The Evolution Of Meg Ryan Karen Marie Shelton

Date: 7/28/06 - Original Publication Date: 3/21/2002

Introduction

Meg Ryan has great hair karma.  In the “reap what you sow” category Meg has a history of being independent and outspoken about her path to megawatt tousle.  Wisely picking her battles, Meg has confessed in media interviews that she speaks her mind about the characters she portrays in films.  

She also has very specific ideas about the way her hair should appear. (Photo of Meg Ryan Courtesty of Short Cuts Magazine - Copyright - All Rights Reserved).

In a past Harpers Bazaar interview (January 2001) Meg admitted that she tangled with her As The World Turns soap opera directors over hot rollers and her own belief that she had a need for “a good haircut”.  Determined to dump a frumpy do, Meg won her tress battles when she charmed her audience with a new edgy style, much to the chagrin of the producers.  Since As The World Turns was Meg's first big recurring acting role her determination to honor her character's look is admirable.

If first time actress Meg was vocalizing her tress needs in her very first acting gig, she has gotten more outspoken over the years.  Meg’s hairstyles have dramatically evolved and transformed over the past twenty years in concert with the movie roles she has portrayed and as a result of events in her private life. Scorpion Meg always remains true to herself and the looks that she feels are best for her.

From long lush blonde curls in Top Gun, When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless In Seattle to short flirty shaggy bobs in IQ, French Kiss and Addicted To Love, Meg has run the gamut of hairstyles and shades of blonde.  Her sleek You’ve Got Mail tousle emerged as a heavily layered, wavy highlighted bedhead, in her Proof of Life film.  Her choppy waves then morphed into a super sleek ironed look for her most recent Kate And Leopold romantic fantasy film.  One thing remains clear, Meg makes her desires known about her hair both on and off the screen.  (Photo of Meg Ryan Courtesty of Short Cuts Magazine - Copyright - All Rights Reserved).

 

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Great Hair Secrets:  Celebrity Stylists & Flattering Cuts

Although Meg has been coiffed by Frederic Fekkai and many of the best and brightest of the hair world, her secret hair weapon is celebrity stylist Sally Hershberger who shot to fame after creating the world famous “Meg Ryan shag”.  Sally is often beseiged by fans seeking Meg Magic for their own locks.  (Photo of Meg Ryan Courtesty of Short Cuts Magazine - Copyright - All Rights Reserved).

One of the many things that sets Meg’s hair apart from the celebrity pack is the fact that she always seems to have the perfect combination of cut and color for great texture and movement.  All of her styles have the uncanny knack of combining simplicity with sexy sophistication that showcases her beautiful eyes and flatters her pretty heart-shaped facial features.   

Meg has a wide forehead and high cheekbones that taper into a pointy chin.  Bobs, chops and shags that are just below the jaw line or longer with face-framing layers or lightly flipped ends are always most flattering for Meg or anyone with a classic heart shaped facial structure.  Although Meg wore long curls for Harry & Sally, Sleepless In Seattle and short curls in City of Angels, in her personal like she prefers a sleek, straighter look.

She traditionally avoids unflattering hairstyles that are too short, brushed off her face or have well defined side parts. These styles might add too much width to her forehead as well as call attention to her prominent chin.   Too many curls layered near her checks might also highlight her chin inappropriately.

Proof Of Life - Tousled, Textured, Choppy, Waves

Meg’s messy, yet chic, bedhead look for her role in Proof of Life was designed around a loose wavy look.  Meg’s layered bob style had angled pieces and layers around the face. It was created with slightly off center long piecey bangs and a tapered neckline to soften, frame and glam up her facial features.  

Meg’s “in-the-jungle” style can be adjusted to work with most facial shapes by adding or subtracting height or length as appropriate.  

It is a perfect style for fine to medium hair that is naturally wavy or slightly curly. (Photo of Meg Ryan Courtesty of Short Cuts Magazine - Copyright - All Rights Reserved).  

Steal Meg's Style

The foundation to Meg’s style is a great versatile cut that has well-designed layers to enhance natural waves and slight curls.   Great styling products, good hot tools and skillful fingers give the style volume and punch. 

Depending on the natural texture of your hair use a quarter-sized dollop of good styling balm, gel or mousse on partially dried hair to create volume and texture.  Working from the underneath of the hair use your fingers to lift, tease and tousle the hair as you blow dry.  Select small sections of hair, use your fingers to scrunch and apply heat.  Direct the air flow of the dryer from the ends of your hair towards the roots to maximize fullness. If you prefer, you can use a dryer with a finger diffuser to give even more tousle. For perfect ends use a small (3/8" to 1/2") barreled curling up to touch up the ends.  

Create a polished look with a defrisant serum and use styling paste on the ends to create a more shattered look.  Add a shine serum for sparkle or use a hair gel with built-in shimmer. Avoid using combs or brushes on the finished do to maintain absolute tousle. 

Kate And Leopold 

The lovely Meg made her latest movie debut as the female romantic lead in Kate And Leopold released in theaters on Christmas Day 2001. As always, Meg unveiled a newer version of her famous “Meg Ryan do” that has launched a thousand wannabe's around the world. Meg’s purposely disheveled Proof Of Life look was tweaked yet again so that it looked new and fresh as a very hot shattered razored precision style with a mixture of flattering longer layers.

Steal Meg's Style

Meg’s current Kate style was created using an open straight razor instead of the standard hairdressers' scissors. This look can range from smooth to choppy depending on the look your stylist is trying to achieve and the natural texture of your own hair.  This style is great for straight hair that is thin to medium in texture.  Hair that is slightly wavy or curly could be adapted to this style through the use of straightening balms or gels. 

Hairstylist Alan D’Angerio created Meg’s modern swingy Kate look by letting her hair air dry. After applying a molding hair mud, small sections of her hair were straightened with a flat iron.  Meg’s super straight tresses can be recreated at home by using a straightening tool like Conair’s Professional or Shiny Straight irons that offer shine along with straight sleekness. 

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