<a href="http://www.tiff08.ca/default.aspx" target="_blank">Toronto's International Film Festival</a> (affectionately known as TIFF for short) kicks off today, with George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey leading the star-studded guest list. (Other attendees include Penelope Cruz, Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, Colin Firth, Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Garner, Colin Farrell and Drew Barrymore. Yowza!)

TIFF parties are funny. I skipped them last year—possibly because the more I'm exposed to this stuff, the more I want to have a beer, at a pub, in my jeans—but back when I was a newly minted magazine editor, they were can't-miss events on my September social calendar. Basically, they remind me of lunching at <a href="http://www.frommers.com/destinations/losangeles/D40894.html" target="_blank">The Ivy</a>: you might as well be chopped liver because everybody's looking slightly past your shoulder to clock the celebs shuffling through enroute to the VIP area.

Of course, like most formal events, getting ready is the <em>real</em> fun part. Am I right? It's an excuse to play with your hair, try out new makeup, etc. And with that in mind—whether you're going to a TIFF party or not—I thought you'd enjoy this how-to video from <a href="http://world.ca/" target="_blank">worldSALON</a>'s Brian Phillips. (As you may know, <a href="http://beautyeditor.ca/2009/08/24/looking-for-a-new-colourist-torontos-worldsalon-rocked-my-world/" target="_blank">I'm a big fan of worldSALON and their colouring techniques</a>.) Here, Brian uses salt spray and a neat twisty technique to achieve a gorgeous updo, but if you did this, your hair would look equally stunning even if you left it down.

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