by Ginger Adams Otis

Statuesque stunner Marcia Cross rarely lets her hair down while playing the role of buttoned-up and recently widowed Bree Van De Kamp in Desperate Housewives. But fans who've watched her jump from an early start in soaps know that she adds flair to any style. With her deep auburn hair and porcelain skin, it's easy for Marcia to stand out in a crowd. That should come in handy for all her red carpet appearances - her work on Desperate Housewives has already earned her Golden Globe and Emmy nominations. We asked hair stylist Ann Minahan how to get this elegantly casual look

STEP 1 Prepare your hair according to its texture. Women with very curly or frizz-prone hair should wash it the night before and apply a leave-in conditioner. If you've got straight, fine or wavy hair, wash it the same day.

STEP 2 Blow-dry the hair to achieve maximum volume, bending over and brushing the hair forward with a vented brush, over the head while drying from the roots up. If you've got curly hair, this will also help straighten it out. Use a straightening iron if you want to add shine.

STEP 3 The key to this look is angle and direction. It favours women with shoulder-length hair that's cut with long layers angled away from the face, but if you haven't got that exact style, the look can still be achieved with a little extra work. Minahan suggests getting some old-fashioned hot rollers, medium or large depending on how well your hair holds curls (medium for straighter hair, larger for curly). Create two or three sections of hair on either side of the head, starting at the front and stopping at the ear.

STEP 4 Wrap the ends of the hair around the roller, being sure to wrap away from the face. Pin the roller when you've wrapped about half the hair length, probably at about the height of your ear. Let the rollers cool while you do your make-up.

STEP 5 Be sure the rollers have cooled down completely. Remove them carefully. Lightly spritz the curls with a holding spray. Run your fingers through your hair, separating the curls as you do, to get the feathered-back look that Marcia has. If you want more feathering, brush the hair with a vent brush and spritz with hair spray immediately after. If the curls are too tight, use the vent brush and a blow dryer, angling away from the face, to create Marcia's loose waves.

STEP 6 If more volume is required at the roots of the hair on top, flip your head upside down and apply some maximum strength hair spray to roots.