Best Celebrity Hairstyles: Summer 2013

If you’ve been wearing your hair in a ponytail all summer long, it’s time for a change. Not that there’s anything wrong with the pony -- we all love it! -- but why not celebrate hair’s incredible versatility? Here are four great looks from four of our favorite celebs. At least one of these is likely to work for you.

Rachel Bilson: Half Updo

Doing the red-carpet rounds during the summer heat wave for her new movie The To Do List)

She may play a geeky virgin in The To Do List, but Aubrey Plaza looked smart, polished and sexy at the Los Angeles opening of the flick. Like Bilson, she went short and strapless -- in a creamy-white Calvin Klein dress -- and skipped the jewelry. And she, too, showed off a hairstyle that was guaranteed not to wilt on even the steamiest night. Plaza’s tousled bob is modern with a slight edge.

Love it? Good news: This is a look that works on just about everyone and takes you everywhere, from the office to running Sunday errands. What it takes to pull off this choppy, longer version of the bob is, for starters, a good cut -- you want strategically placed long layers and uneven ends.  Apply a texturing spray or cream from roots to ends, blow-dry with a large round brush, and if you want more volume, wrap a few random sections around a large-barrel curling iron.

 Cate Blanchett: Deep and Sleek

The only thing brighter than the pop of paparazzi’s bulbs at the premiere of Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine was Cate Blanchett’s gleaming hair. Parted deeply on one side and pin straight)

At Comic Con in San Diego, Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence showed off a do that looked interesting from every angle: wispy bangs in the front, a braided updo in the back. To copy the braids -- whether or not you have bangs -- start with day-old hair and prep with a texturizing paste or cream. Divide your hair into four to six 1-inch sections at the crown and hairline, and hold with clips. Gather the rest into a ponytail; braid loosely and wrap into a bun. Next, braid the 1-inch sections. Wrap each section into the braided bun and pin. Let some strands escape -- they will, anyway! -- to keep the look just slightly messy. Finish with a generous mist of hairspray.