The Chop: Shelly Horton gets a major pre-wedding hair transformation.

Shelly Horton’s glossy red hair is the envy of the office — although she’s certainly not shy about sharing how much work it takes to keep it that way.

With her wedding in Mexico just a few months away, and humidity-proof hairstyles very much on her mind, the Mamamia TV host decided now was the right time for a major chop.

RELATED: The Chop: “Will I look too mumsie? Is that the end of TV for me?”

Fabulous and flapper was what Horton told her hairdresser Natalie at Our Place Salon, taking her inspiration from The Great Gatsby. The result? Her shoulder-length lob replaced by a stylish 1920s bob cut that even Baz would want to see on screen.

We got the lowdown from Shelly and Natalie about how the look was achieved, as well as delving deep into the Shelly Horton Hair Files. It’s a good one, promise. (Post continues after gallery.)

 Shelly

What made you decide to make a big change?

I’m getting married in Mexico in October and I wanted a style that was curled and up off my neck as it’s going to be hot. My hairdresser suggested curling it up and bobypinning it to look shorter and I thought why not just cut it short. My hair grows really quickly so I figured five months out this was the time to take the plunge and give the shorter style a go.

RELATED: The Chop: The one where Paula Joye gets the Sienna Miller bob

Have you had any major life change lately that influenced your decision to get your haircut?

It was all about the wedding – consider it a pre-emptive strike on a major life change.

What sorts of things were you looking at to get inspiration for your hair transformation?

1920s – Great Gatsby finger waves

Who is your hair muse?

Julianne Moore and Emma Stone – they both look good with any shade of red.

How did you describe what you wanted to Natalie?

Well Natalie is my favourite hairdresser ever so I trust her. My hair is 95% grey so she has to cover that with a fab Goldwell red colour (Goldwell do the best reds).

Watch a timelapse of Shelly's chop here. (Post continues after video.)

Natalie

How long did this transformation take?

This transformation took about 3 hours.

What is it about this new style that’s exciting for you?

I really enjoy seeing Shelly's signature colour with a fabulous blunt cut. This is a little shorter than usual as we are trying out the length for wedding hair!!

RELATED: I did my own makeup on my wedding day, and I survived

What sort of inspiration did you have in mind while you were doing Shelly's hair?

I find my clients inspiring and Shelly always had great ideas and is up for regular changes. The thoughts of how Shelly would like to wear her hair for her wedding was a big part of the inspiration and it's also a great way to show how this length is actually very versatile even though it seems pretty short.

What did the transformation involve?

For this transformation I applied Shelly's colour from roots to ends which was then left to develop for 45mins. Once the colour had been washed off I cut Shelly's hair into a one length bog using a cutting technique where I cut the hair through the comb rather than holding it with my fingers. This gives a perfect bob shape. I then blow dried Shelly's hair smooth before putting some waves all through the hair for a textured finish.

How many inches of hair did you cut off?

We cut about 2 inches of hair off.

Did you do anything else special we need to know about?

I used KMS styling products to give the desired finish and to ensure Shelly's hair was protected from the heat styling during the finishing process.

Check out the latest celebrity hair transformations...

 Did you change your hair before your wedding?