24 Effortless Summer Hairstyles for a Stylish and No-Fuss End to the Season

The Gist

• Popular summer hairstyles like braids, slicked styles, and air-dried waves are no-fuss and simple to create.

• You may want to consider embracing your natural hair texture come summertime to cut down on styling time, especially given factors like heat and humidity.

• Celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Rihanna are also fans of easy summer hairstyles and make great getting-ready inspo.

Summer is meant to be relaxing, low-key, and spent outside. Not in the bathroom with three different hot tools and round brushes to create the picture-perfect blowout. “Summer hair styling is all about keeping things easy and comfortable while looking chic and letting your natural texture shine,” says celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons.

“A lot of women are now letting their hair be free,” agrees hairstylist Kiyah Wright. Given the humidity and spiking temps, it’s time to embrace your natural hair and cut back on styling. “Also, because it’s summer and it’s already hot, using less heat on the hair when styling is key.” Wright also notes that summer is an ideal time for those with textured hair to co-wash for more frequent rinses in between their deep cleanses. All this to say, summer is the time to go au naturel and less-is-more with your hair-care routine.

From romantic updos to long pigtails to bouquets of braids, here are 24 easy summer haircuts and styles to make your getting-ready routine more fun (and fast) than laborious.

Meet Our Expert

• Andrew Fitzsimons is a celebrity hairstylist to stars like Madonna and Lana Del Ray. He is also the founder and owner of Andrew Fitzsimons Hair.

• Kiyah Wright is a hairstylist and founder of the extension and hair-care line Muze Hair.

Air-Dried Anything

Your air-dried texture is your summertime bestie, and Camila Mendes is proof. “To me, effortless summer hair means wearing your hair in its natural state, whether it’s 3A or 4C hair […] allowing it to be free and bold with little maintenance,” says Wright. Step out of the shower, sea, or pool and let your mane do its thing—you may be unexpectedly pleased with the results.

Sleek Ponytail

Combing hair into a shellacked ponytail is a clean-girl hallmark, and one that makes summer styling as easy as can be. “A sleek ponytail offers a polished look while keeping hair out of your face on hot days,” says Fitzsimons. “For even more glam you can get at home without a stylist, opt for an extension like the Bellami x Andrew Fitzsimons “The Ponytail” which is easy to apply and can be worn day and night.”

Boho Braids

Protective hairstyles are a great choice for summer, elevating your beauty look with minimized day-to-day styling. Boho braids, or pick-and-drop-inspired braids that extend into loose curls, waves, and tendrils, are one trending option, and for good reason. “Boho style braids are great because the braid has wavy hair in it and gives the whole look a more romantic feel to it,” says Wright, who’s loving goddess locs for similar reasons (for that look, scroll on).

Undone Updo

Updos that are more loose than tied back allow you to showcase your insouciant summertime sensibilities with a dash of evening-ready elegance. This undone style on Joey King has no rhyme or reason; just pull the hair back and then pull out some face-framing pieces.

Butterfly Cut

This style is admittedly only easy for those with the texture to support it and a genuine passion for the blowout, but its enduring popularity is undeniable. “I recommend a round brush and blow dryer to give your hair big, voluminous body with a classic blowout,” says Fitzsimons. “When asking your stylist for this look, request bangs that are longer on the sides and slightly shorter in the middle to create a soft, sweeping effect with lots of layers throughout.”

Midi Knot

Positioned at the back of the head or a touch higher à la Kylie Jenner, a raked midi knot is a timeless post-pool updo, one that can be glammed up to suit any occasion (even a red carpet appearance).

Voluminous Updo

Rihanna’s sweet updo is great for day three hair. Sweep your hair up into a messy bun and leave some face-framing tendrils out. You can even create a side-swept bang by brushing your hair into a side part before you create the bun.

Italian Bob

The Italian bob owes its popularity to its sense of ease, making it an ideal summer cut. Snipped to finish beneath the chin, with weight at the bottom flattering face shapes and hair textures of all kinds. Plus, organic volume (the sort that comes with days spent reveling outdoors) is more than an effortless option with the Italian bob—it’s encouraged.

Bed Head

Some of the best summer hairstyles are about what you don’t do. In this case, mussed, rumpled, come-as-you-are waves prove your commitment to the seasonal vibes, the choice exuding an air of careless cool.

Pigtails

That’s right, pigtails and ponytails are back in the rotation. The standard double ponytail is cute, cool, and plays well with all different hair lengths, and on Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s long hair, especially.

Beach Waves

For a warm weather classic, honor the effects of time spent with salt water and sun. “Beach waves are the quintessential summer hairstyle, easily achieved by scrunching damp hair with a microfiber towel and by adding a wave spray for a mermaid-inspired look,” says Fitzsimons. “In terms of the cut, I would recommend asking your stylist for long layers to enhance the natural wave pattern.”

Brushed Back and Air-Dried

Similar to bedhead, Cyrus’s curls are air-dried and brushed back, making this ‘do appear much more intricate than it actually is. If you don’t have natural texture, use a wave spray to create some.

Plaited Pony

Minimized styling is a summer hair mandate, and combing hair into a near single plait woven to swing between shoulder blades is a quick way to tame any texture, all without sacrificing glamour.

Goddess Locs

A sister to boho braids, goddess locs are a glamorous take on a classic style, featuring an (at times) shinier finish and partially undone ends. Teyana Taylor’s interpretation of the style feels just right for summer, melding natural texture and partial protection to eye-catching effect.

Tendril Twist

Businesswoman hair (a.k.a. classic French twist) is one of the most elegant hairstyles to exist. Make it summer-ready with a set of face-framing tendrils or parted bangs for an added sense of ease.

Half-Up Hair

“A half-up, half-down style offers a versatile look that takes the hair out of the face without it being completely up,” says Fitzsimons. To make this look easy, use your natural texture and smooth the crown with some hair gel. Zendaya’s flipped-out ends pair great with this style, especially if you’re trying to hide oily roots on day four hair.

Slick Knot

The slicked midi knot provides instant, reliable polish, getting your hair out of the way so focus can fall on a luminous complexion and seasonal accessories. Reach for your favorite gel or oil and comb your mane into a taut and twisted bun.

Accessorized

If you can’t be bothered with your hair, Hailey Bieber’s claw clip and headband updo is a great way to accessorize it into submission. A thick white headband would look great for summer.

Textured Updo

The polish of a slicked style gets some summery flair when organic texture is showcased in the pony or knot itself. Pair with Hadid’s glowy skin, this look is quintessentially summer.

Braid Frame

Make like Margot Robbie and elevate an otherwise simple mane moment with two (or four) Y2K baby braids. When woven softly around the face, small plaits give a free-spirited feel ideal for summer wear.

Mermaid Wave

Keke Palmer’s mermaid waves are a work of art. Whether you rock your natural texture, braid your wet hair, or grab a wand to make some loose waves, this style is perfection for summer.

The French Girl

This shapely cut is snipped to skim cheekbones, jawline, or shoulders depending on your preference, and furthered by bluntish, easy fringe. “The ‘French girl’ cut is suitable for all hair types, can enhance the hair’s natural texture, and works for most hair lengths,” says Fitzsimons.

Easy Updo

For a quick shift that takes you from sunny day to balmy evening, rake hair into a pinned or bound knot, allowing generous sections at the front to loosely frame the face.

Pigtail Plaits

Finally, a duo of plaited pigtails is a timeless means of getting your hair out of your face and tidying up your look, regardless of your natural texture (or how many days it’s been since your last cleansing).

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