Hairstyles for special occasions matter. A wedding, a graduation, a birthday, whatever the event, a beautiful and elegant hairstyle helps you feel confident and ready. Natural hair can be styled in many different ways to suit any occasion, from chic updos to flowing curls, and below, I'll walk you through some of the best natural hairstyles for special occasions, plus tutorials and tips for creating these styles at home.
Weddings
Weddings are one of the most significant events where people want to look their best, and for natural hair, there are many elegant and chic styles to choose from. A classic updo is a perfect option. It looks polished and sophisticated. Take the French twist: a sleek and elegant updo that can be dressed up with accessories like a hairpin or flowers, created by pulling your hair back, twisting it into a bun, and securing it with bobby pins or hair ties. For a more romantic look, try a braided updo, which involves braiding your hair into a bun or other style, adorned with flowers or a jeweled hairpin for a touch of glamour.
Graduations
One popular graduation style is the crown braid, a beautiful and elegant style that looks great on many hair textures, created by braiding the hair around the head, forming a "crown" of braids that can be accessorized with a headband or flowers. Another option is the half-up, half-down style. Classic and easy. Pull the hair up into a half ponytail while leaving the rest down for a relaxed, effortless feel.
Birthdays
For a birthday, try something more playful and fun, like a curly ponytail or a voluminous blowout, since a curly ponytail works great for tighter curls. Pull the hair back into a high or low ponytail and let the curls fall naturally, or if you have looser curls or wavy hair, try a voluminous blowout: blow-dry with a diffuser and add volume with a styling product.
Tutorials & Tips
For a French twist, start by pulling your hair back and securing it in a low ponytail, then twist the ponytail up towards the crown of your head, tucking the ends under and securing with bobby pins. For a braided updo, create a braid on either side of your head, then pin them up into a bun, and for the crown braid, divide the hair into two sections, braid each, then wrap them around the head and secure with bobby pins. For the half-up, half-down style, keep it simple. Pull the top half of your hair back and secure with a hair tie or clip. For a curly ponytail, keep it simple. Pull your hair back and let the curls fall naturally.
Finish strong. For a voluminous blowout, blow-dry with a diffuser, use a styling product to add volume, and finish with a light hairspray. Natural hair can be styled in so many ways for special occasions. From elegant updos to playful curls, the options are all yours.
