Any hair
Styles that work on most hair. 116 hairstyles on EveryHairstyle so far.
Some hairstyles work on almost any hair: straight or coily, fine or thick. The ponytail, the bun, the braid, the buzz cut and the shaved head are found on every continent, which is part of why they are among the oldest and most common styles. They need little special skill, adapt to many lengths, and can be dressed up or kept simple.
Why they work
A ponytail and a bun only need enough length to gather, and the shape comes from the tie or the coil, not from the hair's texture. A three-strand braid can be made in straight, wavy or coily hair, though it looks different in each. Very short cuts such as the buzz cut and the crew cut, and the shaved head, take texture almost out of the picture. These styles are often the first that children learn.
One style, many looks
The same basic style can look very different on different hair. A bun can be sleek on straight hair or full and round on coily hair. A braid on fine straight hair is slim and smooth; on thick coily hair it is wide and textured. Buzz cuts show the shape of the head and the natural hairline. Stylists adjust tension and product to the hair, rather than changing the style itself.
Famous any hair hairstyles
Still to be written: Head shaving.
Further reading
🇮🇱 IsraelUpsherin
A first haircut ceremony for Jewish boys, typically held at age three.Cut · Any hair · 1600
🇮🇳 IndiaPunjabi paranda
A multicoloured silk braid extension from Punjab.Adorned · Any hair
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreFirst haircut
A rite of passage marking a child's first hair cutting across various cultures and faiths.Shaved · Any hair
🇮🇳 IndiaHead shaving in Hinduism
A ritual act of head shaving in Hinduism for purification, mourning, and devotion.Shaved · Any hair
🇮🇳 IndiaTonsure
A religious practice of cutting or shaving scalp hair to signal devotion, humility, or clerical status.Shaved · Any hair
🇬🇷 Greece and 2 morePonytail
A practical hairstyle where hair is gathered and secured at the back of the head.Ponytail · Any hair
WorldBun
A hairstyle where hair is gathered and coiled into a circular shape on the head.Updo · Any hair
🇪🇬 EgyptSidelock of youth
Ancient Egyptian braided side hair worn by royal children.Braid · Any hair
WorldPigtails
Two symmetrical ponytails or braids worn on opposite sides of the head.Ponytail · Any hair
WorldRegular haircut
Classic men's style with tapered sides and combed top.Cut · Any hair
🇷🇺 RussiaRussian braid
A traditional long plait from Russia with historic marital meanings.Braid · Any hair
🇬🇷 GreeceGreco-Roman hairstyles
Hair practices of ancient Greece and Rome, including long locks, short crops, and net head-dresses.Wrapped · Any hair
🇫🇷 FranceBallerina bun
A neat, secured updo standard in classical ballet.Updo · Any hair · 1880
🇪🇹 EthiopiaShuruba
Traditional Ethiopian cornrows and braids worn by women and men.Braid · Any hair
🇮🇳 IndiaPoola Jada
A floral and jewelled adornment for South Indian bridal braids.Adorned · Any hair
WorldPigtails
A hairstyle featuring two symmetrical ponytails or braids on opposite sides of the head.Ponytail · Any hair
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tonsure: Pietro Perugino, Public domain, source
- Sidelock of youth: Unknown artist, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pigtails: Yogi, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- First haircut: https://www.flickr.com/people/69061470@N05, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Head shaving in Hinduism: Napoleon is back, CC0, source
- Ponytail: Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bun: Stilfehler, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Buzz cut: Fadi El Benni of Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Crew cut: greginhollywood, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pigtails: Ykstyyppi123, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Russian braid: Philip Budkin, Public domain, source
- Greco-Roman hairstyles: ArchaiOptix, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Upsherin: Vered Peer, CC BY 4.0, source
- Regular haircut: JParker9, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Punjabi paranda: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, source
- Braids: Unknown author, Public domain, source