Photography via Pinterest

In Defense of the Half-Up, Half-Down Hairstyle

Date August 15, 2017

Call me crazy, but I think the half-up, half-down hairstyle is one of the most underrated hairstyles out there, mainly because it’s the one hairstyle where you can really have it all.

Our lives are filled with decisions. Some, of course, are much more important than others, but when you wake up late and have no idea what you want to wear or which lipstick to put on, you can at least take solace in the fact that you don’t actually have to decide whether to wear your hair up or down. You can do both.

Essentially, the half-up, half-down hairstyle is the hairdo for the indecisive, and as someone who has difficultly making concrete decisions, it speaks to me. Sometimes I want to hide the fact that I didn’t wash my hair for four days, but still want to keep it down. Solution? A half topknot, with the rest of my hair cascading in waves (or at least, so I imagine). And sometimes, like while working out, I need my hair out of my face, but if I know I’m going to be photographed or put on the gram, I’d feel more confident with some strands left down. Enter a half-up, half-down pony, a la Ariana Grande circa 2014.

And honestly, the half-up, half-down hairstyle can be interpreted in many ways. Sure, it’s often associated with being a bridal ‘do (you know, so the hair can be out of the face but still look good in pictures), but it’s also great for every day. You can add braids! Or buns! Or waves! And it works with any hair length, or hair texture. It truly is the style that doesn’t discriminate.

So let’s hear it for the half-up, half-down hairstyle, the hairdo for the indecisive.

Want to try it out? Check out some tutorials below. And if you scroll down, you can find even more inspo in the gallery.