When it comes to sporting a fashionable hairstyle on the beach, this year it's all about an airy, natural look that seems to owe more to the effects of sea breezes and salt spray than it does to the hair salon. So get ready to be blown away with some windswept curls because this season's styles give a new meaning to the term "catching a wave"! 

For long hairstyles, the ultimate beach look this year is womanly and super soft. It’s all about creating relaxed waves that frame your face and loose, softly falling curls gracing your shoulders. Subtle highlights and ringlet tips will definitely help you channel your inner sea nymph as you stroll along the beach at sunset. For a more quirky, mysterious alternative, work your tresses into loosely interlacing braids to create a more dramatic, windswept look. Simply slip on a loose beach tunic and you will nail the natural hippy-chic look in no time.

In terms of fashion-savvy hairdos, there's surely no better way of expressing the sheer carefree joy of golden sands and blue seas than with an oh-so-casual messy ponytail. Ok, this style might be more Gucci than beachy when it comes to getting it right but a pronounced curve to the shape of the ponytail will give that extra feeling of bouncy-high spirits.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with rough and smooth textures, plaits and braids. Paired with a flouncy swimsuit, this can be a great basis for a youthful, girly look, or it can be taken down a boho route by simply adding some fringes and beads. Other popular alternatives you're sure to see on holiday this year are the chunky fishtail and the messy bun with some French plaits.

The must-have medium-length hairstyle on the beach this summer is the wavy bob with broken, choppy curls and layers. Some artful thinning will reduce the bulk of the bob to ensure that it's lightweight and breezy. Bangs can be swept off the face or worn down for a more sensual, seductive look. Either way, the style encapsulates the back-to-nature, beachcomber look that is at the heart of this season's hairstyle trends. Pair it with a mix and match triangle bikini top and bottoms for a head-to-toe style that will make even the most diehard city girl look totally at home splashing about on the seashore.

In terms of short hairstyles, the most fashionable look to opt for as you bask beside the sea has to be a breezy, outdoorsy take on the pixie cut.

Your hair should be worn swept up and away from your face, drawing attention to those glossy curls.  With variations ranging from slightly distressed to all-out bedheads, this versatile look can be very feminine and romantic as well as cute and nonchalant. Don’t be scared to play up the edginess of your dishevelled crop top with a strappy harness-style swimsuit. For a more chic look, pair it with a high-waisted Riviera-style bikini.