#1 Amandla Stenberg’s Braided Finger Waves
Hairstylist Vernon François molded Amandla Stenberg’s braids along their forehead into a shape that resembled 1920s finger waves for a look that was intricate, innovative and incredibly beautiful.
#2 Anya Taylor-Joy’s Gold Foil Accents
Anya Taylor-Joy covered the top of her messy half-up ponytail with flecks of gold leaf, offering a conceptual way to bring the festive bling.
#3 Zendaya’s silk hair accessory
The perfect way to add an old Hollywood touch to any hairstyle: a silk hair accessory. We love the black option chosen by hairstylist Tony Mendina for Zendaya’s 2022 Grammys look.
#4 Yara Shahidi’s Curly Updo
Yara Shahidi’s curly high bun would be cute without any additions. But look very closely and you can see that hairstylist Nikki Nelms used Shahidi’s own hair as an accessory, braiding it and placing the braid around the base of the bun, almost like a tiara.
#5 Pixie Geldof’s pearl buckles
Pearl hair accessories are one of the biggest beauty trends of the year (just walk into any high street store and you’ll understand) and we love the way Pixie Geldof used them to pin her layers back from her face. It’s a very simple look that still makes a beautiful, festive statement.
#6 Zoë Kravitz’s braided French twist
If you’re rocking a protective style this winter, try throwing your hair into a classic French twist like hairstylist Nikki Nelms did with Zoë Kravitz’s braids at the Vanity Fair Oscar party back in February.
#7 Storm Reid’s pierced high bangs
Storm Reid has such a strong hair game that it was hard to pick just one that would work for a party. But for Christmas, we can’t wait to copy her high braided ponytail, which she embellished with fine gold pearls.
#8 Neelam Gill’s Classic Low Chignon
If you’re someone who likes to wear your hair up and out of your face, a sleek ballerina bun is a great option that looks pretty fancy but is actually a low-maintenance style. We love how Neelam Gill dressed up the classic hairstyle with a sharp side parting and a pair of statement earrings.
#9 Maude Apatow’s Simple Half-Up Style
By pulling her freshly blow-dried hair into a pristine half-up style, Maude Apatow gets the best of both worlds: her hair out of her face, but her beautiful waves are still present.
#10 Leomie Anderson’s asymmetrical baby hair
Anderson took a ballerina bun and made it infinitely more interesting by using her baby hair—as well as some face-framing strands—to create a beautiful design of loops and swirls along one side of her forehead.
#11 Nathalie Emmanuel’s Dutch braids and curls
We love the juxtaposition of the tight Dutch braids with Nathalie Emmanuel’s beautiful, airy curls that almost create a halo effect around her face.
#12 Sophie Turner’s polished half-up hairstyle
The 60s-style high pony (or half pony in Turner’s case) was all over the red carpet in 2019, and it’s not hard to see why: the hairstyle is dressy without looking prissy, the height of the ponytail is extremely flattering (and gives your face a little lift) and if done right, creates the illusion of volume even if you have thin, straight hair.
#13 Alicia Keys’ Gilded Braided Updo
Alicia Keys may be going makeup-free these days, but when it comes to her hair, she goes all out. There are many elements to this style—the sleek front half, the looped braids that create a hair sculpture at the back, the gold chains woven throughout—that are sure to have other partygoers coming in for a closer look.
#14 Jourdan Dunn’s decorative hair grip
Do you lack time and money? Take a cue from Jourdan Dunn and throw your hair into a low bun, then start just above the ear and slide a dozen hair grips along one side all the way to the start of the chignon. The supermodel opted for colorful clutches to match her dress, but we like the idea of using silver and gold to add some festive flair.
#15 Lupita Nyongo’s wrapped braids
With her braids wrapped around her head, the silhouette of Lupita Nyong’s updo from the Little Monsters New York premiere not only gives the illusion of a 1960s beehive, but it also creates a beautiful (and super flattering) line from her chin up to the top of the braids.
#16 Emilia Clarke’s extra long extensions
We know what you’re thinking, and no, you don’t need naturally long hair to try Clarke’s sleek, waist-length look. All you need is a straightener and some extensions. Check out our handy hair extensions 101 guide if you don’t know where to start.
#17 Cara Delevingne’s half-braided waves
If you’re one of the many people who cut their hair into a bob or a lob in 2019, look no further than Cara Delevingne’s tousled, half-braided style.
First, wrap medium-sized sections around a medium-sized clipless curling iron to create soft waves from root to tip, then comb through with your fingers to break them up into soft bends. Make a deep side part and then take the hair on the same
side of the part (so if the part is on your right side, take the hair on the right side of your head) and do three French or Dutch braids starting at the hairline and ending just before the back of your head. When you’re done, spray the loose hair with a texturizing spray to add volume and even more texture.
#18 Annabelle Wallis’ low, middle parted ponytail
With a few small tweaks and a lot of texturizing spray, a simple ponytail you’d normally wear to the gym can be transformed into a chic party hairstyle. Case in point: Annabelle Wallis’ low, ever-so-slightly tousled ponytail, which she paired with a dress and diamond earrings on the red carpet. Notice the bits of hair covering the tops of her ears, the little bit of volume at the crown, and the very subtle waves added throughout the tail.
#19 Maya Jama’s exceptional baby hair
Sometimes it’s the tiniest detail that makes all the difference when it comes to turning your hair into a party. To add some flair to a very simple, sleek blowout, Maya Jama tossed a single baby hair down in the most perfect loop that not only dressed things up, but also didn’t detract from her epic diamond necklace and winged liner.
#20 Zazie Beetz’s braided high ponytail
Here’s an example of how a very simple style – Zazie Beetz’s braids are gathered at the top of her head and secured with a black elastic – can still look elegant and dramatic. It also makes a great way to show off a pair of statement earrings.
#21 Sydney Sweeney’s Twinkly Alice Band
Sparkling hair accessories are the easiest way to make any hairstyle feel festive, whether it’s a barrette, a bedazzled hair grip or a glittery headband like the one Sweeney wore with her messy low chignon.
#22 Emma Thompson’s Sparkling Star Decals
We would also smile if our hair was covered in sparkling purple stars. To create the look, hairstylist Lewis Pallett first sprayed Emma Thompson’s pixie with stronghold hairspray “so the glitter had something to stick to,” he told POPSUGAR. Then he broke out a stencil (from the craft store) and loose glitter (biodegradable, of course) and sprinkled the tiniest bit of glitter onto the hair to add the stars. “You only need a small layer of glitter; if it’s too thick, when you move the stencils away, the glitter will fall off,” he added.
#23 Zendaya’s Slicked Back Waves
Celebrities love slicking their hair back on the red carpet, and as long as you have the right products, you can pull off the amazing look in real life too. The trick is not to throw a lot of gel into your hair. Start by blow-drying your hair back, away from your face. Once done, rinse all of your hair with mousse, concentrating most of the product from the hairline to the mid-lengths. Let it air dry (or gently blow dry with a diffuser) and top it all off with hair oil or shine spray to give it that high-shine, reflective finish.
#24 Barbie Ferreira’s pearl barrette
Remember what we said about hair accessories? Barbie Ferreira shows another way to try out the pearl trend, which requires minimal time and effort.
#25 Bella Hadid’s sleek-and-curly updo
If your hair is naturally curly, this style is as easy as pulling your hair up into a high ponytail – leaving a center parting at the top – and arranging and securing your curls into a very messy bun. But if your hair is naturally straight or wavy like Bella Hadid’s, you can still pull off this look. Once your hair is in the high pony, add ringlets by curling small strands with a small curling iron before locking them in place with hairspray and securing them randomly in a deliberately tousled chignon.
#26 Saoirse Ronan’s Tinsel Braids
OK, so it’s not really tinsel in Saoirse Ronan’s hair, but the gold thread that hairstylist Adir Abergel wove through her hair had the same effect as the sparkly festive trim. “It was a double braid along the hairline that was pulled into a low ponytail,” Abergel explained of the style. “To accentuate the look, I used a gold thread that I found in a fabric shop in London and braided into the braid. This created more dimension and added both texture and shine.”
#27 Janelle Monae’s pearl rum buns
Space buns are already whimsical, but weave in delicate pearl details — like Janelle Monae’s shown here — and you’ve got a holiday party-approved look in no time.
