It’s a great time of year to be a maximalist hair and makeup lover. From the extreme weather to the abundance of sparkle, the holidays always feel like an occasion to embrace a more-is-more type of aesthetic. So of course when Kerry Washington switched up her long, sleek Governors Awards hairstyle to fluffy disco curls within about 24 hours, it felt so apropos.
Washington, who just embarked on a press tour for The Six Triple Eight, an upcoming Tyler Perry drama in which she stars as the captain of an all-female, predominantly Black army unit, kicked off her series of stops with the voluminous style created by her glam team mainstay, Takisha Sturdivant-Drew. The new hair made its debut for a screening in Atlanta on Nov.18th and then continued its tour with a Washington D.C. premiere at Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, where the Scandal star paired a shorter version with burgundy lips and eyelids.
Of course, the texture is nothing new for Washington, who is a big fan of showcasing her natural curls. But to achieve this pumped-up version, Sturdivant-Drew added in her own TSD hair extensions for extra length and fullness. And for next-level softness and shine, the stylist prepped the Emmy-winning actor’s curls with SheaMoisture products.
The fact that Washington changed up her style so dramatically in just a day is not so surprising. She’s proven to be quite the chameleon when it comes to her hair and makeup. For example, just before her Cher-inspired hair from earlier this week, the fan of protective styles headed to her Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance wearing waist-length double braids. And looking back on her beauty evolution, there are few hairstyles she’s yet to try — which is why she’s always one to watch on the red carpet.
That said, Washington’s ultra glam disco curls might not be sticking around for long, but in the meantime it makes for the ultimate inspiration for your upcoming holiday hairstyle. You can lean into the disco inspiration by adding on some glitter eye makeup or keep it simple with a monochromatic look (one of her signatures). The options are endless.
