There are certain hairstyles that every woman wants to one day replicate, however no matter how much hair spray we use and hair grips are shoved into our scalp we will never be able to get that elusive look. From retro classics such as the bee hive and pin curls to modern back combing and elfin crops, the styles that seem so simple an easy to create are often the hardest to do. One of the most common problems that everyday women face when trying to tame their hair into these styles is the celebrity factor. Flip open any magazine and you will find dozens of pictures of actresses and singers apparently on a down day, sporting chic chignons that you know if you attempted would look like your everyday scraped back in a bun look. What the magazines do not show are the legions of stylists working to tame each follicle or the fact that the effortless style is actually left over from last night's award show, held firm with industrial hair spray. Some hair styles are simply not meant for mere mortals therefore we must find other classic styles to cheer us up when the fourteenth attempt at a bee hive ends up in your comb getting stuck in the matted mess.

One of the easiest ways to transform your look without having to invest in endless tins of hair spray is changing your parting. It may seem obvious and like something your mother would tell you to keep the peace when you wanted to dye your entire hair peroxide blond, but simply switching sides or to a centre parting can make a huge difference. Those with a rounded face look instantly slimmer with a side parting whist a centre parting frames the face and looks great with a blunt fringe.

Another easy style is the classic ponytail; forget your memories of school days being forced to scrape your hair into a skin stretching style and opt for a loose version for a chic look. Leave a couple of strands of hair out to soften the look, give it a spritz of Tigi Bed Head hairspray and you are good to go. Cannot decide between and up or down style? Why not do both, pin half of your hair up for an easy to manage style that will see you through from the day to night. If you find yourself crying in front of the mirror after another failed attempt at an intricate hair style, remember that sometimes simplicity is the key!