I love the curly half-up, half-down style. I enjoy seeing the reaction on people’s faces when I start to put the hairstyle together. It’s so much fun. The style pulls some hair back which opens the eyes and highlights the face. Pulling hair back with some curls down is so good with everything. All the people should try it.
The other day I thought about one of my clients from last summer. She was under the impression that her hair was too messy to do anything with it. She had her hair either down or in a tucked bun, and for her anniversary dinner I convinced her to do a half-up, half-down style. She was not being too extra, but the style was very different from her usual look. It gave her a completely different outlook on her curls. I love when people use pins and clips and little braids to accessorize with this style. There’s so much you can do with it! I want to show you all my ideas.
#1: Old Hollywood But Make It Curly With a Star Clip
I mean, volume, long curls, and a sparkly clip? Yes please. The soft brown tones really help the curls look more full and the natural color dimension does all the work. Let’s be real, this one does take some commitment and probably a few refreshes on the curls (and the defined look) if you’re going to a long event. If you’re going to show out for the night, the prep will definitely be worth it!
#2: Twisted Half-Up With Beaded Details That Feel Like Jewelry
I absolutely love styles that feel like an accessory! Even though it’s YOUR HAIR doing all of the work. These twists give you that nice clean structured look up top, and then the curls just pour out from underneath all that gorgeous movement. The beaded piece in the twist just elevates it from pretty to “wait who did your hair?”. I will say though, if you are planning to wear this for the whole day and into the evening, I would suggest bringing a couple of extra pins because twists on curly hair tend to loosen up pretty quickly. But this is such a small price to pay for something so beautiful!
#3: Lush Curls With a Floral Tiara That Actually Works
I love this floral tiara! It’s the perfect match with this lovely head of curls! The colours in her tiara and her warm toned curls go beautifully together! If you’re going somewhere humid please, for the love of tiaras, put some anti-frizz cream in your curls because once this tiara goes in, you’re destined to have flyaways. It’s a set it and forget it situation!
#4: Bridal Curls With Lace Flowers That Match Your Dress
Tying hair accessories such as white lace flowers into a dress is so intentional and elegant. Most people would not think to do this but it gives a very harmonious look. It matches the embroidery on the dress and I’ slow clapping over here. The hair half up style is also more comfortable than having to deal with hair across your face while saying your vows and it’s one less thing to push out of the way. Brides with thick curly hair, make sure to screenshot this and bring it to your trial!
#5: Simple Twisted Half-Up With Highlights That Catch the Light
I recommend a client who doesn’t want to look overdone. Soft highlights with waves give her hair great texture, and the further back you pull the crown, the more you see. The twist in the back is very manageable and I actually think it works for everyone. If you have thicker hair, a more firm hairspray will work better to hold the twist, but this is as low effort high reward as it gets.
#6: Natural Texture Crown Pull-Back That Celebrates Your Curl Pattern
Yes! This is exactly what I tell my clients when I say to stop fighting their natural hair texture and start working with it. The half-up pulls the curls away from the face so you have this soft frame and flattering detail without any added flatness. The look has been designed to allow the natural curl pattern do what it does best. Everything about this look is intended to allow the natural curl pattern do what it does best. There’s also more interest here than some other looks with a subtle twist in the back. Wrapping strands together that way can be such a nice touch. It’s so beautiful how this look embraces the natural curls and expertly styles them! The morning refresh is probably going to take some time and effort but once you get a good spritz of water and some curl refresher spray you should be good to go!
#7: Braided Crown Into Cascading Curls Because Why Choose One Texture
I love how different a style can look with contrasting elements and this one has a lot of it. With this mixed look, wild hair can give off a relaxed feel, and the structured braid can give off a polished feel. Personally, I feel more confident having volume in my hair so the added mass beneath the braid is about having that WOW factor. Once you’ve achieved this style you’ll be head turner at any event. The toughest part of this style is the braid section, which is really hard to do on your own, but it will make the biggest difference. The sections you create for the braid have to be neat, so if you’ve curled your hair to ge the sections to behave, I suggest getting help with this one. It will help give that clean look you’ve been after to enhance the overall contrast! Once you’ve done those sections, you’re finish all is left now is to own it!
#8: Green Blossom Accents in Chestnut Curls That Feel Like a Garden Party
I appreciate the bright green flowers. Most of the time I see flowers in hair and it is pretty bad publicity. Most flowers are in soft pastel colors like whites and pinks which is very feminine so seeing the bright green flowers was a definitive yes from me. I love the contrast of the bright flowers with the chestnut brown hair and the earthy touch it adds. The combination with the hair style is very natural as the curls are very light and bouncy. The definition of the curls is very important and you can tell they are well defined. This would be a great look for a spring or garden wedding or any outdoor event. The curls will definitely take a lot of up keep to look as good as they do in this picture, but it will definitely be a lot of work for great results.
#9: Full Volume Curly Half-Up With a Floral Piece That Feels Handmade
Everything here looks amazing! These curls are big and falling all over the place. The half-up style is giving it some structure, but still keeping it a bit wild, which is nice. The floral clip looks super cute and adds to the authenticity and uniqueness of the hair. I will be honest though, if you have thick curly hair, it’s going to feel heavy wearing it like this for a long time, so I suggest you get those half up sections pinned to avoid constant fussing with them. This style is ideal for heart and oval face shapes because the volume balances everything out and the floral clip draws attention to the face.
#10: Easy Curly Half-Updo That Looks Like You Didn’t Even Try
Have you ever seen incredible hairstyles that look effortless? This half-updo is one of them! Your curls can be pulled back without any hair accessories and flowing down, creating a beautiful look. This hairstyle is fantastic for getting ready in a short amount of time. The only thing to keep in mind is that it may not be the best choice if you will be in a windy environment. Your hair may end up being a tangled mess! To avoid the mess, use a light mousse to keep your curls in place before styling.
#11: Multi-Toned Curls With a Crystal Clip That Does All the Talking
Let’s take a moment to appreciate this color! Different shades from dark brown to golden honey! It makes every curl look unique and adds a lot of dimension to the hairstyle. And with that little crystal clip, it becomes an event look! I like that this clip is functional and holds that half-up section in place, so you don’t have to use a ton of pins or products to hold everything. If you have thick voluminous curls, this is the perfect setup because all the density creates a beautiful look! If you have thinner hair, you might have to add some texture to get the same volume.
#12: Chestnut Curls Pulled Back Like You Just Tossed Them Up and They Landed Perfectly
This style really captures simplicity! The curls are tight and the look overall feels collected and natural. It looks amazing, almost like you reached back and pinned a handful of curls. The tight curls really provide a lot of texture. I recommend a hair curling cream and some hairspray to hold the curls in place after pinning the hair to help maintain the defined curl look. The maintenance is essential because messy curls look really bad.
#13: Platinum Waves Swept Back With Zero Fuss Energy
Maintaining platinum color on curly hair is no simple task. It’s certainly a high-maintenance look, and if you’re thinking about going platinum, you have to prepare for the commitment, but when done right like in the example hair, it is beautiful. The curls cascading down the back are a nice pop against the dark outfit and the easy half-up style is a great addition, especially with some root volume so it looks like she just finished teasing it. This color will also require a lot of commitment in the sense of salon visits for maintenance. With platinum hair, the growing out process is super obvious and it doesn’t look good with grown-out roots and then styles that are kept neat. This hair is best suited for people with medium to thick hair, and those with fine hair should use a good amount of product to reach this volume.
#14: Defined Curls With a Half-Up Swoop That Frames Everything
This hairstyle is way more than a basic ponytail or just a boring way to keep hair off your face. The way the hair is swept back creates an intentional line across the forehead which is super flattering! I always tell clients there are a lot of curls underneath that are shiny and well-defined. A lot of clients will say that the front section is the only one that gets pulled back and they don’t realize how much that ponytail changes the look of the entire hairstyle. This specific angle is super flattering as well. For the curls I suggest a gel to keep hold of their shape and to help define the curls. This look is super versatile and can be worn on casual days or dressed up for fancy nights.
#15 Long Textured Curls Clipped Back With Gold for That Effortless Expensive Look
I think a gold hair clip looks super cute in curly hair! It gives such a nice organized feel and the best part is you can look nice without having your life completely together. I adore how diverse this curl range of color is from dark brown to light caramel. It gives the hair so much depth and makes every single curl look like it has intention. Leaving out front curtain bangs is even better and helps the curls to shine even more. It’s so polished and effortless. For this to last all day, you really should use a hair product so the curls don’t lose their shape. Longer curls tend to lose their curl definition, but honestly this type of hairstyle still looks good even when the curls aren’t perfectly defined. That’s a really good sign of a good hairstyle!
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