Confession: I’ve always hated winter. Those first few flakes of snow that spark utter delight in my friends and family kind of fill me with dread. Three months (or more!) of short days and long nights? Freezing on the walk to the train, only to sweat bullets in my heavy coat during the commute? Bare trees and gray skies? Color me unimpressed. But there’s one thing about the wintertime that even I can’t resist: The holidays—and more specifically, holiday hairstyles.
I love the general goodwill and cheer, the food, the parties—and the glam. When you’re a beauty lover, you have yet another reason to think of the holidays as the most wonderful time of the year. Has there ever been a better excuse to bust out shimmery eyeshadow and a bright red lip than a holiday party? (No. No, there has not been.)
While there are no right or wrong ways to approach your holiday beauty looks—low-key and natural can be just as showstopping as over-the-top glitz—one thing most of us do have in common is a desire to…level up a little bit. And whether you want to live your best bombshell life in plentiful extensions and roller-set hair or just want to spruce up your go-to ponytail with some fun accessories, hair is a great way to get yourself in the seasonal spirit.
Ahead, I rounded up some of my favorite holiday hair inspo, as seen on the red carpet. From slicked-back chignons and textured ponytails to glossy coils and super stylized braids, there’s something for just about every hair texture and holiday vibe.
Slicked-Back Bun
Ariana Grande with a slicked-back bun.
Never underestimate the power of an updo, especially when you’ve got sparkly holiday jewelry to showcase. Try a slick stick, like the Andrew Fitzimons Sleek AF Hyaluronic Slick Stick, to tame flyaways and keep your bun super snatched.
Vintage Curls
Raye with retro copper hair.
I’m calling it now: We’re headed for a ‘60s revival in 2026. Get ahead of the trend curve with a vintage-inspired hairstyle this holiday season. To get Raye’s vintage curls, you’ll need hot rollers and plenty of hairspray.
Braided Bows
Nathalie Emmanuel with bow braids.
If you’re a fan of cornrows, Nathalie Emmanuel is a must-follow. The Game of Thrones star is constantly serving straight-back inspo. (And braid inspo in general, really.) Case in point: The braid bows at the ends of this sophisticated style. Dealing with style-related itchiness or tension from your braids? Use a dedicated scalp refresh spray like this one from Cécred that also makes takedown a breeze.
Face-Framing Pieces
Dove Cameron in a half-up, half-down.
An easy way to elevate the standard half-up, half-down? Leave out a couple of face-framing pieces in the front. This relatively laid-back look will create a nice juxtaposition with more dramatic, sparkly holiday makeup looks. A styling cream will keep everything smooth and in place.
Fluffy Bob
Olandria Carthen in a flipped-up bob.
The bob is arguably the cut of the decade—and there are more ways to wear one than you’d think. For glam volume (as seen here on Love Island breakout star Olandria Carthen), blow-dry with a round brush and use plenty of shine spray.
Sleek Bob
Ciara in a sleek, shiny bob.
Sleek, shiny, blunt-cut bobs were the height of modernity when they debuted over 100 years ago; today, they feel downright timeless. Opt for a center part like Ciara for a minimalist vibe. It’ll go especially well with any holiday party suiting moments.
Flippy Bob
Halle Berry in a sleek, flipped bob.
Nowhere near as voluminous as a fluffy bob, but a little bit sweeter than the super-sleek bob, a flippy bob could be your Goldilocks moment. (Bend-ylocks? I’ll see myself out.) Bumped-out ends are especially fun on French bobs. Create the effect with a smaller round brush or curlers.
Tousled Updo
Elsa Hosk in a tousled updo.
Channel your inner Pamela Anderson with a tousled updo; it's the ultimate cool-girl hair. An added bonus? It looks even better on day two (or three, or four…) with a bit of dry shampoo.
Mermaid Waves
Laura Harrier with long, mermaid waves.
Looking to go to great lengths this holiday season? Consider mermaid waves. Whether you have naturally flowing locks or enlist the help of hair extensions, a crimping iron—like the waving attachment that comes with the Mermade Hair Styling Wand—can help you get hair that flows like the sea.
Shiny Coils
Viola Davis with short, shiny curls.
The process of achieving defined coils that shine as bright as Christmas lights starts long before you plug in that diffuser. Make use of deep conditioners and hair masks (experiment to find a frequency that works best for your hair type), and sleep in satin bonnets and/or on a silk pillowcase to protect your hair at night.
Half-Up, Half-Down Curls
Chase Infiniti with a half-up, half-down.
Slicking back all of your curls and coils can take so much strength, it practically counts as arm day (speaking from experience). A half-up, half-down style achieves the same stunning effect but requires a little less muscle. For artfully laid baby hairs that don’t budge, try the Frontal Queen’s Baby Hair Control Gel.
Braided High Ponytail
Andra Day with a high, braided pony.
If you have small or medium knotless braids, piling them up into a high ponytail is an excellent way to switch up your style (and to keep your hair off your face to showcase any fun holiday makeup looks). You can wrap a few braids around the base and pin them into place, or opt for a festive oversized bow.
Wrapped in a Ribbon
Anya Taylor-Joy in a loose updo.
Is there anything more holiday-coded than a classic satin ribbon? For long, straight hairstyles, use one to tie up a ponytail (like Anya Taylor-Joy did here) or as a headband.
Fluffy Fringe
Mia Goth in a curtain fringe.
Curtain bangs and polished updos go together like…well, polished updos and dangly earrings. To keep your bangs full and fluffy, make use of a round brush, blow dryer, and these expert-approved fringe tips.
Romantic Fringe
Jenna Ortega with tousled, long hair.
Of course, if you’re taking the brush and blow dryer to your fringe, you could just go ahead and bring all that volume to the rest of your strands, too. For a more effortless, undone energy, use texture spray on loosely curled hair, then run your fingers through it.
Brushed-Out Texture
Jodie Turner-Smith with brushed-out, voluminous hair.
There’s a difference between straight hair and pin-straight hairand for the most part, it’s heat styling. If you have textured hair and crave a straighter look with more body and oomph than your usual silk press, consider brushing out and blow-drying, but skip the flat iron.
Curly Tendrils
Ice Spice with pink, curly tendrils.
Curly tendrils are about as romantic as it gets, making them the perfect accessory for strapless or off-the-shoulder tops and dresses. Pair them with cascading curls piled up at the crown, and skip the dangly earrings in favor of a statement necklace moment.
Bubble Ponytail
Kerry Washington with a bubble ponytail.
Bubble braids and ponytails are super easy to create: add ties all the way down the length of the hair, then dress it up. Throw in some sparkly pins, switch out standard elastics for fluffy scrunchies, clip some charms onto your ties: The options are endless.
Hair Gems
Lupita Nyong'o with a pearl-pinned updo.
Why stop at sparkly pins? Here, Lupita Nyong’o’s chignon is decorated with a full-on string of pearls. The matchy-matchy approach is exceptionally elegant, but if you wanted to go more playful, you could always mix and match different gemstones and metals.
Sleek Low Pony
Mindy Kaling in a low, sleek pony.
I know, I know, I’ve seen the memes too: It’s easy to get really “colonial boy” really fast when it comes to a low pony. But the style can also look impossibly sophisticated, as it does here on Mindy Kaling. Pro tip: Use a leave-in conditioner and heat protectant before any heat styling to minimize frizz as much as possible.
French Twist
Sabrina Carpenter with a tousled French twist.
You don’t have to have short hair to embrace the short hair trend. With some creative pinning, you can easily create the illusion of a cropped style. Take inspo from Sabrina Carpenter’s romantic French twist at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Why Trust Marie Claire
For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.
