Short Hairstyles That Won't Have You Missing That Ponytail for a Minute

This bouncy bob is full of touchable volume—you know, the kind that doesn’t resemble a football helmet (looking at you, M’Lynn). For a similar look, start by applying a volumizing mousse to wet hair. Using a large round brush, blow out hair lifting at the root. Curl hair at the crown of the head straight up for added volume. Set with large Velcro rollers, curling the front sections toward the face. Leave the rollers in for at least 30 minutes. After removing the rollers, comb a light serum through the ends using your fingertips to eliminate any frizz or fly-aways. Finish with a light hold hairspray.

Think beachy waves are just for long-haired ladies? Think again. Get the look by putting down that curling iron and opting for your flat iron instead. Clamp the hair, give the iron a half twist away from your face, and pull the tool away from your head (kind of like curling a ribbon). Release the iron about an inch to a half-inch from the end of your strands to achieve the straight-end look. If the bottoms still have a bit of curl to them, clamp the iron and release in a tapping motion to straighten. 

This style will work on a variety of hair textures—whether straight, curly, or wavy. Begin by drying your hair as you prefer, parting the hair either down the middle or heavier on one side. Take a small section an inch or two away from the face on the left side and braid toward the back of the head. Combine with the hair just above on the same (left) side of the part and pull toward the back of the head, securing with a hair comb just under the crown. Repeat the process with the right side. To keep the look relaxed, skipped the spray unless you’re worried your hair will slip out of the combs.

To achieve a similar look, apply a volumizing mousse to wet hair and style with a heavy part. Forgo the brush when blow drying and use your fingertips to tousle hair instead. Once hair is dry, finish with a texturizing product like Living Proof Amp Texture Volumizer.

Appearances may deceive with this elegant updo: It’s actually a half-up style that’s finished by tucking up the lower section. To start, use the same blow-out technique described in the Messy Texturized Bob above. The same volumizing and texturizing product will work here as well. Use fingertips to comb the top half back, away from the face. Secure with pins. Next, roll the bottom, loose half upward—kind of like a horizontal twist. Tuck in the ends and secure with pins. Set the style with a strong-hold hairspray.

This look is easier than you might think. Start with a textured blow-out described in the Messy Texurized Bob above. Part as you normally would. If you have a part that is heavier on one side, start with the smaller side, pulling the hair toward the back of the head and pinning on the opposite side. Repeat with the heavier side, twisting and securing by pinning upward so the pin is within the twist and not visible. Next, pull the rest of the hair into a low bun, securing with an elastic. Gently pull the bun to the sides to widen and loosen things up. Spray with a firm-hold hairspray to ensure the looser pieces don’t budge.

While we probably wouldn’t opt for this look for a formal event, it’s a favorite for many of us when we need hair out off our neck, stat. Don’t forget about this old standby when you’re in a pinch. 

Use a large round brush to blow out hair, curling the hair under and away from the face. Separate the hair at the crown of the head, give it a spritz of texturizing spray, then teeze. Secure with two pins just below the crown, but low enough that they’ll be covered by the bun. Next, directly in front of the teezed crown, take a small section of hair from the heavier side of the part and braid. Secure the bottom with a pin. The braid should follow the curve of the head, framing the crown. Next, take an even smaller portion of hair from just under the first braid. Divide into two small sections and loosely twist.  Secure just as you did with the first piece. Loosen the first braid using your fingertips, pulling from the middle of the braid outward from top to bottom. It should both flatten and widen the braid. Use fingertips to comb the rest of the loose hair away from the face. Keep the front pieces low so that they cover the ears—and don’t pull too tight. We’re going for the undone look, after all. Secure with a hair elastic at the nape of the neck. Twist the ponytail around the elastic, creating a bun. Pin to secure.  Spray with hairspray. You might have to add an extra pin or two to ensure the front pieces don’t fall. Once you’re pleased with the placement of your front strands, whether some are hanging down or tucked away, give it an extra spray or two for good measure.

We love this look for a summer wedding when it’s just too hot to have hair at the nape of your neck. Start by spraying dry hair with texturizing spray as you tousle with your fingertips. You’ll want a nice base of volume at the crown of the head, so give the area a few backcombs until you reach your desired height. Next, divide hair into two sections—the front, face-framing portion and the back half. Divide the back half into two sections vertically. Braid each of the back halves securing the ends with small hair elastics. Gently loosen braids with fingertips, pulling from the middle of the braid outward. This should make the braids appear both looser and wider. Pull one braid across the nape of the neck and secure with bobby pins. Be sure to tuck the ends inward, so they’re not visible. Next, give the front section a light backcomb. Gently pull the hair away from the face, tucking into the braided section below. Use bobby pins to secure. The look should be loose, but shouldn’t feel like it’s going to fall out with the first spin around the dance floor. Finish with a light-hold hairspray. We love tucking a few embellished pins or flowers within the braid for an added dose of whimsy.  

This style is all about combing hair away from the face and pinning, pinning, and pinning some more. Start by applying a volumizing product to wet hair, then blow dry using your fingertips to tousle. You can opt to teeze the crown if you’re looking for a big boost of volume. Divide the hair in three sections—back, middle, and front. Start by pinning up the back, curling small sections of the hair in loose tubes around your index and middle fingers before securing to the back of your head with a pin. Once the bottom pieces are secure, move to the middle, repeating the same process just above the lower section. You should be creating a sort of faux twist that builds up toward the crown of the head. For the front and final section, comb away from the face using fingertips to create a textured look. Secure pieces within the top portion of the faux twist, hiding any pins by pulling the top of the twist gently up to cover. Spray with a light hold hairspray to finish.