Young woman in front of her mirror adjusting her hair before a night out
That mirror moment when your hair sets the tone for the evening

You know the moment. It's Saturday, around 6pm, and you're standing in front of the mirror in a lovely outfit with hair that stubbornly refuses to cooperate. A dinner, a wedding, a night out with friends: at times like these, hair does at least half the work. The good news is that current trends favour soft ties, lived-in texture and details that look improvised — which is handy, because nobody really wants to spend an hour on their hair. I'll be honest: I haven't tested all of these myself. Some come from demonstrations and how-to guides, but all can be done at home without professional kit. Here are seven styles, from the simplest to the most involved.

Comb, gold hair pins, velvet scrunchie and hair oil on a dressing table
Comb, gold pins and a velvet scrunchie lined up on the dressing table

A romantic, structured braided bun

A low, slightly undone bun is crossed by a flat plait that starts at the forehead, follows the curve of the skull and blends into the bun. The look is neat without being strict. There are two options depending on your face: leave a few fine strands loose at the temples to soften your features, or sweep everything back to expose the neck — this version calls for large statement earrings.

Product-style image inspired by gold statement earrings
Product photo inspired by gold statement earrings
Low bun crossed with a flat plait along the scalp, seen from behind
The low bun wrapped with a flat plait — polished without being severe
Low bun with a flat plait following the scalp, seen from behind, large gold earring
A flat plait that follows the scalp and melts into the bun

An off-centre wavy ponytail

A low ponytail fixed near the nape, soft waves through the mid-lengths and ends, a few loose strands around the face. The off-centre tie instantly kills any schoolgirl vibe. For a clean finish, wrap a fine strand around the hair tie to hide it, or use an invisible hair tie. In truth, this is the quickest style to rescue when you're running late.

Low off-centre ponytail with waves, seen from behind
A low, off-centre wavy ponytail that immediately loses the schoolgirl feel

Glossy, bouncy curls

A large-barrel curling tong, or a hairdryer blow-dry with a round brush, creates wide, glossy curls. Part your hair in the middle or to the side depending on your face shape, then add a veil of flexible hairspray or a shine spray. The curls stay mobile and catch the light: this is the fastest option for long hair, and the most forgiving.

Long, large glossy curls with a centre parting, seen from three-quarter back
Big, glossy curls — the quickest option for long hair

A beginner-friendly braided half-up

Part your hair from the temples, make two fine flat plaits either side of the parting, then bring them back behind your head to form a half-up ponytail. The lengths stay loose, straight or curled. Allow ten minutes and a few hair pins. It's the perfect compromise between polished and natural, without the overdone feel of a full bun.

Braided half-up: two fine flat plaits brought back behind the head
Two fine flat plaits brought into a half-up behind the head

A dressed-up bun with added braids

For big occasions, a large bun surrounded by fine braids remains a safe bet: a solid base, then braids wrapped around the bun to create relief and rich texture. It requires a certain dexterity, or an experienced person on hand. A discreet accessory — a gold hair clip, a decorative comb — can do part of the work for you. Best kept for evenings without intensive dancing.

Large bun surrounded by fine braids, seen from behind, with a gold accessory
A large bun surrounded by fine braids for big occasions

A high braid that always works

Hair slicked at the scalp, a braid placed high, the hair tie hidden under a wrapped strand: done. It also works on mid-length hair, provided you're happy with a shorter tail. And if the braid isn't perfectly even, so much the better — a little softness suits it. The style shapes the silhouette in one move.

High braid slicked at the scalp, seen in profile, falling over one shoulder
Slicked at the scalp, a high braid shapes the silhouette in one move

A soft bun and a headband

For anyone who hates tight buns: wear it high, with volume at the top, created with a headband or a fabric band pushed back. Gently backcomb the roots, then cover them with the top sections. The result has a controlled bohemian feel, perfect with a fluid dress that drapes softly.

High, soft bun held by a headband, seen from three-quarter back
A high, soft bun with a headband pushed back

Prep your hair and make it last

How well an evening hairstyle holds depends mostly on preparation: get the base right and everything grips better.

  • Wash your hair the day before rather than the same day; it gives hair a more cooperative texture.
  • At the roots, a texturising spray or volumising powder makes it easier to keep the style without weighing hair down.
  • Build up light veils of hairspray rather than drowning your hair in one go — this is the step that makes the difference.
  • Hair pins crossed in an X hold better than pins lined up.
  • A little lightweight oil through the mid-lengths and ends adds shine without a sticky feel.

Adapt each style to your hair type. Fine hair benefits from a textured bun or ponytail, which creates volume; thick hair handles braids and larger shapes better. If you're unsure, try it the day before, photograph the result and note how long it took — on the night, all you'll have to do is repeat it.

Hand sliding a gold pin into a bun, two pins crossed in an X
Crossed hair pins in an X for hold that lasts all evening

What it costs

There are two ways to approach it: book a salon, or do it yourself at home.

At a salon, an evening hairstyle — a worked bun, an ornate braid, a curly blow-dry — typically costs around £40–£120 depending on the city, hair length and how upmarket the salon is; in major cities or at a very in-demand slot, the range can go higher. For a wedding, it's best to book several weeks ahead and ask for a trial if the style is new to you.

On the kit side, the spend soon pays for itself: a volumising powder or texturising spray, £8–£20; a flexible hairspray, £6–£15; invisible or fabric hair ties, £3–£8 a pack; hair pins, a few pounds. For lightweight oil through the lengths, a glass bottle of organic plant oil (argan, jojoba) usually costs £10–£25 and lasts for months.

You'll find all of this at health and beauty retailers, supermarkets, health-food shops and online. A quick word on the product line-up: the most reliable flexible hairsprays are often conventional formulas — an accepted compromise, and we'd rather tell you than sell you a dream. For oils and texturising sprays, however, organic and refillable options are credible, with glass bottles and shorter ingredient lists; a refillable pot of volumising powder also avoids a single-use plastic bottle.

The main thing to remember: choose your style based on the time you have, not the one you love in a photo. A messy bun gone wrong is still a messy bun; a high braid gone wrong is not. Start with the braided half-up or the wavy ponytail — you can move up a level once the technique clicks.