Whimsical updos dominated the Oscar red carpet and complemented the necks and shoulders of the many starlets who donned asymmetrical or strapless gowns. We enlisted the help of celebrity hairstylist Eugene Smith from the Ted Gibson Salon in New York to give us pro tips on recreating Mo'Nique's classic chignon style accented, which was accented with a lovely gardenia.


Mo'Nique put a lot of thought into her Oscar look, which played tribute to an actress she feels paved the way for her to be honored by the Academy of Arts last night.

The reason why I have on this royal blue dress is because it's the color that Hattie McDaniel wore in 1940 when she accepted her Oscar. The reason why I have this gardenia in my hair -- it is the flower that Hattie McDaniel wore when she accepted her Oscar. So for you, Miss Hattie McDaniel, I feel you all over me," said Mo'Nique, of McDaniel, the first African-American to be nominated and win an Oscar for her role as Mammy in 1939's Gone With the Wind.
THE LOOK
"A lots of starlets opted for a hairstyle that was off their face," said Smith, who has worked with stars like Naomi Campbell and White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers. "Some chose sleek chignons like Mo'nique and others went for looks with a little texture."

A chic bun or updo is a great style for any hair type and the secrete to giving this look staying power is to texturize the length of your strands with holding spray before gathering it into a ponytail and twisting the hair into bun.

"Pulling the hair back has to be one of the best ways to show off a beautiful face, and let's not forget the multi-million dollar jewels in their ears," Smith said. "Hair that is pinned up is less fussy. Many of the gowns we saw [Sunday night] had amazing embellishments and asymmetrical details that these Hollywood heavy hitters want to show off."

WHAT YOU NEED
Curling iron
Pomade
Mason Pearson brush
Bobby pins
Medium hold or working hairspray
Finishing hairspray

RECREATE THE LOOK
"To get Mo'Nigue's 'do, start with a clean sleek ponytail. The hair must be blown out and/or flat-ironed straight to ensure a sleek look," Smith said. "Once you have a nice tight secure ponytail, apply pomade or hairspray to the strands and smooth them out using a Mason Pearson brush."

Next, Smith suggests using a large barrel curling iron to curl hair in 1/4 part sections. This will help you when sculpting the hair back.

"After curling your strands, divide the hair into sections and loop the hair around your fingers to secure with bobby pins," he said. The key is to loop the hair in different directions and be sure the hair is well secured with pins.

Finally give your finished look a final coat of hairspray. You can choose any type of flower that complements your dress and the occasion. Smith, suggests selecting a flower size that is proportionate to the size of your chignon.