Stories Feature
SYLVANIAN FAMILIES: GET THE LOOK

Welcome to the Sylvanian Salon.

By Emma Gleason

Do you feel an inexplicable aesthetic synergy with the fuzzy pelt of a toy sea otter? I do. There’s an inherent softness of the Sylvanian world that really appeals right now (no explanation needed), and its diverse array of flocked plastic denizens offers a wealth of ideas for what to do with your hair this winter.

TWO-TONE COLOUR

Fuzzy colour inspo, including from Walnut Squirrel (third), Chocolate Rabbit (fourth) and Midnight Cat (fifth).

Reds range from a strawberry blonde to a vibrant, classic ginger, while the Walnut Squirrels make a compelling case for why chunky streaks needn't be left in the early 2000s, with their angular chestnut brown lowlights against creamy blonde a refreshing antidote to subdued colouring favoured in recent years.

Two-tone dye jobs may be very Billie Eilish – or, depending on your vintage, Pip Edwards – but they're also very Chocolate Rabbit.

BLACK AND BRUNETTE

On the lower-contrast end of the spectrum, you’ll find the inky blacks of the Midnight Cats and the softer charcoal tones of the Mole Family, and browns are near universally rich and warm. Hues like these require nourishing with the likes of a Christophe Robin mask, with shades that include Ash Brown and Warm Chestnut.

BLONDES

Blonde shades (famously tricky) are the stuff colourists dream of, with Sylvanians boasting everything from warm caramel and honey shades to icy platinums or the creamy blonde of the Milk Rabbit family.

Once you've achieved the right tone, caring for blonde hair is an art in itself. Kevin Murphy's Blonde Angel is one of the best ways to prevent brassiness (and has a heavenly scent) while Davines' Heart of Glass and Oribe's Silverati lines are formulated for blonde and white/grey, respectively.

Chestnut Pony Vera and Silver Pony Giselle visit Pony the hairstylist at the Sylvanian salon.

COMBS & BRUSHES

Chestnut Pony Vera and Silver Pony Giselle boast long, thick, glossy ponytails (and they can usually be found frequenting the Sylvanian salon), but most enviable of all, perhaps, is the luxuriously hirsute Hedgehog Family, their thick manes far more strokeable than their real-world compatriots.

Given the maintenance required for hair like theirs, each comes clutching a comb or brush - we'd love to see them try Chunks' pick comb, or suitable pastel-hued Mason Pearson classics.

CURLS

Sylvanian curls generally have a soft appearance, with body rather than definition being the defining attribute; the Sheep and Toy Poodle clans go for a closer crop, while the Alpacas prefer a full-volume look.

To encourage something similar, try Evo's Total Recoil for soft, polished curls, or Christophe Robin's Luscious Curl Defining Cream for controlled shape and texture.

And if you got to your curls via the perm route (Sylvanians never judge synthesis) then the deeply nourishing Davines' NouNou shampoo and conditioner are formulated to maintain softness of chemically treated strands.

ACCESSORIES

They're folks that love accoutrements and knick-knacks, so naturally hair accessories are embraced across the board. Floral adornments are particularly popular – they'd love Lelet's hyacinth-adorned headband or Chunk's rosette clips.

The prevailing convention for scrunchies is to wear them off to one side (over the ear) for a bit of free-spirited whimsy. Bows both big and small are trending in the village of Sylvania too, and the vibe is captured perfectly with this oversized 100-percent-cotton floral bow by Lelet, and Chunks' preppier barrette.

HAIR CUTS

Fancy something more permanent? Cut wise, you could go for choppy, textured microbangs like the Friesian Cows rock (and, lately, Cara Delevingne).

But if you want to go a really simple route, to get at the very essence of Sylvanian aesthetics, why not buzz your hair down to a fuzzy number two, close your eyes and then mist your face with the transportive powers of rose water?

More cute things to collect:

More for you...