Beauty Director Joanna McGarry tries the regal up-do trend, as seen at Jil Sander s/s 12.

I’ll come out and say it: I love an up-do. I find myself poring over their architecture when presented with one in public, imagining the wearer devotedly assembling it in front of the mirror, The Ronettes playing in the background. But let’s be honest, they’re not suited to all. They’ll either become your armour (think Patsy Stone in Ab Fab) or will make you feel as selfconscious as forgetting to put on a bra.

Inherently feminine, the classic up-do takes on a more regal stance this season. Call it the Royal Wedding effect, or a continuation of beauty’s current obsession with all things ladylike, but a large chunk of the catwalk (thank you Jil Sander, Fendi and Marni) demonstrated a rejection of that tousled, boho bed-hair that has prevailed for so long in favour of the elegance and polish of the twisted and folded up-do.

To construct your own piece of hair architecture, curl random sections and pile it high to add an exclamation mark to cheekbones or collect and wrap into two thick rolls at the opposing sides at the back of the head, to soften a less-than-taut jaw line. I felt a bit princessy and in dire need of a string of pearls, which would of course, be going too far. But, coupled with the modern minimalism of a Jil Sander-inspired outfit, balance is restored.

Trend on trial: The regal up-do