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EveryHairstyle

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

PonytailGathered and tied on any hairBunA coil or knot on any textureBraidsPlaits work on every hair typeBuzz cutA short clipper cutCrew cutA short cut for most hair

Still to be written: Head shaving.

Further reading

KindCutBraidUpdoPonytailLocsNaturalCurlsShavedFringeStyledWrappedAdorned
Worn byMostly womenMostly menAnyoneChildrenBrides and weddingsFaith and religious ordersUniform and workSubcultures and music
OrderBest knownA to ZOldest firstNewest firstBy length
WorldHair stick A long, thin accessory used to secure hair buns and updos.Adorned · Any hair Dread perming WorldDread perming A chemical treatment to create or maintain dreadlocks quickly.Styled · Straight hair 🇮🇳 IndiaHead shaving in Hinduism A ritual act of head shaving in Hinduism for purification, mourning, and devotion.Shaved · Any hair 🇸🇩 Sudan and 4 moreDreadlocks A hairstyle of rope-like hair strands formed by matting or twisting.Natural · Coily and kinky hair · 1970 WorldBangs Strands of hair cut to cover the forehead and fall over the eyebrows.Cut · Any hair · 1880 🇺🇸 United StatesMohawk A hairstyle with shaved sides and a central strip of longer hair.Shaved · Any hair · 1970 🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreMullet An asymmetric haircut with short hair at the front and sides, and long hair at the back.Cut · Any hair · 1980 🇫🇷 France and 1 moreBob cut Short to medium haircut ending at the jaw or shoulders.Cut · Any hair · 1909 WorldFrench braid A three-strand gathered plait from crown to nape.Braid · Any hair · 1871 WorldBowl cut A short haircut with a straight fringe and even length around the head.Cut · Any hair · 1400 WorldBraid Interlaced strands of hair used for style and social signalling.Braid · Any hair 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreUndercut Long top hair with shaved or buzzed sides and back.Cut · Any hair · 1910 WorldShort hair A general category for haircuts kept above the shoulders or chin.Cut · Any hair · 1920 WorldLob A medium-length haircut falling at or just below the shoulders.Cut · Any hair 🇻🇳 VietnamCurtained hair A parted fringe with short sides and back.Cut · Any hair · 1980 WorldAsymmetric cut A haircut where one side is longer than the otherCut · Any hair WorldLiberty spikes Long, thick upright hair spikes resembling the Statue of Liberty crown.Styled · Any hair · 1970 🇫🇷 FranceTitus cut Short layered cut with curls from late 18th-century FranceCut · Curly hair · 1791 Crochet braids WorldCrochet braids A protective hairstyle using a latch hook to attach synthetic hair to cornrows.Braid · Any hair Sub-Saharan AfricaAfrican hair threading A traditional sub-Saharan African technique using thread to wrap and braid natural hair.Braid · Any hair WorldBackcombing A styling method that creates volume by tangling hair near the root.Styled · Any hair Frosted tips WorldFrosted tips Short spiky hair with bleached ends.Cut · Any hair · 1998 WorldHair straightening A technique to flatten and smooth hair texture using heat or chemicals.Styled · Curly hair · 1950 Beach waves WorldBeach waves A loose, tousled wavy hairstyle inspired by the ocean.Styled · Any hair · 2010 Fishtail braid WorldFishtail braid A two-strand plait resembling fish bones or a corn stalk.Braid · Any hair Dutch braid WorldDutch braid A raised plait created by crossing hair sections under the centre strand.Braid · Any hair Wolf cut 🇺🇸 United StatesWolf cut A layered haircut with a shaggy top and tapered ends, described as Gen Z's version of the mullet.Cut · Any hair · 2021 🇯🇵 JapanChapatsu Japanese brown bleached hair styleStyled · Any hair · 1997 WorldBraids A hairstyle formed by interlacing three or more strands of hair.Braid · Any hair

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly digest

Every Monday: the hairstyle of the day, new pages on EveryHairstyle, and the conferences and anniversaries of the week ahead.