Fascinator Hairstyles (Match the Style to the Mount, Then Make It Hold)

From the Merve Bayindir atelier in London: which hairstyle works with which kind of fascinator, how to pin it so it stays, and the order to do things in on the day.

The right hairstyle for a fascinator depends less on the fascinator's shape than on how it attaches. A piece on a headband wants hair worn down or half up, brushed over the band. A piece on a comb needs something to grip, which means an updo or a built anchor. A piece on an elastic suits short and fine hair, with the elastic hidden under the hair at the nape. Get the mount and the style matched and almost any fascinator will stay put all day. Get them mismatched and no amount of hairspray will save it.

Match the hairstyle to the mount

Headband mounts

The most forgiving. Wear hair down in waves, half up, or smoothed back, and brush the hair over each side of the band so only the headpiece shows. A headband also works with a low chignon, provided the band sits in front of the bun rather than on it. Our guide to fascinator headbands covers placement and comfort.

Comb mounts

A comb needs hair to grip, so it pairs with any style that gathers the hair: a low chignon, a French twist, a low or sleek bun. Build the anchor where the comb will go, then insert the comb with its teeth pointing towards the face, starting slightly further back and sliding it forward until it bites.

Elastic mounts

Best for short or fine hair and for smaller pieces. Lift the hair at the back, run the elastic behind the ears and under the hair along the base of the neck, then let the hair fall over it. Never wear the elastic under the chin. If the elastic shows against dark hair, colour it with a felt pen to match.

Combined mounts

Larger pieces, hatinators and half hats, often combine a wire headband with an elastic, or add a comb, or use several fixing points at the back. These are the most secure of all and suit almost any updo; with hair worn down they need the hair brushed over the band as with a headband.

The hairstyles, one by one

Low chignon

The default for a reason. It keeps the neck clear, gives a comb something solid to grip, and leaves the side of the head free for the headpiece. Sit the piece to one side above the chignon. If the piece sits front right, placing the chignon slightly to the back left counterbalances its weight.

French twist

Sit the piece slightly above and to the side of the twist, so the line of the twist leads the eye up to it.

Low or sleek bun

The best style for large or heavily detailed pieces, because it gives maximum grip and keeps nothing competing with the headpiece.

Half up

A twisted half-up section at the back is a natural anchor. Set the piece just above the twist or to one side of it, with the loose hair falling over a headband if that is the mount.

Hair down in waves

Works best with a headband or combined mount, and with finer, lighter pieces. Brush the waves over the band on both sides. Our guide to fascinators for long hair goes further into longer styles.

Sleek low ponytail

Keep the ponytail low and to one side, and set the piece on the opposite side of the head for balance.

Short crops and pixies

An elastic or slim headband, a smaller piece, and a clear angle. Our guide to fascinators for short hair covers proportion and fit.

How a milliner pins a fascinator

Security comes from anchoring, never from tension. The technique is simple and it works on every mount.

• Cross two grips. Push two hairgrips into the hair in an X where the piece will sit. Slide the comb or the elastic through the cross, and the piece locks against them.

• Spray the grips, not just the hair. A light mist on each grip before it goes in helps it hold.

• Build a base for a comb. Lightly tease a small section, or pin a small curl flat in an X, and push the comb through it.

• Use second-day hair. Hair washed that morning is slippery. A day's wear, or a little dry shampoo, gives far better grip.

• Do not pull tight. A tight updo held for hours causes a traction headache, the pain that comes from hair pulled steadily in one direction. Grip should come from the anchor, not the tightness of the style.

Security comes from anchoring, never from tension. If the style has to be tight to hold the piece, the anchor is in the wrong place.

The order of work on the day

• Try the piece on first, before any styling, to find where it sits best and which side it wants.

• Take it to the hairdresser. A stylist who can see and handle the piece will build the style around its mount and weight.

• Build the anchor during styling, exactly where the piece will go.

• Put the piece in last, once the style is finished and set, and pin it through the anchor.

Which side to wear it on is a matter of convention rather than rule. Many people place it on the same side as their parting; others on the opposite side. Our note on which side to wear a fascinator and our guide to wearing a fascinator cover the basics that sit underneath all of this.

Six pieces, one for each mount

Each is hand-made in our London atelier and shows a different way of attaching. Prices include UK VAT.

ZADIE FASCINATOR

£1,100

A white button fascinator in lustrous sateen on a smooth round base layered with abstract elastic embroidery, with a sateen rosebud at the centre framed by swirled sateen leaves. It sits on a band and is set towards the crown or slightly to one side. Made for a low chignon or soft updo, and one of the most versatile bridal and guest pieces we make.

VOGUE FASCINATOR

£1,000

A dramatic black silk abaca fascinator mounted on a discreet headband, anchored by an oversized sculpted black flower with rooster feather accents and gold-coloured beadwork at its heart. The discreet headband means it works with hair pulled cleanly back or in a low chignon, keeping the line of the band undisturbed. For black tie, evening events and high-fashion weddings.

NOÉMIE FASCINATOR

£1,330

A fuchsia pink saucer on a small sateen base with a full, three-dimensional bouquet of fuchsia sateen peonies and green sateen leaves. Worn tilted forward or to one side on a discreet headband so the peonies sit high and frame the face. With hair swept back or in a low knot it is at its best.

ICY GRACE FASCINATOR

£900

An icy blue tall fascinator on a sculptural A-grade sinamay base that curves upward in shell-like waves, set with metallic resin flowers in the same palette. It is fitted with a wire headband and an elastic, the combined mount that suits almost any updo and holds a tall piece steady.

GOZO FASCINATOR

£2,200

A hot pink fascinator on a large oval sinamay base with a textured surface, carrying a full run of custom silk organza violets in purple, orange, yellow and blue with silk green leaves down one side. It is fitted with a wire headband, a comb and an elastic, the most secure mount there is, which is why a piece of this size will stay through a long day outdoors.

ANUNIT HALF HAT

£1,455

A half-dome bridal hat embroidered all over with beads and organza flowers. Three fixing points towards the back hold it securely and comfortably on the head, and a tulle veil can be added on request. Set it towards the back of the crown with the hair in a low chignon or soft vintage waves.

At a glance

How our mounts are made

The mount is part of the design, not an afterthought, and every piece is finished in our London atelier with its mount chosen for its weight and shape. A light piece goes on a discreet band. A tall or wide piece gets a wire headband shaped to the head, with an elastic behind to stop it rocking. The largest pieces get a comb as well, sewn to the underside so its teeth face forward. Half hats are held by fixing points placed where the hair can take them. Merve Bayindir is a member of the British Fashion Council, with pieces selected for the Royal Ascot Style Guide. Every order arrives in a custom box, with worldwide DHL Express shipping included.

Frequently asked questions

What hairstyle goes with a fascinator?

It depends on the mount. A headband piece suits hair down, waves or half up. A comb needs an updo such as a low chignon, French twist or bun. An elastic suits short or fine hair.

Can you wear a fascinator with your hair down?

Yes, if it is on a headband or a combined headband and elastic mount. Brush the hair over the band on both sides so only the headpiece shows.

Do you put the fascinator on before or after doing your hair?

Try it on before, to fix where it sits. Build the anchor while styling. Put the piece in last, once the style is set.

How do you hide the elastic on a fascinator?

Lift the hair at the back, run the elastic behind the ears and along the base of the neck under the hair, then let the hair fall over it. Never wear it under the chin.

How do you secure a fascinator with hairgrips?

Cross two grips in an X where the piece will sit and slide the comb or elastic through the cross. Spray each grip lightly before it goes in, and use second-day hair for better grip.

Find a fascinator for your hairstyle

Every piece above is hand-made in our London atelier. Browse our full range of fascinators and hatinators for more mounts and sizes, or our bridal headwear if the hairstyle is for a wedding of your own. When the date is close, our ready to ship pieces dispatch the next working day. The best fascinator hairstyles start from the mount, not the mirror.