Party pieces: buns, pony tails and fake fringes

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Libby Caudwell10 April 2012

It doesn't matter how much you prune, smooth and style them, if you've only got 12 hairs to work with you are never going to achieve that Christmas party mane perfection - without help.

And so began my quest to enhance what Mother Nature didn't give me at the Hershesons Blow Dry Bar in Topshop, Oxford Street. The bar has an assortment of phoney ponies, wigs and braids but I was there to try out the brand new, as yet unreleased Invisible Ponytail (available from tomorrow, 020 7927 7888, danielhersheson.com).

Made from super-secret Hersheson fibres that, unlike most synthetic pieces, can be heat-styled, the Invisible Pony comes in an assortment of 10 colours. It's £60 for a wash, blow-dry and fitting and you then have your little pony to take home and care for.

It's very easy to do. Simply tie back your own hair, slide the grip into the top, enfold your real pony in the Velcroed faux one and then disguise the join with the handy curly hair tab.

With no bulky crocodile clip, it does look very realistic, if improbably long. Initially I felt as if I screamed "hairpiece" but then the men in the office proclaimed that they wouldn't know it from the real thing and the women oohed and aahed and I felt like a shiny, happy thing.

Next up was the lovely Daniel Galvin salon on George Street for the Current Bun - one of the hairpieces in the new Lino Carbosiero for Annabelle's Hair Couture collection (020 7486 9661, danielgalvin.com).

I had Lino himself styling my hair and let me tell you, half an hour having a cup of tea and a chinwag with that silver-tongued charmer is £100 well spent.

The bun comes in 10 different shades but if you can't find a match they will custom-make you one. Easy as pie to pop in, you simply tie your hair up and cover it with the hairpiece which you secure with little slides and a drawstring.

Feeling fabulously Holly Golightly, I skipped out of the salon and immediately feared that I looked a bit of a berk. Beautifully elegant and perfect for a sophisticated soirée, the bun does seem a tad over the top on the Jubilee line.

Finally, nothing says "I am clearly cooler than you" quite like a blunt fringe. And that is because the bravery involved in cutting your hair knowing full well you run the risk of looking like a small, unpopular child is unparalleled.

And so to Urban Retreat at Harrods to be fitted for a clip-in fringe courtesy of Vicki Ullah. You can get a fibre one for £29 or a human hair one for £89, the benefit of the latter being that if you have colour treated hair, you can dye your winge (wig fringe) to match your own colour (add £30 for a blow-dry. 020 7893 8333, urbanretreat.co.uk/vickiullah.com).

Vicki will fit and style your wig for free or you can have a heavenly wash, blow- dry and fitting in the main salon.

Again, very simple to fit - you backcomb a section of hair at the crown of your head, clip in your little friend and become instantly intimidating.

Did it suit me? I'm unconvinced but I was genuinely surprised at how realistic it looked.
So there you have it: no longer the preserve of wannabe wags and sad bridesmaids, hairpieces are not only acceptable this party season but essential if you want all the style and none of the arm-ache of a catwalk-ready hairdo.

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