Looking for a new way to twist your hair into shape? It’s time to break out those bobby pins! We’re here to share some swoon-worthy updos that are surprisingly easy to create. Find a new way to play up your style with these chic updos.
#1: Unstructured Messy Chignon
This is an unstructured, messy chignon. I love that she looks like she has loads of hair, but it is a long bob that barely touches her shoulders. This look was perfect for my client, that was off to a family wedding and wanted to look like she had made an effort without trying to outdo the bridesmaids!
#2: Formal Ballerina Bun with Face-Framing Strands
Go for a formal ballerina bun with face-framing strands. It can allow you to have quick updos, finished for any occasion. Creating a structured bun can be intimidating. However, with the right tools for this hairstyle, it can be a breezy walk in the park. The bungee elastics for optimum tension are my favorite tool for creating a structured bun. I also love securing buns with Frenchie’s Velvet Hairpins. These small yet powerful hairpins are coated with velvet to create maximum hold.
#3: Sleek Blonde Low-Styled Bun
A low-styled bun is a beautiful way to show off your highlights while creating quick, easy updos. I love a timeless bun. You can always showcase the style more by adding small detailed hair pins or decorations. If you have a fine or a thinner hair type, add hair extensions to create more volume in the bun. This style is ideal if you’re in a time pinch. You can achieve this look quickly, efficiently, and with speed.
#4: Wrapped Bun Low Updo
A wrapped bun low updo is elegant and great for any wedding party. It’s a great way to incorporate easy updo hairstyles for your bridal party. Most hair lengths work well with this hairstyle. You can have medium to long hair, and you’ll be able to achieve the desired results. Most hair types work well with this, too! If you have thicker hair, I recommend leaving more hair out around your face. This will ensure the bun doesn’t get too big or heavy.
#5: Straight and Sleek Wrapped Low Bun
A straight, sleek, wrapped low bun is perfect for the minimalist bride. Easy updos like this can be a timeless way to show off your veil or hairpiece. Finding a bridal hairstylist can also be part of the challenge. I suggest a no-fuss way of doing so on platforms like Instagram to be paired with the right person for you.
#6: Sleek Woven Bun for Long Hair
A sleek woven bun updo for long hair is a great way to incorporate cute easy updos into your formal attire. Secure your hair into a sleek ponytail, braid it, and twist it into a snappy bun. Secure with bobby pins and spray with a shine spray and firm hold hairspray. To finish off such easy updos for long hair, my favorite shine spray is Kevin Murphy’s Shimmer.Shine for extra glow.
#7: Classic Loose Bun on Brunette Hair
Try a classic loose bun if you have brunette hair and are looking for a casual updo. This is a great option for updo hairstyles for long hair as it has texture even though the look is effortless. Your stylist will need to use a product such as wax to add grit to your hair so it will stay in place. The Aquage Spray Wax is a wonderful product for these easy hair updos.
#8: Dimensional Bridesmaid Twisted Bun
Try a dimensional twisted bun for a quick and simple updo. These types of updos are ideal for wedding party members or bridesmaids. They’re super easy and painless to achieve and can get done in a fairly short amount of time. You first want to secure most of the hair back into a ponytail to achieve this look. It’s important to remember that the ponytail needs to be completely sleek. Softly twist the pony to create a spiral effect, then secure it in a bun with bobby pins. The key is to piece out the bun once it’s secure and use a volume powder for extra oomph. I love the big sexy hair and powder play for the best results.
#9: Twisted Up
The Textured French Roll is designed to be a modern take on the classic French Roll. This look is heavily textured to feel modern and chic while remaining as sophisticated as the original classic style. I always leave a few tendrils out around the face for softness. My favorite thing about this style is that it is wearable and can complement almost any outfit!
This is my #1 favorite style for a client who wants to look formal without looking too overdone. You may dress this style up or down, depending on your outfit and the occasion you are wearing it to. It’s ideal for somebody with shorter hair who may struggle to get it into an updo. I always incorporate a crescent hair-padding piece to finer hair to give the illusion of thickness. I recommend this style to wedding guests so they can have their hair styled up without looking like a bridesmaid.
#10: Easy Updo with Pearl Accessories
For an easy yet sophisticated updo, a low bun is a winner. You may like to leave a few loose strands around the face to frame and soften. A loose curl for these stands is flattering and feminine. Use a simple hair accessory to dress up your look.
#11: Classic Full Updo
A classic full updo will have you feeling timeless for your next formal event. Celebrities have seen and worn this super polished wrapped bun over the years. I always prep the hair with a workable hairspray. Then I apply a dime size amount of the tame wild between my palms, grab a brush, and gather it into a ponytail. I then split the pony into two sections, wrapping, smoothing, and pinning it into place.
#12: Elegant Braided Updo
This features a super charming and romantic simple updo. Super easy to do – create a thick loose braid starting from the side of your head down to the other side, let down some front pieces, and curl them for a flirty vibe, and you’re ready to strut!
#13: Braided Bun
This style is a bohemian braided updo hair style. The loveliest thing about this look is how much detail can be seen in the style due to the thickness and color of the hair, giving a sophisticated yet effortless finish.
Loosely wave your hair using a soft tong first, which will help shape your hair much easier. The essential products for achieving this look are texturizing powder for teasing to create a chunky braid with hold and a natural hold hairspray to finish. This style best suits medium to thick hair; the detail is much more visible on lighter hair. These hair up styles are perfect for a wedding or special occasion.
#14: High Bun
This curly updo is a real beauty! A great and effortless look for any red-carpet event!
#15: French Twist
Be a maiden with hair so fair wearing this dashing formal hairstyle. Best to keep hair away from your face as you tuck it up in a low hairdo partnered with flower decor.
#16: French Braid
Loose and messy updos are always beautiful, but when combined with a halo braid, you have reached perfection!
#17: Two-Toned Twists
A really simple yet sophisticated-looking updo is this twisted bun that works amazingly when you have highlights or an ombre with your hair. The twists give your colored hair dimension and interest without effort. Make simple updo hairstyles more glam by letting down a few face-framing pieces.
#18: Simple Airy-Textured Bun
A messy yet sleek and classy bun gives a flattering look for any occasion, whether a formal night or a day in the mall. Add texture to your hair by spraying sea salt or simply tousling it before doing this lovely low bun.
#19: Messy Bun
This look is a textured bun. The cutest thing about it would be the effortless look. It’s soft-looking, and I love that it can be dressed with a delicate hairpiece to suit any occasion. The thing with a bun is you can have them so many different ways, so my advice would be to get your stylist to play around, make the style lose, give it a sleeker polished look, and have less or no hair shaping around the front, or keep the hair out around the face. Also, you can add hair pieces to dress it up. A bun is simple, but have fun and make it your own.
I would be looking at the color of your hair. Dark colors will have less definition and texture than lighter hair colors. Most hair types will be able to do this style, but again, depending on length and thickness, you can achieve a similar look, but it will be different from what we have to work with what you have.
#20: Top Knot
Elegant and sophisticated – it’s a twist on a classic high bun. I love that it’s a little more undone and effortless. It’s a great look to complement a high neckline and showcase the delicate back details. This style is perfect for the client who wants to look like a modern-day princess with a fun-loving personality. It’s also a great look for a client who needs her style to last all day or will be in warm temperatures and wants her hair out of her face.
Sometimes clients think they need super long hair to achieve this look (or any updo), but that’s not true. I used Aquage products to achieve this look. She started with a detailing crème and curled her hair with a 1.5″ marcel. I then used a wide tooth comb to separate the curls gently, then took a section of hair from the crown of her head and put it in a ponytail. I teased it and rolled it up to create a bun (instead of using a hair donut). Finally, I began to pin the curls up around the bun. I always use a working hairspray throughout the process, then a finishing hairspray and spray-on shine at the end.
#21: Donut Bun
It is an elegant, classic, princess-like hairstyle. It’s feminine. The best part is that it’s very versatile. As hairstyles may reflect our personalities and lifestyle, I would indicate this look to those compatible with the adjectives mentioned before. That said, this look goes with any hair type and length. It’s an easy updo, so all you need are strong bobby pins, the right size of hair donut, and hair spray to tame the flyaways.
#22: Vintage-Inspired Swirls
This is romantic and perfect for clients looking to add Hollywood glamour to their style while keeping it sweet and contemporary. I love how the slight gaps in the top layer of hair reveal the curls underneath. Instead of one coherent wave over the surface, it adds texture and interest to the look. The flowers I included are interchangeable, and I did think retrospectively how cute this might have looked with a metal hair piece that was punky and ornate – think a steampunk kind of thing!
I love that contrast of something really beautiful and classic juxtaposed against something really solid and urban. However, my client was after something to reflect her style. So we went with two small pink roses to compliment her hair color and stature. This look is perfect for a formal event, summer garden party, wedding, or special birthday like a quinceanera. Although, I would have to advise keeping headbanging to a minimum!
#23: Simple Faux Braid
This look is a simple faux braided look with an elegant feel without trying too hard to achieve it. My favorite thing about this look is that it’s SO easy to create, but it still looks very put together.
Prep your hair to be smooth before doing the “braid” if you want a sleek look like this photo. Use smoothing products from your favorite professional line on wet hair and blow dry your hair smoothly. I used Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep and Glossing Straightener to blow dry, then smoothed the hair with Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Serum.
If your hair gets frizzy, lightly run a flat iron on low heat over your hair, then mimic the “braided” look with elastics! An easier option would be to work with your natural wave or day-old curls for a looser, more romantic “braided” look. This style is perfect for work events, holiday parties, interviews, weddings, or any event when you need to look pulled together but don’t have the time to put in a lot of work to get a pretty style!
#24: Boho Chic Updo
This look is so boho chic. I love that it requires minimal to no heat, so it’s a look I can do on the fly! My advice for recreating this look would be to secure the braids by making an “X” with your bobby pins. This will keep the hair nice and secure while you pull out all the pieces you want to give it texture! I teased my hair slightly at the crown and sprayed it with a little texture to give it some volume, but you can customize it to your style and hair texture! These up hairstyles hold all day long and are a fun alternative to keep your hair out of your face. You could add fun hair jewelry to make it more festive and chic!
#25: Knotted Bun
This knotted bun is great for any occasion, formal event, or everyday look. I love how easy it is to achieve, and it still looks sophisticated. This look works great for medium to long hair and can be worn by anyone. I used Redken Control Addict 28 to set this style. It is a strong-hold hairspray that helps fight against humidity without residue or flaking. It is also flexible, allowing you to change the style easily.
#26: Fishtail Twist
I call this easy up ‘do the fishtail twist. It’s a simple hair bump wrapped with a fishtail braid that is also wrapped with the front/bang piece. It makes one of the lovely and easy formal hairstyles you can wear. My favorite thing about it would be the twist around the fishtail braid. While creating this updo, I did it thinking it would look strange, but it turned out to look cute and different!
It’s best to curl hair before starting the updo. Tease the top and crown to desired height. You can customize the braid to any braid you are best at! Ensure you have enough hair in the front to loop around the braid and to the back of the head.
#27: Simple & Elegant
I love this look because it is so simple and easy to do! Anyone could do it, I swear! This elegant and simple look makes it perfect for any occasion. I’ve used it on clients who want something simple, flirty, and elegant, and I’ve also used it on brides with a nice jewel clip or even a flower crown.
This look took me, at most, ten minutes to create. I prepped the hair with sea salt spray to give it a little grip, then finished it with some medium-hold hairspray. I’ve created this look on anyone from shoulder-length hair to hair down their back. I love that you can make this look messy and relaxed for a boho-type feel or extremely tight and neat for a special event.
#28: Modern Chignon Bun
This look is a modern take on the classic chignon bun. My favorite thing about this updo would be the movement of it all. I love how the hair drapes, sweeps, and wraps around itself to create an effortless look.
This guest had a finer texture, so I used Aveda’s Thickening Tonic to give the illusion of thicker hair and a bun. A helpful tip when creating a slightly textured look is to pinch and clip little sections of hair with small double-pronged clips, then spray with Aveda’s Control Force to hold the pieces in place. The more you clip, the more piecey the look. I recommend this look for someone with fine to medium-textured hair attending a special event such as a gala or holiday party. This look pairs nicely with a dress with a higher front neckline and a slightly draped back.
#29: Heatless Modern Chignon
This look is soft, simple, and romantic. My favorite thing about this look was that it was done without hot tools. My favorite products for recreating a look like this are from Unite. I love 7 Seconds Glossing to smooth out the sections and add shine, Texturiza for pancaking the twists and adding texture to the look, and Expanda Dust for tons of volume.
#30: Sock Bun
Arrive in fashion with braids up in a big bun. The secret? A sock to serve as the body of your hair’s main attraction.