Most of us tend to keep to the same hairstyle every day. We find a style we like and we stick with it, especially for work. You might scrape it back into a ponytail for practical reasons and to keep it out of your eyes, or you might simply wash it and let it dry naturally, adding no more than a blast of hairspray to keep it in place the next day.

When it comes to going out it's nice to make more of an effort and do something a little different. It's natural to want to spend longer on your hair when you have more time to do so; thus getting ready to go out on the town at the weekend is easier than getting up and getting ready before rushing out the door for work.

But what about preparing for those Christmas parties?

On this occasion you will probably have a nice party dress to wear - something really memorable and out of the ordinary; so you'll want to do more than just blow dry your hair and finish it off in your normal style.

The key to creating a successful party hairstyle is to experiment beforehand. Don't leave it until the night itself to try and decide what you want to do. You might have a specific style in mind but unless you try it for yourself you won't know what the finished result will actually look like. The other crucial factor is how long it will actually take you to achieve the look you want.

Quite often the best hairstyles are the simplest ones. Using a set of hair straighteners to make your hair perfectly straight can be the best style of all. Coupled with an elegant dress and accessories you will certainly turn heads when you arrive. Make sure you allow plenty of time to do it properly, and separate each strand of hair to straighten individually. The key to achieving this look is to do the layers underneath first, and then work your way outwards.

Try using a misting spray before using the straighteners; some ranges of hair products have these and they can make the job easier, as well as holding your hair in place and preventing it from becoming wavy.

Many people tend to overdo it when looking for ideas to make an entrance at their Christmas parties. Just as you don't have to wear an outrageous dress to attract attention, you don't need to select an unusual or extravagant hairstyle either. Straightened hair not only looks classically good, it also lasts the whole evening - especially when you use hair products to hold those locks in place.

After all, you don't want to be worrying about your hair when you are partying the night away by the Christmas tree.