8 Ways to Do an Updo When You Have Short Hair

By Erin Lukas
Updated Jan 10, 2019 @ 11:11 am
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Saying goodbye to braids, ponytails, and buns is one reason that makes cutting off all of your hair so terrifying. But if getting a trendy short haircut makes you nervous because you think you'll be limited on how you can style your hair, breathe a sigh of relief: You don't need Rapunzel-length hair to wear it up. 

With a little bit of creativity, the updo options for shorter hair can be endless. Plus, since you're working with less length, a updo for short hair can actually be less time-consuming than doing one on long hair. Just take some of the red carpet looks created by top celebrity hairstylist as examples. Case in point: Tessa Thompson's pinned-up curls and Lucy Hale's messy half-up, half-down look. 

Whether you have curly hair, love a side braid, want to create more volume, or use that bobby pin stash you've been holding on to, the following easy celebrity updo hairstyles are perfect for short hair. 

VIDEO: Beauty School: How to Hack a Perkier Ponytail

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Tessa Thompson's Pinned-Up Curls 

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Tessa Thompson pinned up her curls to create an undone, effortless bun on the crown of her head. 

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Nina Dobrev's Low Ponytail 

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Bangs are a style on their own, but add a low ponytail at the nape of your neck, and you have one of the easiest updos you can possibly do on a bob. 

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Kristen Stewart's Twisted Updo

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Who would have thought the hair snaps you wore in middle school could be this cool? Leave it to Kristen Stewart to turn a nostalgic hair accessory into an edgy red carpet look. She used the snaps to twist and hold back her grown-out pixie cut. 

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Lucy Hale's Half-Up, Half-Down Style 

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If some of your layers are too short to make it into your pony, a half-up, half-down look is a solid alternative. 

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Sarah Paulson's Triple Buns

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When you don't have enough length to do a single updo, make like Sarah Paulson and style your hair in three small buns down the back of your head. 

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Lupita Nyong'o's Braided Updo

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It's all in the details: The Black Panther star added three small braids before pulling back her hair. 

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Saoirse Ronan's Dressed-Up Top Knot 

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Dress up a tiny topknot with a bit of hair jewelry like Saoirse Ronan did. Simply wrap the accessory around the base of your bun, and you're good to go. 

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Kristen Bell's Braided Chignon

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When you combine a chignon with a ponytail, you get the perfect updo for short hair. Instead of rolling or tucking Kristen Bell's ends under after creating her French twist, celebrity hairstylist Jenny Cho tied them into a pony. 

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