14 Easy Prom Hairstyles for Medium Hair You Can Do Yourself

Prom night is a bad time to find out a style only works with a stylist's hands. Medium hair, which falls between your collarbone and just past your shoulders, is long enough to pin, braid and twist but short enough that most updos stay light and comfortable for hours.

Every look below can be done at home with a 1-inch or 1.25-inch curling iron, bobby pins, clear elastics, texturizing spray and a flexible-hold hairspray. Lay everything out before you start, so you are not hunting for pins with half your hair twisted.

Do a full practice run a few days before prom, wearing the outfit's neckline if you can. You will find out how many pins you need, whether your layers poke out, and how long the style really takes, and you can fix all of that before the night.

1. Half-Up Twisted Crown

Two rope twists run from your temples and meet at the back of your head, while the rest of your hair stays down. It suits straight, wavy and loosely curled hair with medium density, and it keeps the length visible, which helps if you want your hair to show off a neckline.

Curl the lengths first with a 1.25-inch iron, then take a one-inch section at each temple, twist it away from your face and pin the two twists together with crossed bobby pins. Plan on 20 minutes. Skip it if you have very fine, slippery hair, since the twists loosen quickly. A texturizing spray on the sections before twisting adds grip, and a light mist of flexible-hold hairspray keeps the crown in place through the night.

2. Low Messy Bun With Face-Framing Pieces

A loose bun sits at the nape with a few curled strands left out around your cheeks. It works well on wavy or slightly textured hair and on hair with light layers, because the shorter pieces become part of the style instead of falling out of it.

Spray texturizer through dry hair, twist it into a low ponytail, wrap it around the elastic and pin it in four or five places. Pull out two front pieces and curl them. This takes about 15 minutes. If your layers are very short, the ones at your nape will slip out of a bun this low, so choose a half-up style instead. Pin the bun from several angles to make it last.

3. Side-Swept Glam Waves

Deep waves are swept over one shoulder and held behind the opposite ear with a pin. At collarbone length this suits most hair types, including layered cuts, and it needs no updo skills at all.

Wrap 1-inch sections around a 1.25-inch iron, all in the same direction, and leave the ends out for a looser bend. Brush the curls out gently, then pin one side behind your ear. Allow 30 minutes. Very fine hair loses curl fast, so set each section with a mist of hairspray as you go. Skip this look if you need your hair off your neck for a long night of dancing.

4. Braided Half-Up Half-Down

One or two small braids run back from the front and join into a pinned or elasticized section at the crown, with the remainder left loose. It suits straight to wavy hair of any density and is a good way to add detail to hair that is already easy to manage.

Braid a three-strand section on each side, secure the ends with clear elastics, and gather both behind your head. This takes about 20 minutes. Very short face-framing layers will slip out of the braids, so pin them back separately or leave them loose. Rough up the braid edges with your fingers for fullness, then use hairspray at the elastic where it tends to loosen.

5. Sleek Low Ponytail

A smooth ponytail sits at the nape, with the elastic covered by a wrapped strand. It is one of the quickest options at about 10 minutes, and it suits straight or blow-dried hair with few layers and a bare neckline or off-the-shoulder dress.

Brush a smoothing cream through damp hair, blow-dry it flat, gather it low and wrap a thin section around the elastic, pinning the end underneath. Skip this if you have heavy layers, because the short pieces will stick out and the shape will look uneven. Fine hair holds well here. Smooth flyaways with a clean toothbrush and a little hairspray before you leave.

6. Twisted Low Chignon

Your hair is twisted into one rope and coiled against the nape. It suits medium to thick hair and one-length cuts, which twist easily without short ends escaping.

Gather a low ponytail, twist it tightly, wind it into a flat coil and pin it with U-shaped pins, if you have them, or crossed bobby pins. Allow 15 minutes. Skip it if your hair barely reaches your shoulders or has choppy layers, because the ends will not tuck in. Pin in an X pattern from both sides so the weight does not drag it down by midnight.

7. Dutch Braid Crown

A Dutch braid, where each strand goes under the center, follows your hairline from ear to ear and is pinned like a headband. It suits medium to thick hair of any texture, and the braid sits raised, so it still shows on curly or wavy hair.

Plan on 30 to 40 minutes, and a second mirror helps. This is hard to do on yourself if you have never braided overhead, so practice it well in advance. Skip it if your hair is very fine or heavily layered, since the short pieces escape the braid. Pull the edges gently to widen it, then pin the end under the opposite side with bobby pins that match your hair color.

8. Bubble Ponytail

A high or mid ponytail is divided into sections with clear elastics, and the hair between them is pulled out to make rounded bubbles. It works on straight and wavy hair with medium density, and medium length is just enough for two or three bubbles.

Tie the ponytail, add an elastic every two inches, and gently pull each section outward. This takes around 15 minutes. If your hair is at the shorter end of medium, you will only get two bubbles. Very fine hair can look flat, so spray texturizer first. Use a few bobby pins hidden under bubbles so the ponytail does not droop.

9. Loose Curls With a Jeweled Clip

Soft curls fall past your shoulders, with one side clipped back with a jeweled barrette. It suits straight to wavy hair, layered cuts included, and the clip pulls attention to your face without any complicated pinning.

Curl 1-inch sections with a 1.25-inch iron for about 25 minutes, let them cool, then brush through with your fingers. Very fine, straight hair may drop the curl within two hours unless each section is cooled in your palm and sprayed before you release it. Choose a clip with strong teeth, since a light one slides out of fine hair. Skip this if you hate hair on your neck while dancing.

10. Half-Up Top Knot

The top third of your hair is wrapped into a small knot at the crown and the rest hangs loose. It suits straight, wavy and curly hair with medium to thick density, and it adds height without needing much length.

Gather the top section, twist, wrap it around itself and pin it. Plan on 10 minutes. Fine hair may look too small, so tease the section lightly first. Short layers at the crown will poke out of the knot, so skip this if your layers start above the cheekbone. Pull a few strands loose near the face for softness, then add hairspray at the base.

11. Fishtail Side Braid

A fishtail braid, made by crossing small strands from each side, falls over one shoulder. It suits straight and wavy hair with one-length or slightly layered ends, and the finished braid shows well against a plain neckline.

Allow 20 minutes, and more for your first try. Medium hair gives a short braid that ends around the chest, so use a clear elastic and a small jeweled pin to finish. Skip it if your layers are very short, since they slip out, or if you have very slippery fine hair that unravels. Texturizing spray gives the strands grip, and a gentle tug on the sides makes the braid look fuller.

12. Twisted Side Bun

The hair is gathered to one side at the nape, twisted and pinned into a bun that sits behind one ear. It suits most textures with medium density and works well with a one-shoulder dress, since the bun balances the neckline.

This takes about 15 minutes. Brush your hair to the side, twist the ponytail, wrap and pin it. Skip it if your hair barely touches your shoulders, because there will not be enough length to wrap. Spray texturizer first on silky hair, add pins from both directions, and finish with hairspray. A few curled front pieces soften the shape.

13. Soft Curls With a Headband

Loose curls are held back from your face by a padded or jeweled headband. It suits layered hair well, because the band keeps short pieces out of your eyes, and it works on straight, wavy and curly hair.

Curl with a 1.25-inch iron for about 25 minutes, then slide the band on and pull a few strands forward on each side. Skip it if your hair is very thick and heavy, since a narrow band can slide back and give you a headache. Use a band with teeth or a rubber grip, and pin it behind each ear for extra security.

14. Classic French Twist

Hair is rolled upward along the back of your head and pinned in a vertical seam. It suits straight or wavy hair with medium thickness and one length, and it shows off earrings, a neckline and a low-back dress.

Plan 20 to 25 minutes. Hold your hair in one hand, twist upward, tuck the ends inside and pin along the seam with bobby pins. Skip it if you have layers shorter than your chin or very short pieces at the nape, because they will poke out of the roll. Practice a few days early, since this one depends on hand position. Spray the seam lightly with flexible-hold spray before you leave.