27 Timeless Holiday Hairstyles You Can Recreate Yourself

Something about the holidays makes it extra fun to get dressed up, more so than at any other time of the year. Depending on our plans and the year, we're often left deciding whether we want to get all dressed up for special events and the spirit of being festive, or keep things extremely casual as we lay low at home. Wardrobe aside, our hair has the power to transform us—I mean, it is one of our best accessories. Whatever you decide to do to celebrate from Thanksgiving to the New Year, dressy or casual, creating a timeless style for your hair can elevate your look and your entire mood. Below, we've rounded up 27 timeless hairstyles to inspire every hair type for the holiday season and beyond.

01 of 27

Holiday Glam

Erin Moriarty wears classic Hollywood curls, red lipstick, and winged liner — Getty Images

A deep side part, classic Hollywood waves, and a bold red lip? This is an all-around timeless beauty look, making it great for a festive get-together or your company's holiday Zoom party. To replicate, all you need to do is wrap sections of your hair around a one-inch curling iron, going in the same direction all the way around the head. Once the hair is cool, brush through the curls to soften them up, and finalize your desired shape with some hairspray.

02 of 27

Half-Up Bun

Skai Jackson wears a half-up high bun hairstyle with natural curls — @skaijackson

High and tight half-up hairstyles have become a timeless staple to keep in our repertoires. Wrapping your ends into a festive bun makes this look perfect for your holiday attire.

03 of 27

Clipped Up

Back of blonde woman's updo hairstyle with adorned gold clips — @leletny

If you have brittle, over-processed hair that needs a break from heat and hair ties this holiday season, adorn your strands with a few clips or barrettes to avoid further breakage. They'll add a chic, effortless look to your holiday 'do.

04 of 27

Black Velvet

There's no better time of year to bust out the black velvet. The dress, the bows, the chokers, and even the headbands: You can't go wrong with a black velvet accent in your holiday hairdo.

05 of 27

Soft Volume

Laura Harrier wears voluminous shoulder-length wavy hair — @lauraharrier

Soft, touchable volume is a timeless look that deserves to be captured in moments big and small, so you can always remember your best hair days.

06 of 27

Barrette Bouquet

Side of woman's short natural hairstyle with multiple gold floral hair clips — @leletny

Spring may be the season for fresh florals, but the holidays are a time for metallic buds. Keep the timeless look alive with a little extra sheen by way of these pins from Lelet NY.

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07 of 27

Sparkle Stack

Woman with wavy dirty blonde hair and intricate daisy gold bobby pin stack — @jenniferbehr

Everything should shine a little brighter around the holidays, hair included. A simple stack of bright pins is an easy fix when you want to keep things casual but remain festive.

08 of 27

Elevated Norms

Olivia Rodrigo wears a sleek, elevated ponytail hairstyle — Getty Images

Whatever your go-to hair style is, turn it up a notch to make your hair into a timeless holiday 'do. Olivia Rodrigo's ponytail becomes an elevated yet simple, classy style with its clean parting, sleek pull, and flowing volume.

09 of 27

Pony Cuffs

Blonde looped ponytail with colorful bedazzled hair cuffs — @leletny

Pony cuffs are a timeless touch to pair with minimal attire. The look is glitzy, but the placement keeps the statement super subdued.

10 of 27

Major Bow-ment

Hailey Bieber wears a high ponytail hairstyle with an oversized black bow — Getty Images

Bows are the "it" accessory for the holiday season. Using an oversized bow to match or even counteract the rest of your ensemble is a sure way to have this simple statement stand out.

11 of 27

Pearl Accents

Back of woman's voluminous curly ponytail with golden and pearl-encrusted bobby pins — @leletny

Pearls are a delicate, holiday-friendly detail. You can basically do as little or as much to your hair as desired and any amount of pearl accents will keep your 'do classy.

12 of 27

Adorned Bubbles

Tessa Thompson wears a bubble ponytail with black bows — Getty Images

A bubbled ponytail is always an eye catcher. Give your bubble ponytails a little extra holiday flair by tying a small ribbon at every notch.

13 of 27

Turn Up the Volume

For some of us, bigger is always better, especially when it comes to glam. Turning up the volume with some beautifully shaped, brushed out curls is a super fun way to give your hair a voice that says, "It's time to celebrate."

14 of 27

Golden Headbands

Amandla Stenberg wears a curly Afro hairstyle with golden and bedazzled headbands — Getty Images

We love the way this crown-like headband pulls the hair back and accentuates the beauty of Amandla Stenberg's natural curls. This is a great holiday look if you want to wear your hair down but still keep it off your neck and face while sporting a chunky necklace or turtleneck.

15 of 27

Textured Ribbons

Back of half-up blonde hairstyle with floral patterned velvet bow — @leletny

'Tis the season for bows. We love a good hair bow for the holidays, and giving it a little extra something, like a playful pattern or interesting texture—or both—is a great way to adorn your strands for any special occasion or celebration.

16 of 27

Extra Glitzy

Woman with multicolored bedazzled bobby pins holding hair swept across forehead — @leletny

If you have stick-straight hair and are looking for a timeless new 'do, chalk your hair full of Oribe's Dry Texture spray and create a little hair wrap. This is a super unique, fun updo to try. Part your hair behind one ear and begin to gently tease your hair forward, following the curvature of your head and pinning as you go. Let the ends nest on top near the crown. Hide (or complement) your pins with some glitzy accessories when you're through.

If your hair is too thick or slippery to hold this shape, use a wet product to give it some hold, like BedHead's Queen for a Day, and blow dry the hair in the direction you want to pin it in until it's fully dry.

17 of 27

Hint of Red

Keke Palmer wears a set of red goddess braids — Getty Images

Let's be honest, goddess braids are a timeless style year 'round. They're also a great way to add your favorite holiday color into the mix. Pair them with a monochromatic neutral outfit to really let the hair stand out.

18 of 27

Chandelier Updos

Sasha Lane wears an intricate updo with silver hair accessories — @makeupvincent

If you're looking to style your locs or braids into a timeless style, you have the power of sculpting unforgettable shapes on your side. An exaggerated beehive, bouffant, or topknot can all get a tinge of holiday spirit with garlands of jewels or chains thoughtfully wrapped around them.

19 of 27

Braids to Bun

Making your braided rows ultra-thick and texturized keeps them looking softer and fuller. A deep red lip can tie your beauty efforts together for a timeless holiday glam that's unforgettably chic.

20 of 27

Wavy Bobs

Lucy Boynton wears a wavy bob hairstyle — Getty Images

If you're trying to steer clear of beach waves this time of year, opt for brushed out ringlets, sculpted waves, and subtle movement in shorter cuts. We're loving the way these gentle flat iron waves on bob length hair make such a simple yet sophisticated statement.

21 of 27

Gems

Janelle Monae wears a ponytail braid with many bedazzled barrettes — Getty Images

Bring on the sparkle. More gems, more glitter, more sequins, more shine. The holidays are the time of year to go all in and have it translate as timeless rather than costume-y, so why not just go for it?

22 of 27

Sleek Chignons

Laura Harrier wears a sleek low chignon updo — @lauraharrier

Make your glam shine for the holidays. Pick up a can of restorative shine spray like this olive oil spray from ORS to use on your hair and skin. It'll keep your chignons looking sleek and your collarbones extra dewy.

23 of 27

Casual Bouffants

Victoria Pedretti wears a teased bouffant updo with pearl bobby pins and cat-eye sunglasses — Getty Images

High volume at the crown and soft draping at the sides are what characterize a timeless bouffant. Keep the hair's texture dry and natural for a casual approach to this classic style.

24 of 27

Glass Hair

Greta Lee wears a sleek bob hairstyle with a deep side part — Getty Images

All is bright this time of year, and your hair should be too. For a glassy style that won't budge, set hair in place with a good primer like BedHead's Queen for a Day. Blow-drying this product into the hair will help it hold its shape, and finishing each section off with a flat brush and some hair spray will ensure it doesn't move all night. Top it off with a light mist shine spray for that glass-like effect.

25 of 27

Bangs, Please

Joan Smalls wears a long bob with bangs — Getty Images

Bangs are a statement and style all on their own. Micro bangs, curtain bangs, or even a blunt fringe—there's no wrong option this time of year. All bangs are a timeless yes in our books for the season.

26 of 27

Icy White Curls

Woman with platinum blonde natural curly hair and red lipstick — @colorwowhair

If you're already rocking bleach blonde strands, this is the time of year to ask your colorist to go icy white. It's an easy transition from where you're at that you can easily bounce back from when the snow clears away. There's no time like the present.

27 of 27

Tight Half-Up

Laura Harrier wears a sleek half-back hairstyle — @lauraharrier

A sleek and chic tightened half-up style is great to show off those holiday earrings or the shoulder cleavage accentuated from your little black dress.

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