12 Updos for Spring That Look Hard to Do But Actually Aren't

Sure, spring may feel like a literal eternity away, but in our opinion, it’s never too early to start prepping your hair for the new season. Our first step? Figuring out which updos we’ll be wearing as soon as the forecast picks up, because as easy as it is to throw your hair into a bun and call it a day, we’re all about going that extra mile—or, at the very least, making it appear as if we did.

Ahead, 12 spring updos that are so damn inso-worthy, you’ll be shocked that they're actually completely beginner-friendly.

1. The Black-Velvet Twist

This spring we’re taking cues from Margot Robbie and gravitating towards styles that look and feel ~high-fashion~ but take only a hot second to achieve. The key to mastering this updo is creating texture and volume before you comb your hair into a bun: Begin by raking a lightweight mousse, like Kristin Ess Volumizing Mousse ($14), through damp hair, then rough dry it with your fingers and a blow-dryer for texture. Finish off by twisting hair into a messy top knot, pinning it in place, and wrapping and tying a big, drape-y ribbon around it.

2. The Glossy Topknot

For an incredibly polished—but low, low-maintenance—style, look no further than this glossy, slicked-back topknot. Simply comb your hair into a tight bun with a dollop of pomade, then twist, and secure at the top of your head with bobby-pins. For longer lengths, tie your bun off with an elastic first, then braid the ends (à la Yara Shahidi) before you wrap your hair into the bun. Don’t forget to finish off with a solid hold spray, like Living Proof No Frizz Humidity Shield ($23).

3. The Edgy Ballerina Bun 

For the warmest of spring days, we’re copying this upside-down braided bun. Flip your damp hair upside down and create a braid from the nape of your neck up to the crown of your head, then brush all of your hair into a sleek knot (use a dollop of non-crunchy gel, like IGK Rich Kid Coconut Oil Gel, $29, for sleekness). Twist, secure with bobby-pins, and boom—you’ll be almost half as cool as Millie Bobby Brown.

4. The Old-Hollywood Combover

With smooth, brushed-back texture and big, glam-level curls, this updo is the best of both worlds. Just create a deep side part, and, while letting one side of your hair hang loosely, scoop and pin the rest of your hair into a French twist. Then, lightly wrap your hanging layers around a curling iron and rake through them with your fingers for a soft, Old Hollywood finish.

5. The Braided Half-Up Bun

Take a spin on a classic half-up topknot by adding a sleek, inverted braid along your center part (almost like a spine). Work a pea-size drop of Oribe Smooth Style Serum ($54) through your hair to smooth any flyaways, then create a three-strand braid down the middle of your head until you've reached the crown. Bobby pin the braid in place, then brush the rest of your hair into a half-up ponytail, twisting and pinning the ends into a bun.

6. The Curl Pile On

An unstructured, pineapple-like ponytail of curls is romantic and naturally elongates the face. It's also a great way to stretch out your look before washing it. First, prep your natural wavy or curly texture as preferred for extra definition, then pull it up into a high ponytail, tugging out wisps with your pinky for added softness.

7. The Wispy Knot

If you have straight or wavy hair, nailing JLaw's look is as easy as center parting the hair, twisting it back into a low knot (AKA a banana bun), securing it with as many U-pins as necessary, then pulling out a wispy section on either side of the face. If the face-framing strands need finessing, add a subtle bend with a flat iron or try the wave formation technique with a large barrel curling iron.

8. The High Glossy Ponytail

To achieve a sleek, extra-taut high ponytail, as opposed to the kind you just throw up at the gym, you should 1) Raise your chin up when pulling the hair into a ponytail to avoid bagginess at the nape and 2) Secure it with a bungee-style hair tie, hooking one of the ends in the hair at the ponytail base, then binding it around until it's extra tight. For extra polish, slick down flyways with a glossy finishing serum, like Verb Ghost Oil ($16).

9. The Raked-Back Bun

Added volume at the top and crown of the head will dress up any updo. While you can always go the teasing route with a comb, you can also hack it by prepping the hair with a texture spray or mousse. Then, instead of using a brush, rake the hair back with your fingers so it's not *too* perfect. Finally, twist the hair into a neat-but-not-too-neat bun and secure with U-pins.

10. The Slicked Back XXL Pony

The epitome of business in the front, party in the back, this pony makes life easy—especially if you've got long, thick, and curly hair. For fluffiness, brush out your curls with a round brush, then use a dense bristle brush to smooth back the hair into a low ponytail in bump-free fashion. Slick down flyways with a light, non-drying gel.

11. The Sideswept Faux Lob

An updo that can satisfy your desire for a lob without you actually having to go for the chop, the key to this style is loose, cool-girl waves married with amped-up volume, which you can achieve with a traditional hairspray or thickening mist, like R + Co Dallas Thickening Spray ($30). Then, all you have to do is give your hair a deep side part, pull it into a loose bun, and let the loose pieces fall where they may. You can also touch up the latter with a larger barrel curling iron.

12. The Bun Cuff

Ever since Jen Atkin introduced bun cuffs into our lives, we've tossed the hair ties and looked to the ultra-modern accessory to top off all of our lazy top knots and half-bun styles. Just throw your hair up, place the cuff at the base of your bun, then stick a large U-pin through it to secure it. Voilà.