Sure, we can all relate to Hannah Horvath, played by Girls creator Lena Dunham, but secretly we all kind of wish we had a little bit more Jessa Johansson in us. Jessa, who’s played amazingly by actress Jemima Kirke on the HBO cult status show, is kind of like a hybrid of Samantha Jones from Sex & the City and Kate Hudson’s groupie character from Almost Famous. She seems to go wherever her curiosity takes her without being held back by the worries and fears that make most of us second-guess ourselves. And the whole time she’s doing it, she looks effortlessly cool. Jessa somehow manages to look like she’s stepped out of a vintage photograph from Woodstock and yet gives off the vibe that she’s already set the trend that everyone will be talking about tomorrow. Maybe we all can’t be as carry-free as Jessa, but we can all learn from her footloose-and-fancy-free style. Here are 5 ways to copy Jessa Johansson’s Hair & Makeup.
1. Embrace The Topknot
Although Jessa gives off a retro ’60s edge, she still manages to be on top of the latest hair and makeup trends yet makes them look like blasts from the past. Take, for example, how she often ties her hair in a topknot and rocks oxblood lipstick. The thing with Jessa is that she wears the latest looks with the kind of confidence that suggests she was rocking them long before they ever became fashionable. In fact, you could easily assume that she’s the reason the whole trend started in the first place. Find out how to get the perfect topknot in the Winter 2013 issue of Real Style Magazine.
2. Take A Break From Plucking
Part of what gives Jessa her retro vibe are her somewhat unkept eyebrows. Nothing says, “I’ve been riding on a tour bus with a band I just met for the last three months” quite like brows that seem a bit disheveled. We suggest plucking in between your two brows to avoid the whole unibrow thing, but skip your next appointment for a full-on eyebrow shaping and opt for a more natural look instead.
3. Don’t Reach For The Hair Straightener
If there’s one thing that you’ll truly benefit from when adopting Jessa’s style, it’s giving your over-styled hair a much needed break. Instead of smoothing out natural waves in your hair with heat, just let your hair dry naturally and spritz with a salt water spray to give it a beachy texture once it’s dry. If your hair is quite curly, we suggest braiding it when it’s damp before bed and letting it dry in the braid over night. In the morning, shake it out with your fingers for a super boho-inspired look and smooth fly-aways with a hair oil.
4. Embrace A Vintage Hat
A girl who can make a hat a signature part of her style is a rock star indeed. Take your time finding a hat that suits the shape of your head and face, but look for one that looks like, if it could talk, it would have amazingly entertaining stories of a life well-lived. It should look like a cowboy hat your grandpa once gave you or an over-sized hat that a French model wore in the ’60s while partying with Mick Jagger. When interviewed about Jessa’s style, Girls costume designer Jenn Rogien, who has also worked on shows like Lipstick Jungle and The Good Wife, told Glamour Magazine, “In my dream world, again, Jessa doesn’t really shop, she collects things in her travels – from flea markets, street fairs, foreign vintage stores, the whole world. In reality I shop her all over NYC: Geminola, NY Vintage and Amarcord are some of my go-to vintage resources and then I mix in a piece from Pearl River, a piece from Zara, a couture designer piece from Century 21, jewelry from the Brooklyn Flea or 21 Tara in Brooklyn and it all comes together.” Take that idea and apply it to finding a hat.
5. Every Once In A While, Totally Change It Up
Jessa Johansson keeps her makeup minimal most days, but she doesn’t shy away from the opportunity to get glammed up once in a while. Just because bold eyeliner isn’t your everyday style, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t rock killer smoky eyes on a random Tuesday just for the fun of it. Jessa doesn’t look at makeup as something she has to do before she goes outside. Instead, she sees it as a fun way to express herself, and that’s something everyone needs to remember.
Tags: Copy Jessa's Hair & Makeup From Girls, Girls, HBO, Jessa Johansson, Jessa Johansson Hair Makeup, Jmima Kirke