Celebrity Summer Short Hairstyles to Recreate: Get the look

Have straight, thin hair? In sweltering weather—or even if the wind picks up—a low bun pulls straight hair back and keeps it from sticking to the face. “Plus, a pulled-back style with braids and knotted twists adds fun texture,” says celebrity hairstylist and founder of Beachwaver Co. Sarah Potempa. And since straight strands don’t always hold a style well, Potempa says, “I use a braid balm to add grip.”

Get the look:

1. Work a palmful of a foam (like Beachwaver Braid Balm) into dry hair. Next, create a middle part, and at the back, section out a center 2″ portion of hair; clip up the rest of hair.
2. French-braid the left-out section of hair, starting at the back of the crown down to the nape of the neck; secure. Next, unclip hair and place in a low ponytail.
3. Split the pony into a top and bottom section to create two staggered loops, then wrap and twist around each other; pin in place and set with hair spray.

A topknot pulls hair off the neck to help you stay cool. “Plus, it’s versatile and works for almost all lengths,” says hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons, who has worked with Jennifer Lopez. “And its structure helps tame coarse, thick strands.” Bonus: an “undone” topknot ensures that if strands fall out, it looks intentional.

Get the look:

1. Use a blow-dryer to rough-dry damp hair. Then mix a dime-size amount each of serum (like TRESemmé Weightless Silk Serum) and hairspray together. Work through hair with fingers.
2. Brush hair back; secure into a high pony. Tease hair in the tail, then wrap around an elastic to form a bun.
3. Pin the bun into place, then gently tug on hair in the bun to loosen some pieces. Set with hair spray.

“This hairstyle is great for curly hair because it allows for lots of natural movement and airflow,” says hairstylist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew, who created this look on Kerry Washington. Plus, it works on all hair lengths! “It’s modern and chic, and so easy to do at home!” The key to fighting frizz and adding healthy shine, she says? Using a leave-in conditioner.

Get the look:

1. Work a dollop of leave-in conditioner through hair and twirl fingers through sections to help tame frizz and define curls.
2. Middle-part hair, then brush back and secure into a pony at the center of the back of the head with a hair clamp (like PuffCuff Junior).
3. Tease sections of hair in the tail near the clamp to create even more va-va-volume.

A breezy bob allows cool air to circulate around the shoulders and neck. “This style is also flattering because it accentuates the jawline and collarbones,” says Fitzsimons. What’s more, the flared-out ends create the illusion of thicker hair and “the side part adds lift to fine locks to create volume on top,” he explains.

Get the look:

1. Mist a detangler spray (like NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Repair Leave-in Conditioner & Detangler) on damp hair, then brush through.
2. Blow-dry hair in 2″ sections with a round brush, pulling hair up and out at the roots, and flip hair outward at the ends. Repeat until all of hair is dry.
3. Smooth out any frizz with a flat iron (we prefer a steam styler like Wavytalk Steamline Pro) and emphasize flipped ends.

An undone hairstyle lifts up the bulk of hair for a cooling effect, “and the less perfect it is, the better it looks,” says celebrity hairstylist Kiki Heitkotter, who created this look on Busy Philipps. “It’s also easy to achieve and will withstand hot, humid temps.” And even if hair gets unruly, it will add to the style’s unstructured look. Heitkotter recommends a thickening spray to add volume and texture, then letting hair dry naturally.

Get the look:

1. Spritz dry hair with a thickening spray (like Roz Hair Air Thickening Spray), then scrunch strands with your head upside down to enhance wavy texture. Tip: If you don’t have wavy hair but like the look, you can create loose waves with a large 2″ barrel curling iron.
2. Brush hair back, leaving a tendril out on each side in front, secure into a loose ponytail.
3. Twist the pony so the tail points toward the top of the head; position into place with a claw clip, leaving the ends out and loose. Set with hair spray.

A bun with loose tendrils is the best of both worlds: It’s got flair and beauty, but the hairstyle is up for hot weather. And it frames the face to highlight beautiful features, says Jackson Simmonds, a hairstylist at the Julien Farel Salon in New York City, who’s worked with Carol Burnett and Jill Zarin. This combination helps the style appear somewhat “undone” from the start, so if any pieces happen to fall out throughout the celebration, it will look intentional.

Get the look:

1. Make a center part, then back-comb hair at the crown to add texture and help create an “anchor” for the bun.
2. Split hair into two sections in back and secure each into a low ponytail, leaving a 3-inch section of hair out on each side in front. Twist the two tails together to form a figure-8 shape in back; pin into place.
3. Wrap the loose tendrils in front around a curling iron; when cool, gently brush through with fingers. Set with hair spray.

Positioning a ponytail at the top of the crown pulls focus upward, so features look lifted and youthful. And as the tail swings from side to side, it acts like a fan that helps keep the neck cool. Plus, says hairstylist Larry Sims, who created this look for Gabrielle Union, infusing the style with “flippy” ends adds flirty, feminine flair.

Get the look:

1. Blow-dry damp hair with a round brush. Once hair is dry, run a flat iron through strands to smooth out any frizz.
2. Brush hair back and secure into a ponytail at the top of the crown. Take a 1-inch section of hair from the tail and wrap around the base of the pony; pin in place.
3. Run a flat iron through the ends, flipping hair outward. Set with hairspray.

Styling shorter strands so they’re sleek yet voluminous ensures hair looks more “wow” than wash-and-go. This style also allows the breeze to blow on your face to keep you cool when you’re mingling among a crowd.

Get the look:

1. Work a dollop of mousse through damp hair from roots to ends to help prop strands up and off of the scalp.
2. Blow-dry 1-inch sections of hair with a round brush, pulling strands up and out at the root for added volume.
3. Part hair to the side and pull back a 1-inch section on one side. Pin back above the temple. Set with hairspray.

Infusing a ponytail with volume visually thickens finer hair and gives the casual style a “chicer” look, says hairstylist Carrie Butterworth, who’s worked with Sigourney Weaver and Mena Suvari. And sweeping the tail to one side allows air to hit the neck so you won’t overheat while outside.

Get the look:

1. Back-comb hair at the roots to create fullness all around. Make a side part, then wrap one-inch sections of hair around a curling iron. After hair is curled, gently comb through with fingers.
2. Secure hair into a low side ponytail so hair rests on one shoulder.
3. Wrap a one-inch section of hair from the tail around the elastic; pin in place. Next, gently tug out small pieces of hair around the face. Set with hairspray.

Pulling the front half of hair up into a high ponytail helps keep the bulk of long locks off of the face to avoid overheating. Plus, the soft waves and angelic style help counteract the harsh angles of a square jawline, says celebrity hairstylist Lee Stafford, who has worked with Naomi Campbell and Victoria Beckham.

Get the look:

1. Curl one-inch sections of hair with a curling iron and let cool, then comb through with fingers.
2. Pull hair from ear to ear into a crown-placed ponytail; secure with an elastic.
3. Wrap a two-inch section of hair from the tail around the elastic; pin.

Sweeping hair into a bun allows the breeze to cool off the face and neck. And one that looks “undone” ensures the style appears intentional if the weather messes it up, says Daniel Koye. “Plus, the texture from a teased bun that rests at the back of the crown distracts from a small, sharp chin in front, while loose, side-swept tendrils hide a bigger forehead.

Get the look:

1. Create a deep side part, then blow-dry two-inch sections of hair using the round brush, lifting strands up and off of the scalp to create even more volume.
2. Wrap two-inch sections of hair around the curling iron until all of hair is curled. Next, leave out a two-inch section of hair on each side in front, then secure the rest of hair into a high ponytail at the back of the crown.
3. Back-comb hair in the tail, then fan out the teased strands around the pony’s base. Pin various strands into place for a tousled look. Set with hairspray.