The holidays are coming, which means events and parties are on their way too. Always consider your whole outfit before deciding on a look for your hair. A severe hairdo with a flouncy dress, or luxurious curls and a tight-fitting cocktail dress can clash. All the stars you see on the red carpet have planned out their look (though admittedly, sometimes not so well).

If you can’t go to a hairdresser before a big event, keep things simple. A chignon is an easy look to achieve, but keep in mind that it has a tendency to exaggerate your bone structure. If your face is wide, or long and thin, hair pulled back severely can be unflattering. To soften a long face, try sweeping some bangs across your forehead, or pull out some pieces on the side and curl or wave them. To slim a wide face, create some height on top, or pull down pieces from the back and let them trickle down your neck.

Another great look for people with longer faces is to pull your hair loosely to one side and gather into a loose bun, leaving some hair out that you can curl. Just make sure to pull some hair out on the other side too to frame your face.

To add to these looks, weave some bright accents through the bun or chignon: ribbons with colors that complement your outfit, fake strands of pearls, or small pieces of fabric in gold chiffon or taffeta.

If your hair is short, make it big! Don a headband in a festive color -- emerald green with a red dress, metallic gold with a black dress -- then curl and fluff the hair in back of it. Then be prepared to turn heads.

Thanks to Mika Fowler, styling director at Gavert Atelier, for help with this column.