Party Hairstyles for Every Length

When a party beckons after work, is your hair up to the challenge? Here are some easy ways to dress up your tresses.

Easy Party Hairstyle for Long Hair

Make some waves by setting hair in Zulu knots. Mist a 2-inch section with hair spray and wind it around until hair buckles back on itself, then secure at the scalp with a bobby pin. Continue making knots all over, leaving the front straight. Remove the pins after 10-15 minutes and shake your hair loose as you bend from the waist, then smooth the front back with a narrow headband.

Photo by: Tom Carson
Hair by: The Brown Aveda Institute, Mentor, OH

Easy Party Hairstyle for Mid-Length Hair

To add bouncy curls to a layered bob, comb in side part, mist sections with strong hold finishing spray and set in heated rollers. Use medium barreled ones in front, large at the center and small at the bottom. Wait 15 minutes and remove. Loosen individual curls with the edge of a tail comb or a coffee stirrer. Or, reform curls into waves in front so they lie flat to the head, letting curls go free in back. Decorate with a strand of pearls, wearing it like a headband, for a '50s retro feel. You need with a gap between them; that's where you'll put the bobby pins to hold the necklace in place.

Photo by: Tom Carson Hair by: Ladies & Gentlemen Salon & Spa, Mentor, OH

Party Hairstyle Idea for Short Hair

Do a pin curl set. Begin by misting a section with hairspray and wind hair with the fingers, then go over the section with a flat iron. Voila - you get an instant curl! For a long, fairly wild night, use firm-hold hairspray. You can take hair either side or take it back from the face, fingering through the curls and clipping them with jeweled hair accessories for a Greek-inspired style.

Photo by: Tom Carson
Hair by: The Brown Aveda Institute, Mentor, OH

The Finishing Touch

Use wax pomade for shine and separation, or for more hold, use styling paste. Either way, finishing products should be run through to the ends of the curls to break them up.