Call me crazy but it has always been my impression that sleek, straight hair is perceived as more professional, and more corporate powerful compared to cascading locks. Maybe it has something to do with all of those historical romance book covers which depict the busty heroine sporting miles and miles of waving curly hair.

Or more likely, the simple fact that straight hair requires less maintenance the curls: the perfect hairdo for a woman who would rather spend an extra hour prepping for that board presentation than in front of her dresser.

In the past I've opted to have my long hair professionally straightened at the salon. I'm sure there are certain disadvantages to this procedure, but I was very happy with the results.

However, for special occasions like weddings and cocktail parties, I always opt for a curly hairdo; it looks so sexy and luxurious. And, I've had the best results using a flat iron instead of a curling iron.

It’s pretty easy to curl with a flat iron, but there are a few considerations. First of all, you need a flat iron with rounded or curved edges; otherwise you would end up with dreadful-looking kinks. Second, your hair should be at least shoulder length, or longer. As for width, the most manageable are 1-inch plates because they allow you to get really close to the scalp. The wider your plates are, the looser your curls will be.

Here’s an easy guide to curling with a flat iron:

1. Make sure that your hair has been washed and conditioned, preferably the night before. Hair oils and product residue will just make your hair look icky. If you have just washed your hair, dry your hair well before using the flat iron; any dampness will just cook it, leaving you with split ends and damaged cuticles.


2. Comb your hair to take out any tangles and rub some heat protecting serum to prevent hair damage. Set the flat iron to the right heat setting depending on your natural hair texture. The coarser your hair is, the more heat you will need.


3. Part your hair in the middle and use hairdressing clips to hold back the rest of the hair out of the way—you will be doing small sections at a time.


4. Take a small section of your hair near the roots and clamp it into the flat iron. Take the loose end and wrap it once around the whole barrel. You should end up with loose end pointing perpendicularly down.


5. Use one hand to pull on the loose end while you glide the flat iron down the length of the clamped hair section. As the hair passes through, it will get curled, much like curling ribbon for gift wrapping.


6. To make your curls last longer, spray with hair finishing spray after each one is done.

It may take you a few one-inch hair sections before you get the hang of it, but in no time at all, you will be making these gorgeous bouncy curls with just a few flicks of the wrist. If you find that the curls are not as tight as you would like, just do smaller hair sections at a time.