Main content

7 Shoulder Length Hairstyles For Wavy Hair

photo of blonde woman with shoulder length wavy hair

There’s been so much focus on down-to-there hair and pixie cuts lately that it seems like shoulder length hair often gets lost in the mix. However, shoulder length hair is really the unsung hero of the hair world. It’s short enough to have some of the same low-maintenance benefits of shorter haircuts and long enough to make any updo attainable.

If you and your shoulder length hair are in a styling rut, we’ve rounded up seven styles bound to turn heads.

Wet And Wavy

A wet look is a great way to way to show off your hair’s natural texture. To begin, fill up a spray bottle with water and spritz your hair until it is damp. If you’re concerned about making sure your hair feels hydrated, use a spray leave in conditioner—the liquid formula will dampen your hair while ensuring your hair feels hydrated.

Once your hair is saturated (but not soaking wet) work a light hold gel through your hair to set your texture. Allow your hair to dry before walking out of the door and your hair will look chic and shiny all day long.

Tucked Behind The Ears

If you need an elegant hairdo but are short on time, consider a style that’s tucked behind the ears. Crafting the style without altering your natural hair texture creates an beautiful contrast between the polished front and the wavy back of your locks.

To begin, part your hair down the middle and apply a medium hold styling pomade to the front section of your hair. Take two 1-inch sections at the front of your head (on either side of your part) and brush them both smooth behind your ears. After you’ve tucked both pieces behind your ears, secure them at your nape with a clear elastic.

Half Up Top Knot

This casual style is perfect for brunch with your girlfriends or a day running errands. Simply gather the top half of your hair in a ponytail and fasten with a hair elastic. Then, wrap your ponytail around itself until you form a bun and secure the bun with several bobby pins.

Big Barrel Curls

Wavy hair is absolutely a part of the curly hair family, but even wavy ladies occasionally want to slay big, bouncy curls. Start at the back of your head, working with 2-inch sections of clean, dry hair. Spray each one with heat protectant before wrapping it around a 2-inch curling iron barrel.

Hold or clamp each section of hair until just heated through, approximately 30-60 seconds (depending on your hair’s thickness). Continue curling 2-inch sections of your hair until you’ve completed your entire head.

Pin Straight and Side Swept

We love being able to slay our natural hair textures, but every once and awhile it’s fun to switch things up. If you’re looking to shake up your look for your next event, opt for pin straight hair.

Begin at the back of your head, working with 2-inch sections of clean, dry hair. Spray each one with a heat protectant and slowly pass over it with a flat iron followed by a comb. If necessary, do an additional pass with the flat iron to get your hair as straight and sleek as possible. Continue flat ironing 2-inch sections of hair until you’ve completed your entire head.

Make a deep side part on the left or right side of your head. Then, brush the smaller section of hair back and away from your face, securing it with several bobby pins. If you’d like to take your style to the next level, consider swapping out your regular bobby pins for a bedazzled, broach-like hair clip.

Jumbo Crimped Hair

Crimped hair is officially back in style. Lucky for you, your wavy texture means you don’t have to do much in order to jump on the bandwagon. We’d describe jumbo crimped hair as the love child of a crimper and a curling wand. To pull it off, all you’ll need is a flat iron.

Start at the back of your head, working with 2-inch sections of clean, dry hair. Spray each one with a heat protectant before clamping the base of the section with your flat iron. Once clamped, flip the flat iron down and hold it for 15 seconds. Then, move your flat iron down the section of hair, flip the flat iron up, and hold it. Continue twisting the flat iron up and down until you reach the bottom of the section.

Once you’ve crimped your whole head, set your look with a flexible hold hairspray.

Rolled Headband Updo

Wavy, shoulder length hair is the perfect texture and length for this hairstyle. To create this look, all you’ll need is an elastic headband and a few bobby pins. While a plain elastic headband will work, we think it’s much more fun to go with a bedazzled option to add glitz to this look.

To begin, place your headband on top of your hair so that it wraps around your entire head. The bejeweled part of the headband should sit an inch from your hairline. Then, take the section of hair in front of your right ear and pull it back and tuck it into your headband. Repeat the same steps with the section of hair in front of your left ear. Continue tucking the hair into your headband until the headband is completely covered and your hair feels secure. This is a party style if we’ve ever seen one.

Orientation message
For the best experience, please turn your device