- You don't need an elaborate costume to have fun with your look on Halloween [1].
- Some of the trendiest hairstyles make for good Halloween [2] costumes all on their own.
- Many of the styles are hairstylist-recommended and easy to recreate at home.
What if we told you that you can have fun with your look this Halloween [3] simply with the hairstyle you choose to wear? For those of us who are last-minute planners (and who also aren't as skilled at elaborate, special-effects makeup [4]), coming up with an Instagram-worthy Halloween costume can be quite the task. The good news is that there are tons of hairstyles out there that (in our humble opinions) can count as costumes all on their own. Butterfly clips [5] as a Y2K costume, for instance, keep all of the attention on your hair for obvious reasons, while the retro hair flip [6] will make you look like a '60s bombshell.
Now that spooky season has officially commenced, we put together a list of a handful of hairstyles — some of which are celebrity-hairstylist-recommended — that'll make the perfect additions to any plain Halloween costumes.
Halloween Hairstyle: Butterfly Clips
Costume: Y2K
With the butterfly clip comeback going incredibly strong this year, take things back to the early 2000s and add a few to your hair for the night. This nostalgic accessory makes your hair the star of the show, and you can add them to any style from curly to straight to half-up, half-down.
Halloween Hairstyle: Butterfly Clips
Halloween Hairstyle: Butterfly Clips
Halloween Hairstyle: Barbie Ponytail
Costume: vintage Barbie
Dress yourself up like a literal Barbie with a vintage ponytail. This style is easy to mimic, and it typically features a sleek, high ponytail with flipped ends and a bang that sweeps over either side of the face.
Halloween Hairstyle: Barbie Ponytail
Halloween Hairstyle: Barbie Ponytail
Halloween Hairstyle: Bubble Pigtails
Costume: cheerleader
Pigtails alone are already playful, but bubble pigtails can add even more fun to your look no matter how plain your costume might be.
"I love this trend because like all trends, it starts with the kids and grows from there," celebrity hairstylist and Unite ambassador, Graham Nation [7], previously told POPSUGAR. "This is no different and honestly we can always learn from each other especially the youth and how to keep things fun and interesting."
Bubble pigtails are incredibly easy to do on your own, and all you'll really need to get the look is hairspray and some elastics. "Fun tip: you can use different-colour elastics for a pop of colour in the ponytail or to match your outfit of the day or your face mask," hairstylist Mark Townsend [8] said.
Halloween Hairstyle: Bubble Pigtails
Halloween Hairstyle: Mermaid Braid
Costume: mermaid (duh)
Mermaid ponytail braids are practically everywhere right now, and you can make them look as simple or complex as you want them to be by adding colour, extensions, or fun accessories.
Halloween Hairstyle: Mermaid Braid
Halloween Hairstyle: Flipped Bob
Costume: retro chic
The'60s-style hair flip made a huge comeback this year, and it's the perfect kind of style to incorporate into a retro costume for Halloween [9].
"Whether it's paired with a ponytail, half-up half-down, all down with a side or middle part, I think it's such a fun way to spice up a sleek straight look this spring," celebrity hairstylist and Unite stylist, Hayley Heckmann [10], previously told POPSUGAR. "The style is super flattering on everyone and totally elevates a look."
Halloween Hairstyle: Flipped Bob
Halloween Hairstyle: Flipped Bob
Halloween Hairstyle: Baby Braids
Costume: Baby Spice
The baby braid trend [11] is pretty simple, but it's also a nostalgic style that you can dress up with different colours or cute accessories like butterfly clips or snap clips.
"Coloured elastics are a great way to add some dimension with pops of colour to your hair look and can be done in an easy couple of minutes," celebrity hairstylist Laura Polko [12] said
Halloween Hairstyle: Baby Braids
Halloween Hairstyle: Space Buns
Costume: Zenon
You don't need an insanely complex costume to wear space buns. These can be as big or as small as you want them to be, and you can even dress them up certain hair accessories or glitter.
Halloween Hairstyle: Space Buns