If you are a busy mom or dad at their wit’s end at the thought of facing another school year (we may be a few months off but we all know it’s coming) with hurried mornings and sleepy kiddos, having a few tried-and-true hairstyles under your belt for your daughter will be a lifesaver. Or if you are a middle-schooler or high-schooler trying to learn some new techniques before moving into a new grade, you are sure to find several here.
Learning hairstyles, whether for yourself or your daughter, has never been easier. YouTube abounds with tutorials and the Internet is saturated with how-to articles and step-by-step posts. In this article, I won’t be walking you through how to achieve every hairstyle but I will be linking various tutorials to show you how to get each look for yourself. Here you will find 16 of the cutest back-to-school hairstyles to inspire you and give you an idea of what you can do for yourself or your little one.
Tips for Back-to-School Hairstyles
Before we jump into the rest of the post, here are some tips to keep in mind for your back-to-school hairdos.
- Don’t wait until the first day of school to start learning new hairstyles. While you can certainly take your time and experiment a lot throughout the school year, having a good three, four, or five hairstyles practiced and perfected will relieve you those first few mornings of school and free up your time for other things.
- Do learn hairstyles that will only take a few minutes to create. If you plan on doing an elaborate 45-minute hair routine in the morning, you will quickly feel overwhelmed. Stick to short and simple hairdos, at least in the first quarter of the school year.
- Wash your hair (or your daughter’s hair) the night before. This will give you ample time to dry it (or let it air-dry, if that’s your preference) and give you a clean slate to work on in the morning.
- Try out overnight hairdos, like heatless curls or sleeping in braids. This will definitely cut down on time in the morning and will make getting ready a breeze!
- Ensuring your hair is healthy and clean is super important. Hair hygiene is a must for school-goers.
Now, let’s get to those cute hairstyles!
↓ 12 – Messy Style Bun with Bandana Scarf
Start by watching this messy bun tutorial and pick which one most suits you. Then you can take a bandana or a scarf of your choice and simply wrap it around your bun and tie it underneath so that you have two hanging pieces. Be sure to leave a few tendrils hanging loose around your face. Also, keep in mind this style works best on medium to long hair.
↓ 11 – For Little Girls
Styling your little girl’s hair can be a lovely bonding experience (if she is at the age where sitting still isn’t too much of a trial!). Here are a few hairstyles you can try for when she goes back to school (whether virtually or otherwise.) First, a basic tutorial that will have you armed and ready to take on what is considered one of the most classic hairstyles: the French braid!
For this hairstyle, you can utilize what you learned about French braiding to take on this totally unique and beautiful ‘do!
This hairstyle requires sectioning the hair off. It’s perfect for natural hair and your little lady will love the beads!
↓ 10 – Cute Back to School Hairstyles for Curly Black Hair
These hairdos are so completely stunning. For the first one, you will need to know how to do Dutch braids. The second one showcases matching buns on the top of the head with cute little flower beads! Also, have a look at Curly Hairstyles for Teenage Girls | 25 Best Styles to Try for more ideas.
↓ 9 – Simple Hairstyle for School Girl
To achieve this hairstyle, whether you are doing it on yourself or someone else is doing it for you, you may want to start by lightly curling your hair. Or, you can try heatless curls which can be achieved overnight! You will then part your hair down the middle and section off two sections of hair toward the front of the brow. Braid into two loose plaits. Pull them back and secure them at the back of your head with a small elastic. Then you can lightly pull loose the braids a little bit for a softer look.
↓ 8 – Simple Hairstyle for Straight, Fine Hair
Sometimes, it’s helpful to remember that a simple headband can make all the difference. If you have straight or fine hair that you feel like you can’t do much with, try adding a velvet headband. You can coordinate it with your outfit too.
↓ 7 – Side Flat Twists
How could I think of overlooking Cute Girls Hairstyles when covering cutest back to school hairstyles for girls?! I went digging in the archives and found this oldie but goldie. I think this hairstyle would suit girls of any age, whether six or sixteen. Because they are flat twists, it’s a relatively easy hairstyle that shouldn’t take too long to recreate. A winner all around!
Below you can find the tutorial to show you how to get the exact style.
↓ 6 – What to Wear With Back to School Hairstyle
We will cover more accessories down below but here is one example of what you can wear with any back-to-school hairstyle, but especially curly-haired updos! Adding diamante accessories is a fun, eye-catching way to bring your hairdo to the next level. Simply clip into place and wait for the compliments to start rolling in! A variation of this look can work for younger girls as well.
↓ 5 – How to Style Back to School Hair
A classic ponytail will never let you down. Here are a couple tips for making it a little extra special:
- Look at your side profile in a mirror and imagine a diagonal line stretching from your chin to the crown of your head. Depending on the angle of your jaw, you can eyeball where your ponytail will most suit you. A jaw that angles up will naturally suit a higher ponytail. (Look at the picture below and imagine a diagonal line going from her chin to the crown of her head and you will see that her ponytail perfectly suits her head and jaw shape.)
- After tying your hair, take a small section from the underside of your ponytail and wrap it around your elastic. Secure with bobby pins. (Again, you can see a good example of this from the image below.)
- Add a couple of barrettes to the side of your hair. Not only helpful for the practical purpose of keeping stray hairs in place but they are super cute!
↓ 4 – Accessories for Back to School Hairstyles for Little Girls
Here are a few accessories you can use when styling your little lady’s hair. From fun bows to pom-poms, accessories are a fun way to make sitting down for a hairdo a lot more interesting to little girls.
Popular options for little girls with textured hair are some of these pictured below. These are fun because you can color-coordinate these with her outfit. Your little princess might even like some glitter gel for her hair as well. When securing these beaded hair-ties, be sure not to bop your little girl in the head with them! I still remember those painful snaps against my scalp from when my poor mom’s hand slipped.
In a pinch, this super simple hairdo just needs a couple of pom-pom barrettes. Your little lady will love showing these off at school!
↓ 3 – Accessories to Wear
No matter your age, whether you are a preteen or just starting college, here are a few cute accessories that are pretty timeless and are sure to level up any hairdo. Our first one is a plaid headband. This is great for days when you want to wear your hair down but you need a little something extra to make the look special. Check it out.
An organza scrunchie is sure to make you stand out. It has a whimsical vibe and will bring a touch of femininity to any outfit. Add to a bun or a ponytail or simply wear it on your wrist until you feel like putting your hair up!
I really love this! From wire to ribbons, having fun and getting creative is what wearing hair accessories is all about!
↓ 2 – Double Dutch braid
If you have shoulder-length hair, this double Dutch braid into a low pony is relatively simple and quick to do! It’s great for those days where you want your hair pulled back off your face (like the day of a big test or presentation) but you want something a little fancier than a basic pony.
To achieve this look, you will need to Dutch braid your hair into two braids (here is a tutorial on how to Dutch braid your hair) and as you braid, over-direct your hair the lower down the back of your head you go so that both braids meet almost in the center at the nape of your neck. Secure with an elastic and you are finished! Also, have a look at 70+ Cute Hairstyles for Teenage Girls
↓ 1 – Double Dutch Braid Buns
If you have mastered the Dutch braid, here is an adorable version you can try. This hairdo will keep your hair up and out of your face and will stay put all day, especially with the use of some hairspray and bobby pins. Watch a tutorial here.
And if you are a mom looking for a similar style to do on your daughter, check out this tutorial which will show you how to Dutch braid into a low bun.
