Sienna Miller’s Soft S-Bend Hair Is Autumn’s Wearable, Undone Wave
Sienna Miller’s relaxed bends in War offer an easy alternative to polished curls, with simple tool techniques for long and short hair.
Sienna Miller’s hair in War makes a case for bends that look almost accidental. The texture sits between straight and wavy: a few soft kinks through the lengths, some sections left smooth, and ends that don’t curl into a uniform shape. It’s an appealing autumn option for anyone who wants movement without the finish of a carefully set wave.
Miller’s familiar Scandi-blonde colour and tousled styling have long made her a hair reference point. Her latest appearance on screen has brought that relaxed texture into focus. She stars alongside Dominic West in the divorce drama War, where the hair looks lived-in rather than freshly curled. The show’s wardrobe has also drawn attention, with pieces available to rent via Hurr, but the styling detail that feels easiest to adapt is the hair.
The distinction matters: this isn’t the defined pattern of beachy waves, the regular ripples of a mermaid wave, or the repeated shape a waving wand can create. Miller’s look has bends at irregular intervals, with straight stretches between them. That variation keeps the result soft and casual, and makes it less dependent on perfect sectioning.
Keep the shape loose
Start with completely dry hair and apply heat protection before using hot tools. The aim is to add a little shape, not to set every strand into a finished pattern. Work with sections of different sizes, leave some untouched, and vary where each bend begins. For curly or coily hair, the source recommends straightening the natural texture first; naturally straight or slightly wavy hair can move directly to shaping.
Restraint is the useful styling principle here. A tool pressed across every section from roots to ends will create a more consistent, styled wave. The softer result comes from placing bends selectively, allowing smooth areas and straighter ends to remain part of the finished look.
For longer hair: Ghd Wave Triple Barrel Waver
Ghd’s Wave Triple Barrel Waver has three large barrels, which can make a looser, more stretched-out bend than smaller crimping tools. On longer hair, it offers a quick way to introduce movement, provided you resist treating it like a tool for creating an even wave.
Take fairly large, irregular sections and briefly press the waver into the mid-lengths. Shift its position from section to section, skip some lengths entirely, and avoid running the pattern down to every end. For an even less uniform effect, press at only one or two points along a section rather than working continuously through it. Give the hair time to cool, then loosen the shape with your fingers. Brushing it into a smooth, blended wave can remove the varied texture that gives this style its ease.
For shorter hair: set individual S-bends
A straightener gives shorter hair more control over the placement of each bend. Take a small-to-medium section and use your fingers to shape it into an S. Briefly press the straightener over the first curve, then form a bend in the opposite direction farther down the section and press again. The iron acts as a clamp to set separate kinks; it isn’t meant to glide from root to tip as it would during a smoothing pass.
Focus on a handful of pieces around the face and through the top layers. Change the height and direction as you work, and leave the ends straighter. There’s no need to repeat the process across every section: a few changes in texture can give short hair the same undone impression without making it look tightly curled.
Finish with texture, not extra curl
The last step is adding separation and a little grit. Larry King Haircare Ride Or Die Texture Spray is described as giving volume and definition without the look of a big, bouncy blow-dry. Used after styling, it can also soften the impression of freshly made bends so they don’t read as too neat.
Wait until the hair has cooled completely, then lightly mist the mid-lengths and ends. Scrunch, shake and separate the bends with your hands. Keep the spray focused on those areas and use a light touch: the texture should support the loose shape, not weigh it down or turn the finish into a deliberately tousled style.
The most wearable part of Miller’s look is its unevenness. Choose a waver for longer hair or use a straightener to set a few S-bends on shorter lengths, then stop before every section matches. A little movement, some untouched hair and straighter ends are what keep the finish relaxed.
Images: Sky; courtesy of brands
