The most versatile hairstyle for every single hair texture, the half-up half-down look rarely disappoints. What we love about this style is that it can be dressed up with fun accessories like scarves, bows, or clips, or can be super dressed down in a classic scrunchie or clear elastic.
You can find the half-up half-down hairstyle on the runways, down wedding aisles, at the grocery store, and at a rowdy club, too. It’s one of those styles that has stood the test of time and can be seen on all ages, too.
To offer up a little inspo, we asked the styling experts for their top picks on different half-up half-down hairstyles, and exactly how to nail each. From the curly half pony, to the elegant braids, to accessorized looks and more, there’s a half-up half-down hairstyle for every occasion.
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Half-Up Half-Down Curly Pony
This is a pretty simple, easy half-up half-down pony look that just requires some curls. Start by giving the hair a few loose waves with a curling iron. After curling, apply texturizing spray to give the hair a textured finish. “From ear to ear, section the hair with a tail comb in half and tie the hair in the middle of the back of the head,” explains Jacelyn Bautista, a senior stylist at the NYC THE TEAM hair salon. “You can leave a few face-framing pieces out in the front to give a softer look.”
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Elegant, Braided Half-Up Half-Down
This half-up, half-down style is made of natural waves, and would be really beautiful for a wedding or formal event. To achieve this look, Lucy Garcia Planck, a hair stylist at Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger Salon, recommends prepping the hair with Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Medium, then adding some curls with a curling iron. “Add volume on the top of the crown and braid the hair using a big section away from your hairline, pulling the hair back and connecting the two sides,” says Garcia Planck. “Tie with a small, clear, elastic rubber band.”
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Half-Up Half-Down With Clip
According to Gregorry Russell, a hairstylist and global artistic ambassador for Pureology, half-up, half-down hairstyles are easy to create and are extremely versatile. “To create the look that I made for Anya’s The Ellen Show appearance, I prepped her hair with mousse before blowing out her strands. After setting each section with a clip to cool, I sprayed the hair with the Pureology Style + Protect Soft Finish Hairspray.”
Once the hair cooled, Russell removed the clips and sprayed each section with more hairspray, allowing time to set, before brushing each section through. He repeated this step until all the hair was down. “Next, I sectioned off the first 2” from the hairline out and clipped it away,” he explains. “I then brushed the crown section with a brush for volume, smoothing and tying the hair into a half-up style using a hair tie, before following up with more hairspray.” After clipping and parting the hairline section, he used a flat iron on the ends and styled all the front pieces, finishing off the look with Pureology Style + Protect Lock It Down Hairspray.
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Boho Braids Half-Up Half-Down
This style is fun and super easy to do! Once hair is clean and blown out, Mai Hernandez, a hairstylist in Los Angeles, California, recommends applying a heat protectant spray all over your hair and doing a ripple wave (soft wave) by splitting the hair in the middle. “I like to use the Joico Joico Rise Up Volumizing Styler and the Joico Inner Joi Sea Salt Spray at the roots where I need grip and some texture for volume,” says Hernandez. “Take a couple of pieces from the front of your hairline out to frame your face, and from the temple, split the hair down the crown, dividing that section into two.”
Then, take the first section and tie it up with a rubber band. Loosen it up about an inch down, looping it through, and pushing it forward to make it a bit tighter. Do the same with the section right behind it, including the hair leftover from the first subsection. Repeat on the other side. “Pull the twisties out a little bit for volume, and spray some texturizing finishing spray on your hair for fullness and a bit of texture.”
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Sleek Half-Up Half-Down With Loose Wave
Garcia Planck likes this style because it’s very comfortable to wear for a night out or a special occasion. “Add some waves to the hair, using a curling iron for more texture,” she explains. “Using a textured hair spray, comb your hair into a half ponytail on top of your head, covering the elastic bands with a small portion of hair from the ponytail, letting the hair fall freely.”
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Accessorized Half-Up Half-Down
To really jazz up a half-up half-down look is to accessorize it with a bow, hair pins, or fun stylish scrunchies with a pop of color. “Section the hair with a tail comb from ear to ear, tie with a stronger hair tie, then tie with your accessorized scrunchies/pins over top,” suggests Bautista. “Style either smooth, curly, or with your natural texture.”
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Braided Half-Up Half-Down
Don’t let braids intimidate you—they’re easier to achieve than they look! For this elegant hairstyle, Bautista suggests sectioning the hair from ear to ear, then dividing the top half of the hair into two. “Braid one braid on each side, and then tie loosely to the back of the middle of the head,” she explains. “You can soften the look by holding the end of the braid and pulling the braid lightly apart.” Applying some texturizing spray or dry shampoo onto the braid helps give the braid some hold.
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Half-Up Half-Down With a Bun
To achieve a half-up half-down look with a bun, prep damp hair with detangling spray and blowout creme. Then, blowout your hair and make a half ponytail, but on the last loop don’t pull it through all the way. You can use an elastic or a fun scrunchie to create this super-laid-back look.
