We’re not talking a messy bun or a subtle pleat. Instead, the hairstyle that’s been ruling the red carpet this year is a full-curl, side-swept chignon – the exact same worn by Julie Roberts in Pretty Woman (though reports that her elbow length opera gloves will be the next big thing are yet to be confirmed).

J-Lo was the first to revive the style at a Guess party in February. The glamorous look was created for her by stylist Chris Appleton – AKA the man responsible for kick-starting every trend from waist-length extensions to hair piercing. Ashley Graham quickly followed suit a week later at the amfAR gala.

But it was Rita Ora’s cute, slightly undone version at the BRIT’s that cemented it as our new style crush.

Stylist spoke to the man who created Rita’s look, Dyson Supersonic Stylist, Brett Lawler who told us the trick to getting the curls right is all in the eighties favourite: the diffuser. 

‘After towel drying , I applied a very small amount of leave-in conditioner and, using a wide tooth comb, evenly distributed it through from mid-lengths to her ends. Then using the Dyson Supersonic with the diffuser attachment, I gently dried the hair in medium sections working from the back of the head to the front and side to side to softly enhance her natural curl.’ 

And once the curls were ready?

‘We pulled her hair up high on the crown and tied with an elastic to make a small knot, leaving the natural loose ends to fall out. We also left some hair out around the hairline to frame the face.’ 

We’re off to dig out our diffusers right now…

Images: REX Features/Dyson