I’ve Legit Never Seen Prettier Half-Up, Half-Down Hairstyles (2024)

Okay, aside from the fact that Lucy’s stick-straight hair looks like it could actually cut glass (goals), her half-up, half-down baby bun is perfectly sectioned above her temples, combed back and pinned to the crown of her head, and then adorned with a dozen star pins (P.S. I’m wearing these pins right now. Am I also a celebrity?! Yes?!).

Whether you’re working with locs or braids, you can copy this super-easy style (you’re probably already wearing it right now, TBH). But to make it feel a little ~newer~, try leaving out two face-framing pieces, à la every single icon of the ’00s, and pinning or tying your hair off at the nape of your neck rather than at the crown.

I truly cannot get over how gorgeous these fairy-esque braids were at the Alice + Olivia spring 2020 show—I mean, please just look at them. LOOK AT THEM. To recreate, rake the sides of your hairline back into two braids, pinning them in place in the center of your head before tying the ends into a knot. Then stick sprigs of fake lavender through your braid, bobby-pinning the ends in place.

Alright, so Joan Smalls’ hair isn’t exactly half up—more like one-third up. Still, I’m counting it, because it’s also the perfect trick for anyone who has fine hair (hi) and can’t scoop up half of their hair without looking like they’re balding on the bottom.

If you’ve got a ton of thick hair, gathering half of it and pinning it to the top of your head isn’t exactly feasible (or comfortable). Instead, section off just the top of your hair, from temple to temple, and twist it into a bun, securing with pins or a cute scrunchie.

Yes, this half-up, half-down hairstyle looks hella complicated, but it’s honestly not: Just scoop the sides of your hair back, twist them, and pin them on top of one another straight across your head. Then weave a thin gold chain (can legit just be from a necklace) around the twists, letting the ends dangle free or bobby-pinning them in place.

Vanessa Hudgens, I cannot handle the vibes you are giving us in this photo. The makeup, the hair, the perfectly blown-out swoops...sigh. To recreate on yourself, DO NOT EVEN TRY, but also, blow out your hair with a large round brush, then wrap the two-inch section of your hairline around velcro rollers for major volume.

Again, this half-up, half-down look is way, way easier than it appears. Yes, it’ll take a few tries, but to get this result? It’s worth it. Think of this style like a French braid but with twisting instead. Scoop the crown of your hair back, twist once, then pin in place. Scoop up the sides of your hair, twist it all together once, then pin in place. Then scoop up another layer of hair, twist together, and pin in place. Confused? Just watch the tutorial, and grab some pearl pins to get ready.

Space buns meet 2019 with Isabela Moner’s incredibly cute half-up, half-down hairstyle. Just section your hair in half from temple to temple, split your hair down the middle, then twist and pin each side in two knots.

So glossy...so shiny...so pretty. This half-up, half-down hairstyle veers on the edge of a ponytail, but as someone who hates having my hair in my face, I’m down with it. Twist the sides of your hair back and pin in place at the nape of your neck before clipping on a bow. This Perlita bow costs $198, but don’t worry—cheaper options also exist if you’re on a budget.

Simple yet effective: Scoop your curls into a high half-up, half-down ponytail and secure on the top of your head. Pro tip: Use a PuffCuff—an O-shaped clip that’s a godsend for curls—instead of an elastic to secure your hair without destroying your curl pattern.

If you look closely, you can see that this half-up, half-down hairstyle isn’t just one section of hair scooped and pinned in back—it’s actually two. To recreate, section off the hair at your crown, lightly back-comb it, then twist and pin in place. Then scoop up the section of hair beneath, back-comb, then twist and pin in place. Add two black bow barrettes if you’re feeling faaancy.

This is pretty much the ultimate this-ol’-thing? hairstyle I dream of wearing yet can never get right. The trick, as I’ve discovered, is to play with how much hair you section off on top (for me, I look best with less hair on top and more on the bottom, just like this look). And, um, to also have a cool scrunchie and an Instagrammable background.