Graduation Hairstyles
Graduation hairstyles have one constraint every other occasion style ignores: the cap. It sits flat on the crown, roughly two fingers above the eyebrows, so the volume has to live below that line. This board sorts graduation hairstyles by length and texture - long, short, curly and natural - and by style family, with updos, half-up looks, braided sets, sleek options and easy versions you can do yourself. Two how-to pages cover styling under the cap and a step-by-step graduation updo, and a comparison settles the updo versus down question for photos. Save the look you want, then practice it once before the morning of the ceremony rather than improvising on the day.
Best for: Ceremony day, cap-on photos and any long event where the style has to last.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hairstyle looks best under a graduation cap?
Low buns, half-up styles and side-swept waves survive a cap because the volume sits below the crown. High topknots do not - the cap has to sit flat on the crown about two fingers above the eyebrows, and anything piled on top pushes it out of place all day.
How do you keep a graduation cap from slipping?
Cross two bobby pins in an X under the cap band and pin them into the hair at the crown. Braids, a bun or textured day-two hair give the pins something to grip, while freshly washed slippery hair is the main reason caps slide backward during a ceremony.
Should I wear my hair up or down for graduation?
Up reads cleaner in cap-on photos and stays put through a long ceremony, while down photographs better once the cap comes off. A half-up style with volume at the sides is the compromise. Set it with a flexible-hold spray, not a stiff one, so the hair recovers after the cap.