There's no better excuse than the holiday season to break out of your self-inflicted hair rut by road-testing a new style. Think about it: Your friend's intimate Secret Santa gift-exchange, or your company's annual party are two of the many occasions you'll be attending that call for you to spend a little extra time on your hair instead of resorting to the usual air-dried waves you rely on during the workweek.
Don't know where to start? The red carpet is full of hairstyle inspiration, whether you want to wear your strands down or try your hand at an updo to really switch things up. From Rihanna's high half-up half-down ponytail to Gigi Hadid's side-swept, retro waves, these styles are easy to recreate at home, as long as your willing to add a few more minutes to your styling session.
Here, we have the best celebrity party hairstyles that are perfect for every event on your cal this holiday season.
VIDEO: 3 of the Most Expensive Perfumes
Gigi Hadid's Side-Swept Waves
When it comes to holiday hair, you can’t go wrong with glamorous side-swept waves like Gigi Hadid’s. Once you’ve curled your hair using a one-inch wand and brushed your waves over one shoulder, spritz a shine-boosting spray like Moroccanoil’s Glimmer Shine ($28; sephora.com) all over for a glossy finish.
Rihanna's Half-Up Half-Down High Ponytail
Rihanna took the half-up half-down ponytail to new heights by sweeping the top layers of her hair up into a pony at the crown of her head. Consider it an upgrade from the style you usually wear at the gym or chilling in your pajamas with a face mask on while laying on your couch. If you have curls like Rihanna’s, treat them with a nourishing spray specifically tailored for your hair type like DEVA CURL's SET IT FREE Moisture Lock Finishing Spray ($22; sephora.com). This product keeps curls hydrated, defined, and shiny.
Kate Mara's Pearl Hair Pins
Holiday hair doesn’t have to involve sparkly pins. Case in point: Kate Mara swapped glitter for elegant pearl hair accessories. After pulling the actress’ hair into a sleek ponytail, Mara’s stylist Ryan Richman used the Pearl Pin Set ($38; chloeandisabel.com) from celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin’s Chloe + Isabel hair accessories collaboration to twist and pin down the tail.
Hailey Baldwain's Side-Parted Lob
The easiest way to make your lob feel like an entirely new haircut? Switch up the part. Take a cue from Hailey Baldwin and brush your front layers back towards the opposite side of your part. Not only will it transform your style, it will also add extra volume and body to your strands. The best part? If you’re growing out your bangs, the part flip is the perfect trick for getting your fringe out of your face. If you’re going to style your lob into beachy waves like Baldwin’s, blast your strands with a texturizing spray like L’Oreal Professionnel’s Tecni.Art Wild Stylers Next Day Hair Texturizing Spray ($28; ulta.com) for an piece-y, effortless finish.
Kate Holmes's Slicked-Back Pixie
Don't think you have any styling options when you have a pixie haircut? Think again. Katie Holmes parted her hair to the side and slicked her layers back with a lightweight pomade. Prep your hair with a leave-in cream like Alterna Haircare's Caviar CC Cream ($26; sephora.com) which boosts shine, moisture, SPF protection, and prevents breakage.
Rita Ora's Red Hair Ribbon
An example that hair ribbons aren’t just for school girls: the red ribbon that Rita Ora added to her ponytail. Her look’s messy, textured finish keeps the accessory from looking too juvenile. The best part? This style was made for second-day hair and will take you under five minutes to do. Before pulling your hair up into a pony, blast strands with a texturizing dry shampoo like Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray ($46; nordstrom.com) for movement and body.
Emily Ratajkowski's Half-Up Half-Down Bouffant
If you’ve grown tired of this year’s hairstyle trends, why not make like Emily Ratajkowski and look to the ‘60s for inspiration? The star wore a retro half-up half-down bouffant of which Brigitte Bardot would definitely approve to an event in L.A. Use a round brush like Harry Josh’s ($60; dermstore.com) when blowing out your hair for extra body and bounce.
Selena Gomez's Messy Updo
If the twisted updo that you wore to your senior prom has made you swear off the hairstyle, Selena Gomez’s messy updo will convince you to give the style a second shot. Gomez’s stylist Marissa Marino created the singer’s updo by pulling her lob up into a low bun at the nape of her neck. The pro used bobby pins to loosely pin back Gomez’s bangs and shorter layers for a textured finish. For extra volume, run Pantene Pro-V’s Sheer Volume Body Boosting Mousse ($5; target.com) through your hair when it’s still damp.
Yara Shahidi's Low Ponytail
Sweep your natural curls into a low ponytail like Yara Shahidi’s for an easy party-ready look. Treat your hair with a hydrating mask like Flawless by Gabrielle Union’s Hair Repair Masque ($29; ulta.com) once a week to keep your natural hair moisturized, strong, and healthy.
Camila Cabello's Braid
If you’re like us, you’ve never seen a braid you haven’t liked, including Camila Cabello’s low plait. Instead of pulling the singer’s hair back super sleek, Cabello’s stylist Dimitris Giannetos curled her hair into loose waves to give the style extra body and texture before tying it up into a low ponytail and braiding it. Giannetos spritzed Cabello’s damp roots with L’Oréal Paris' Advanced Hairstyle Air Dry It Wave Swept Spray ($6; walgreens.com) to for more volume and to enhance her natural waves.
Serena Williams's Three-Tiered Ponytail
When wearing a ponytail this holiday season, consider three tiers better than one. Serena Williams's hairstylist Vernon François sectioned the tennis player's tail off with two gold accents, and wrapped gold vine around the base. The stylist used the Leave-In Conditioner ($28; sephora.com) from his namesake haircare line on the ends of Williams's ponytail to protect her hair.
Nicole Kidman's Assymmetrical Long Bob
In the case of Nicole Kidman's asymmetrical bob, simple doesn't automatically equal boring. Emphasize the precision of your cut by wearing your strands sleek and straight. Run Neutrogena's Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-In Cream ($9; walgreens.com) through your damp hair before styling it to prevent and repair dryness and frizz caused by using hot tools.
