15 Party Hairstyles, From Elegant Waves to Chic Updos

We all have a go-to everyday hairstyle. Whether we wear our hair down, half-up, in a braid, or up in a messy bun, our daily 'do has likely become second nature. While these hairstyles are incredibly convenient, when it comes to getting all dolled up, they simply won't do. Sometimes, you've got to switch things up and go all out with a party-ready style.

And just because a style is fit for a celebration doesn't mean it has to be hard to achieve. We chatted with pro hairstylists Marwa Bashir and Justin Toves-Vincilione about their favorite fancy hairstyles. Ahead, find over a dozen party hairstyles and tips for getting the looks.

Meet Our Expert

• Marwa Bashir is a Nashville-based hairstylist and colorist whose clients include Maren Morris and Lily Aldridge.

• Justin Toves-Vincilione is an Ulta Beauty Design Team elite stylist.

Bow-Adorned Retro Swoop

Celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan is responsible for this sleek, bow-adorned half-up hairstyle. What makes this look stand out are the accessory of choice—an oversized bow is very of the moment—and the swooped-out ends. It's giving retro glam, and we're here for it.

French Girl Bob

Bashir is behind Maren Morris' tousled French girl bob. Her trick for creating this effortlessly chic hairstyle? "Diffuse the hair with a wave-enhancing product to prep before curling... [for] a 'natural' French girl texture," she reveals. Our favorite wave sprays include the dae Hibiscus Wave Spray ($28) and Gisou's Propolis Infused Texturizing Wave Spray ($39).

Effortless Low Party Pony

Remember, a hairstyle doesn't have to look super complicated to be fit for a red carpet. Here, Margot Robbie proves it with her effortless low pony. "This has to be one of the easiest hairstyles to accomplish but with a very impactful statement," says Toves-Vincilione. "It's like the messy bun, but a ponytail version. This style works best on straight hair (or curly/coily hair worn straight), and a fringe with face-framing layers is necessary." 

Tips

How you use your hot tools will help dictate your finish. "If you use the iron as a wand, you will have a more lived-in finish," Toves-Vincilione says. "If you use the clamp, you'll have more polished curls. The goal is to have the finish seem undone, but the amount of polish is up to you!"

Sculpted S-Waves

Bashir loves a sculpted S-wave style (like Kirstin Cavallari's here) for parties, too. The difference between sculpted S-waves and classic S-waves is that the former is finished with a high-shine hairspray. This not only prolongs the style but enhances the texture, too. "Make sure to use a firm-hold hairspray to finish off the look to keep the sculpted wave lasting all night," Bashir says. Check out some of our favorite hairspray picks here.

(Psst: If you're not the best at achieving the S-wave look with a flat iron, you can hack the style with the Beachwaver 3B Waver, $99.)

Twisted Updo

For a classic party hairstyle, consider a twisted updo, like Gemma Chan's here. To get the look, start by sectioning out your face-framing strands. Then, brush the rest of your hair back into a high ponytail and twist your ends into a bun. Pin in place. Finish by lightly S-waving your face-framing strands, which you can opt to part down the middle or off to the side.

A Headband With Curls

We love the vintage look of Zendaya's voluminous curls with a simple black silk ribbon headband, and Toves-Vincilione does, too. "This look is simple and classic—it's perfect for a holiday party, especially if you need to transition from daytime to evening wear with little time," he says. "The goal for these curls is a barely-there finish. A 1.5-inch curling iron is perfect for this hairstyle. If your hair doesn't hold a curl very well, opt for a 1.25-inch curling iron."

To nail the soft, ethereal finish, Toves-Vincilione says to use a boar bristle brush to smooth out the curls for a plush result. For a brush that will achieve these results while adding a stylish accent to your vanity, consider the Emi Jay Mini Boar Bristle Brush ($42).

More Beauty

The Perfect High Pony

High ponytails may feel very high school athletics-ready—but when styled with care, they can look fit for a fête. Just look at J.Lo's above. The trick to creating the perfect high ponytail without any bumps—and without putting too much tension or emphasis on your hairline—is to execute the style in two steps. "I like to anchor my ponytail by putting half up first to create the exact placement" before adding the rest and securing the look with an elastic, Bashir tells us.

Sculpted Braids and Locs

Toves-Vincilione says that Lupita Nyong'o's halo-like hairstyle is a must for party season. "This hairstyle is perfect for anyone wearing protective natural styles such as braids or locs," he says. "There are multiple ways to customize updos on these permanent to semi-permanent styles. One way is to break down your braids or locs into sections and make larger braids out of your sub-sections. You can then pin or tie down each section to create an up style."

Tips

Toves-Vincilione tells us using black thread and a large plastic needle (rather than bobby pins) is a great way to comfortably secure braids and locs into updos.

Slicked-Back Chignon

Slicked-back buns are a go-to everyday style. For a special occasion, though, you may want to skip the bun and opt for an ends-out chignon, like Bella Hadid's, instead. "To create the sleekest updo without any flyaways, gel [dry] hair back section by section... with a small boar bristle brush," Bashir says. ICYWW: This is the trick to maintaining a middle party at your hairline, too. For 17 of our favorite hair gels, click here.

Micro Fringe Moment

Looking to make a statement at your upcoming party? Go bold with micro fringe. To mimic Zoë Kravitz's above, "use crease-less clips to set your fringe in place after drying and styling them," recommends Bashir, who notes that this is especially helpful for those with cowlicks. We love the Kitsch Eco-Friendly Creaseless Clip Set ($10 for a set of four).

Elevated Vintage Curls

Love the idea of a vintage-inspired party hairstyle? Toves-Vincilione says Kaia Gerber's Met Gala hair is the perfect inspo. "This look gives a nod to the '20s while embracing the cool girl aesthetic of today's popular hairstyles," he says. He broke down how to achieve the look.

1. Start by prepping your hair with a heat-protectant before curling the entire head with a 1-inch curling iron, he says, noting that you'll want to establish your part before curling.

2. "Next, take a boar bristle smoothing brush and smooth down the base of your hair using a pomade," he instructs. "You can use a little or a lot depending on how much shine and control your hair needs."

3. From there, simply pin your hair down three to four inches from your part, using your smoothing brush to control any flyaways in the process.

4. "Once the hair is pinned down, brush out the curls with your fingers and use the smoothing brush if needed to tease the hair and build volume," he says.

Sleek Half-Up, Half-Down 'Do

Who doesn't love a half-up, half-down do? It seems to be the style of the moment. To make it party-ready, take a page out of Marjan's book. The stylist created this super-sleek look—featuring a face-framing tendril on one side of the part and an ends-out chignon in the back—for television personality Maria Menounos.

Glossy Bow Updo

As we noted, bows are the hair accessory of the moment—and this large one Marjan used on Olivia Culpo has to be one of the prettiest we've seen. To copy the style, start with a slicked-back, braided bun. To top it off, pin the Ruslan Baginskiy Black Satin Bow Barrette ($120) in place.

Wispy Updo

We can't get over the coquettish charm of this updo on Ella Balinska. Marjan created the look by curling her entire head of hair, sectioning out face-framing tendrils, and pulling the rest of the hair into a messy, wispy bun. To create a similar texture in your own hair, try curling it with the T3 SinglePass Curl 1.5" Ceramic Long Barrel Curling and Wave Iron ($170).

Voluminous French Twist

Last but not least, we have yet another Marjan masterpiece: a classic (albeit super voluminous) French Twist. Her trick for maximum volume? Perfectly-placed Great Lengths USA Hair Extensions.

Up Next: 44 Incredibly Chic Updo Ideas for Short Hair

Read the original article on Byrdie.