below the crown. He curled each pony tail with an iron and brushed hair out to create volume. He then pinned hair up into a bun and pulled out some strands for a textured effect. He pulled out flyaways around her forehead as well and finished with high-hold hairstpray.

By far the most complicated look, with a little bit of a ’40s feel, was Diane Kruger’s. Her side-parted and rolled hair was secured with a pretty silver clip. Unfortunately, I can’t begin to reconstruct this and when attempting at home it would probably be best to take a picture to your stylist.

It would be remiss to mention Oscars updos this year and not point out the train wreck that was Sarah Jessica Parker’s hair. The dress, while beloved by some, also didn’t do it for me, so all together it was just not pretty.

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With a bohemian twist on the popular side updo I just showed you the other day, Sandra Bullock had a really beautiful hairstyle at the Golden Globes on Sunday. No small feat considering all the rain! But deciding to work with her natural curl was obviously a good decision, considering the number of actresses whose locks were left limp in the downpour.

Frederic Fekkai stylist Adir Abergel created the coif. Bullock’s hair was parted on an angle and blow dried using Fekkai Coiff Perfecteur Anti-Frizz Silkening Creme, then curled away from the face with a 1″ curling iron. He started the updo by backcombing the bottom layers of the hair and tucking it under with pins, applying a small amount of Fekkai Coiff Nonchalant Piecing and Forming Wax for a piecy texture and shine.

An asymmetrical bob was created by tucking hair under and pinning the main section of hair tightly, but pinning the rest back more loosely, allowing a few strands to fall in a very pretty way. Hair was secured with Fekkai Coiff Sheer Hold Hairspray.

Some Girlznight products you could use in place of those that Abergel used would be Redken Fresh Curls Anti Frizz Shiner, Loreal Professionnel tecni.art colour show liss cream and Paul Mitchell Super Clean Spray.

[Source: Eye4Style.com]

Some of the most exciting short films are coming from fashion houses, as of late! Well, at least the most exciting to a fashion crowd. After Marion Cotillard’s star turn in Dior’s recent short, Christina Ricci is signed on to “Four Play” a film directed by Jake Sumner for Donna Karan. It will revolve around Karan’s pleated leather Eldridge bag, which can be worn four ways. Ricci will be shown “primping, dancing, spying and lounging in various stages of dress and undress at the Soho Grand Hotel” according to WWD. The segments represent the dreamer, the paramour, the expressionist and the voyeur.

Sumner is the son of Sting and Trudie Styler and another high profile collaboration for the film is its representation by People’s Revolution.

“For years, I have been a big believer in the idea that designers need to create and control their own content so it can’t be stolen or looted as it is at fashion shows,” said Kelly Cutrone of People’s Revolution. “Let’s face it: Anyone at the end of a riser can take that footage and do anything they want with it.”

People’s Revolution will also be involved with a short film focused on the DKNY Cozy Sweater. The Cozy ad campaign will feature four models being “followed” by director Kai Regan (Comme des Garcons, Nike) set to the tune of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Heads Will Roll.”

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People are inspired by John Galliano all the time! But this time his creativity comes in an unexpected realm – holiday decor. John Galliano has designed a Dior Christmas tree for London’s Claridge’s hotel. The tree will be as non-traditional as Galliano’s fashion. The tropical white tree will be draped with crystals, orchids, vines and lianas along with – wait for it – a sleeping leopard.

“I want to combine the festive with the innovative, the spirit of Dior with the beauty of Claridge’s and create something spectacular that will inspire,” Galliano told WWD.

Look for the tree December 1, and start buying those strings of crystal garland to bring the look home to your own tree.

Lara Stone talks openly about the serious (her battle with alcoholism) and the silly (friends love to play with her perfect breasts) in the December issue of British Vogue, which also includes a whole supplement on glamour.

“I am a complete alcoholic. It used to be so easy to say to someone, ‘Get me a bottle of vodka,’ and they’d run and get it. Going to rehab was the best decision I ever made. The last six months have been the best of my life,” Stone says in the issue.

If that’s not candid enough for you, Stone admits she chose alcohol because she “never wanted to be that model on drugs, the sort who gives head for a line of coke.”

I guess with her no-pretenses attitude, and being a modelling-industry vet, it’s also no surprise she’s pretty comfortable with her body. On her admittedly perfect, real breasts she comments “Everyone’s seen them. My girlfriends love them — they play with them!”

But Stone’s voluptuous figure isn’t the only glamorous thing in the December issue. In fact, there’s an entire supplement devoted to glamour.

“There are lots of reasons we chose to do glamour … glamour is great because there’s no rules about glamour, you’re not confined to any era or any decade, and yet things are completely recognizable about it,” said Daisy Garnett, who edited the supplement.

Editors chose iconic images of glamour from the magazine’s archive which were still relevant today for feature in the section.

See a behind the scenes video on the making of the supplement here.

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Sienna Miller jazzed up a pretty ordinary outfit with the Katherine Kwei Joyce Carry-All in black over the weekend. This bag is a great take on the fringe trend, with leather strips revealing a peek of metallic underneath and tying up neatly in knots at the bottom of the bag. The calf and lambskin bag, $625, is available at Luna Boston.

This is such a realistically doable look – just pair the bag with jeans and a pea coat and you’re channeling Sienna with considerably more ease than some of her red-carpet looks would require.

Oh those Obamas and their firsts. First Lady Michelle Obama is now the first First Lady to pose on the cover of Glamour Magazine for their Women of the Year issue. I’m not as huge a fan of Mobama’s style as some, but I do love her cover look here. A fantastic red dress for the holidays paired with a hot statement necklace is style well done. I even like her hair and the fact that she seems ironic about showing off her arms for the billionth time. But, lest we become confused, Glamour editor Cindi Leive says she didn’t feature Michelle as a style icon, but as an empowering example for women. Calling her mentor in chief is a bit over the top, but not as annoying as hearing about “first dog” Bo’s birthday party. Vom.

It’s nice that the magazine focuses on Michelle’s role as First Female and even includes some White House interns in the photo feature. But don’t worry, they also get her to give readers dating advice. She advises against going for the “cute” guy, if you’re wondering.