Holiday Party Hair: Pinned Updos That Last All Night
Holiday party hair has a harder job than almost any other kind of styling. It has to go from the office to dinner to a party, survive coats and scarves and hugs, look good in photos someone will post whether you're ready or not, and still be standing at midnight. A style that looks beautiful at 7 p.m. and collapses by 10 doesn't count.
These are the holiday looks I come back to every season, and how to pin each one so it lasts.
The sleek low chignon
If you want one look that works for almost every holiday event, this is it. Part your hair cleanly, smooth it back to the nape, twist, and fold it under into a low roll. Pin from underneath the fold, angling up and through the roll, so you catch the bulk of the hair and not just the surface. A Petite Power Pin holds most chignons. Long, thick hair will want a Power Pin. Here's my full chignon tutorial.
Pair it with a strong earring. That's the whole point of this look.
The French twist with a little height
A French twist feels festive without trying too hard. For the holidays, I like a bit more volume at the crown than I'd do for daytime. Tease the crown lightly at the root, smooth the surface, then twist from the nape upward and tuck the ends into the roll. One French twist hair pin through the center of the roll is your anchor. For a long night, add two or three small U-shaped pins along the seam. My French twist guide walks through the full technique.
The soft quarter-up
For anyone who wants their hair down but still finished, take just the top section at the crown, twist it into a small knot, and secure it with two small U-shaped pins from opposite sides. It's the same idea as the quarter-up Dakota Johnson recently wore, and it's perfect for a dinner party or a more relaxed gathering.
The undone bun
For a cocktail party, a bun with some texture and a few loose pieces around the face looks relaxed and expensive at the same time. Work with second-day hair or add texture spray. Twist loosely, wrap, and anchor with one pin through the base. Then pull out a few face-framing pieces and loosen the top slightly with your fingers. Because the bun is secure underneath, you can relax the surface without it falling apart.
How to make any holiday updo last until midnight
Anchor at the base. The pin has to reach the hair at your scalp. If it's only holding the outside of the bun, it'll start sliding after the first hug.
Build before you finish. For a long night, put in a few small pins first to secure the structure, then add your main pin. Support underneath, polish on top.
Plan for the coat. High styles get crushed by collars and scarves. Low and mid-height shapes survive outerwear much better.
Skip the plastic clip. Claw clips are convenient, but they're bulky under a coat, they dig in when you sit back, and they rarely look as polished as the outfit.
Decide what the pin is for. For a seamless look, choose a pin in your exact hair shade so it disappears. For a little shine, wear a gold pin on the outside of the bun as the accessory. Our Metals collection was made for exactly that.
Dressing up for something bigger? Read how to make an updo look expensive, explore the full hairpin guide, or find your hair pin.