3 Chic Party Hairstyles (for Any Length and Texture)

This season, the best hair looks are all about easy glam and pretty little flourishes, says Adir Abergel, an LA hairstylist and the creative director of Virtue Labs. The key? “Work with your hair texture, not against it,” he says. “If you prep your hair properly by using stylers, texture-enhancers, and volumizers with nourishing, moisturizing ingredients, any hairstyle is going to be a million times easier to create—and look a million times better.” And when it comes to the final look, don’t be afraid to have a little fun with it. “Accessorizing is a really great way to liven up any everyday style,” he says. “Experiment with the placement, texture, color, and fabrication of your accessories and it’s guaranteed to look more elevated.”

Here, how to re-create three of our current favorite party hairstyles—no matter what your hair type or texture.

THE HOW-TO

First some decisions: Do you prefer a high or low ponytail? Do you want your face-framing bits wispily left out or slicked back? And where do you want to place the bow? Then it’s on to prep.

FOR STRAIGHT OR WAVY HAIR

Kellagher likes a ponytail braid to keep the look slick and polished. On dry hair, start with a few pumps of smoothing cream or serum (Kellagher loves Roz’s styling milk) to moisturize hair and eliminate any frizz. If your hair is fine, Abergel recommends also using a bit of texturizer or dry shampoo to add a little grit and staying power. Then start sectioning: “Section about one- to two-inch chunks of the hair that frames your face,” says Kellagher. “Use a comb to divide an even section—it starts at your part and ends right behind the ear. Then clip those two sections forward, out of the way, leaving the back half of the hair down.”

Apply a little smoothing balm to your hands and brush it through your hair with your fingers. “This will help polish off any remaining frizz or flyways,” says Kellagher. Then brush your hair back to create a ponytail and secure it with an elastic. To avoid any lumps or bumps, Kellagher says to look up while you’re brushing. (She also recommends sticking with a boar-bristle brush as it’s best for smoothing and distributing the product evenly.)

Once you have your base ponytail, you can start on the two face-framing sections. Brush each section back (one at a time) until it meets the ponytail. Secure that section with another elastic and then repeat on the opposite side. If you want, leave a few of the pieces at the front out for a more relaxed, undone look.

For the braid, Kellagher suggests a classic three-strand plait because it’s the easiest to do by yourself. “It doesn’t need to be overly complicated to be sophisticated and cool,” she says. Use a clear hair tie to secure the end of the braid, and leave an inch or two of your hair out at the end.

And now for the bow: You can use ribbon to tie one where your elastic is or secure a premade bow with a bobby pin. “This is where you can really change it up,” says Kellagher. “Use a large bow at the top of the braid, at the bottom of the braid, or both.” To finish, add a bit of hair spray. “I love that it locks in that glossy shine,” she says.

FOR SUPER CURLY OR COILY HAIR

You already have great texture, so during the prep step, you can skip the volumizers and use something more defining and smoothing like a gel, mousse, or curl cream. You’ll also want to choose a heavy-duty elastic or hair tie. “You don’t have to be too precious about the ponytail,” says Abergel. Kellagher agrees: “Use your texture to your advantage and braid loosely so it’s more soft and romantic.”

If you have a protective style like cornrows or box braids, Abergel loves the idea of bringing some metallic thread with you to your braiding appointment and having it woven into your braids. “It gives a beautiful but subtle tinsel-y vibe that adds a unique layer to the style,” he says. With those styles, you can even braid your braids, sweeping them to one side or to the back and creating a chic jumbo braid. Then add one big bow or a few little ones throughout.

FOR SHORT HAIR

Try a little braid along your hairline and leave the rest of your hair down. Section the front of your hair (about an inch thick) and separate it into three mini sections to braid. Use a little dry shampoo on the pieces you’re going to braid to give the hair a bit of grit so it doesn’t slip too easily. “Braid it diagonally at a 45-degree angle so it lies flat,” says Kellagher. Secure it with a small hair tie, or, if you prefer, spray the end of your braid with hair spray and then twist it back and forth with your fingers and blast it with your hair dryer. “The heat really helps the ends stay in place and then it looks like cool floating braids,” says Kellagher. Abergel likes to choose the size of the bow based on the size of the braid. “I love the look of a few mini bows clipped into one small braid,” he says. “Or one little bow at the end of a skinny braid is so chic, too.”

THE HOW-TO

“No matter what your hair type, beautifully tousled hair starts in the shower,” says Kellagher. She likes to use a wide-tooth comb in the shower to brush out any tangles before drying with a microfiber towel to tamp down frizz.

FOR STRAIGHT OR WAVY HAIR

Once you’ve soaked the moisture out of your hair, start working in your frizz-fighting, texture-boosting products. “Always, always, always prepare your roots by using a texturizer or mousse,” says Abergel. “Otherwise your hair will fall flat and any accessories you use won’t hold in place.” Once you’ve prepped the hair, Kellagher suggests scrunching it with your hands and then letting it air-dry naturally.

FOR CURLY OR COILY HAIR

Abergel suggests prepping your hair while it’s wet by using a combination of hydrators and stylers, like a detangling spray, a nourishing curl butter, and a styling gel. After your hair air-dries, you can begin carefully separating your curls with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb. “It helps to define the curl pattern without agitating it,” he says.

When it comes to pins, the options are endless. “You can be as minimalist or maximalist as your heart desires,” says Abergel. “Take the lead from what you’re wearing to help inform the accessories,” says Abergel. Try a cluster of 20 silver or gold bobby pins to create a cool metallic effect along your hairline. Or use pearl or diamond pins in a crisscross pattern to tuck one side of your hair back. Just make sure you’re placing the textured side of the bobby pin down toward your scalp. Not only does it create a more uniform look, but it also helps prevent the pins from slipping or falling out. “It’s one of the biggest mistakes I see people make,” says Abergel. “The flat side of the bobby pin is meant to face up. The textured side is what works to grip and secure it in place.” If you are worried about your pins sliding (even with the textured side facing down), use a little dry shampoo or hair spray on the pin to give it some extra grip.

THE HOW-TO

Prep your hair the same way you would for the ponytail braid above, focusing on building volume and slicking back any errant flyaways. Sectioning is important for this look, too. To bring a more interesting element to your ponytail, Abergel likes to carve out sections of hair in the front into a V shape. “It gives you a lot more flexibility on how you can style the final look,” he says. “You can part in the middle and slick it all the way back, make a soft and romantic deep side bang, add some mohawk-y volume, and more.”

To elongate your ponytail or add some fullness, Abergel uses this trick: “Split your hair into two sections—top and bottom. Pull the top half into a high ponytail first. Then split the hair underneath into two halves and pull them to meet on top of your high pony before securing with an elastic. It gives you instant volume and length.”

FOR STRAIGHT, WAVY, CURLY, OR COILY HAIR

You’re going to use heat tools to create the bouncy curls or flip at the end. If your hair tends to fall easily, spray each section with hair spray before curling. Then take a large curling iron (Abergel likes Kristin Ess’s)—at least an inch and a half or two inches—and wrap each section of hair around the barrel vertically, rolling it away from your face. The release is the most important part. “When you take the curl out, hold it in your hand or pin it in a round shape until it cools,” says Abergel. “It’s essential for setting the curl.”

FOR SHORT HAIR

Adapt this style by doing a half-up pony. Follow the same steps to get a sleek, slicked-back half-pony, then use the large-barrel curling iron almost like a flatiron to get a little flip at the ends. Hold the iron horizontally. Section by section, place hair between the barrel and the clamp and slowly pull downward, creating a bit of tension. When you get close to the ends, roll the iron back up so your ends are fully wrapped around the barrel. Once you release, hold the flip in place while it cools to set it.