RAIN not only makes us miserable and gives us wet feet, it also wreaks havoc on our hair. Hairstylist George Northwood has plenty of experience in battling London's drizzle - sending clients such as Alexa Chung and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley off to red carpet events intact is no mean feat when the rain just won't stop falling - so with a gloomy forecast ahead, we asked him for his advice on avoiding that rain-induced halo of frizz.

"The best option is a slick up-do. A tousled or a romantic up-do will get frizzier and frizzier the wetter it gets, whereas a sleek style - particularly a tight pony - will survive it much better. You're better off not washing it, and instead adding plenty of product to weight down the hair and prevent it from lifting up into flyaways," he told us. "I'd begin with an oil such as Redken Diamond Oil or Kérastase Crème Oléo-Relax Slim, which seals the style, and then add an almost waterproof barrier with a gel or a hairspray. A style like the one I did forRosie Huntington-Whiteley at the British Fashion Awards recently stays put because it's packed with product."

And if you're normally reliant upon your straighteners, rainy days are the time to give them a miss.

"If you're wearing your hair down then you need to work with its natural texture - a damp atmosphere will return your hair to its natural state so there's no point spending ages blow-drying it. If you have curly hair then stick with curls," Northwood advised. "Even umbrellas aren't really enough in London - rather than being vertical rain the moisture kind of fills the air and gets to you anyway, so I'd recommend carrying a foldable mackintosh hood to completely cover it without flattening the hair. A close-fitting hat creates humidity, whereas the hood will completely protect it without damaging the style."

It might not look cool, but it's worth it.