Most days, I wear my hair in its natural state; loose and wavy and knotty. I might have dragged a hairbrush through it. I might not. Recently, I've started to mix things up a bit and taken to wearing it in a low plait à la art teacher to keep it out of my face (the risk of hair balls is very real). On the can't-be-bothered-to-wash-it days, a slicked-back, high ponytail does the trick. I might even chuck in a scrunchy if I'm feeling fancy. In summary: I am not a hair person. Don't get me wrong, I am beauty obsessed but – confession – hair products are my least favourite part of the beauty world. And I'm lazy.
Like the rest of the country (has it gone global yet?), Love Island has stolen my social life over the last six weeks. You could say, though, that it's given me something far more valuable in return. No, not just an unexpected crush on a boy who wears white ripped jeans (criminal but it's Chris, so it's okay); not even the discovery of my kind-of name twin (Kem, duh). Nope. What Love Island has contributed to my life is a whole load of hair inspo in the form of the always perfectly coiffed Gabby Allen.
A poolside chat? Gabby's rocking an undone bun. A fire-pit crowd around? Say hello to a zig-zag parting. And let's not forget the secondary school-style pulled-out hair strands.
This here slideshow is an appreciation of her hair handiwork because, well, she deserves it and we should all be taking a leaf out of Gabby's hair book.
This should absolutely not work. The oh-so-straight '90s strands at the front, the centre parting, the 'tuck' buns (technical name) – it has disaster written all over it. Yet Gabby pulls it off.
Forget the piña colada, that velcro catch ball game and the unsightly burn lines, this 'do screams beach and is probably Gabby's most demure look to date. Flowers are so obvious though , so opt for these Accessorize butterfly clips instead, if you're brave enough.
Classic Princess Leia, messy and tousled, slick and low, space buns... I've never seen a bun game quite like Gabby's. Get these ASOS mini bun holders, £6 in your life ASAP to help recreate her many iterations.
Why wear one hairstyle when you can wear two? French braids into tuck buns: for the days when a full French braid is just too much for your arms to bear.
If you'd have asked me six weeks ago what I thought of bunches on grown women, my answer would have been this: abhorrent. Absolutely not. I stand corrected. Bunches will henceforth always be associated with Gabby Dawn Allen. Sorry, Baby Spice.
Zig-zag parting, where have you been for 14 years? Never in my life have I appreciated a hairstyle more. 13-year-old me is thrilled; 26-year-old me might just try it. Might. If you feel the same, get yourself a tail comb. Or, for the very serious zig-zaggers out there, treat yourself to this crazy contraption.
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