Easy Hairstyles for Long Hair: 12 Styles From Claw Clip to Braid

Nine times out of ten, one long-haired beauty writer wears the same topknot.

She writes for Marie Claire, and her rule is to be out the door in 5 minutes flat.

Below are 12 easy hairstyles for long hair, ranked from no skill at all to a simple French braid, each with who it suits, what you need and the steps.

Pick by the kind of day you’re having:

• Second-day hair and no time to wash: #2 hides it.
• A client meeting at 9 calls for something sleek, like #5 or #8.
• For gym class or a long school day, #11 keeps every strand in place.
• Can’t find a single hair tie? #8 holds with nothing at all.

How These Styles Were Picked and Ranked

These 12 easy hairstyles for long hair each need only tools most people own, such as a claw clip, a hair tie or bobby pins, and none needs heat. They’re ranked by skill, from gathering and clipping up to braiding.

Every style’s quick facts use the same 5-level scale:

1. Level 1: gather and secure
2. Level 2: one twist or flip
3. Level 3: twist, wrap and tuck
4. Level 4: sections and several elastics
5. Level 5: braiding

Each style below works as a mini tutorial: who it suits, what you need, then the steps. Where a professional stylist has explained a step, her advice sits next to it.

12 Easy Hairstyles for Long Hair, Ranked by Skill

The easiest hairstyle for long hair is a half-up claw clip, which a Marie Claire beauty writer says takes mere seconds to create, and the hardest here is a French braid. Everything in between adds one small skill at a time.

1. Half-Up Claw Clip

Clip the top half of your hair back and leave the rest down.

It keeps hair off your face while your length stays on show.

• Best for: busy mornings, glasses wearers and beginners. Skip it if your hair is very fine and slippery, since a big clip can slide.
• You need: a medium or large claw clip.
• Skill: Level 1.

The same Marie Claire writer calls it an excellent alternative to a scrunchie because it doesn’t pull on the scalp.

Separate the top section from ear to ear, pull it back smooth and clamp the clip at the crown. If you have bangs, leave them down and clip only the hair behind them.

Key Takeaway: If you only learn one style from this list, learn this one.

2. Half-Up, Half-Down With a Scrunchie

Tie the top half back with a scrunchie instead of a clip.

It gives more lift at the crown and stays put all day.

• Best for: second-day hair and anyone who wants their hair mostly down. Skip it if you need every strand tied up.
• You need: a scrunchie and a comb.
• Skill: Level 1.

The trick is the part. Use the tail of a comb to split the top half from the bottom half in a straight line, then tie the top section at the back of your head.

The higher you tie it, the more put-together it looks. So on a sloppy morning, move the scrunchie up an inch.

3. Low Ponytail With a Wrapped Base

Tie a low ponytail, then wrap a strand around the elastic to hide it.

That one wrap turns gym hair into office hair.

• Best for: work, interviews and straight long hair. Skip it if a low elastic gives you a headache.
• You need: an elastic, a brush and 1 bobby pin.
• Skill: Level 1.

Here’s how it works:

1. Brush everything back low behind your head and tie it.
2. Pull a thin strand from underneath the ponytail.
3. Wrap it around the elastic until it’s covered.
4. Pin the end under the ponytail.

Smooth the hairline with a little gel first if flyaways bother you.

4. Tall Topknot

Pile your hair on top of your head and pull it only halfway through the scrunchie.

This keeps hair off your neck, shoulders and back.

• Best for: hot days, workouts and curly or frizzy long hair. Skip it if you need a formal look.
• You need: a thin scrunchie.
• Skill: Level 1.

Gather your hair at the top of your head and wrap the scrunchie around it like a ponytail. On the last pass, stop halfway so the hair stays folded in a pile, then wrap the scrunchie around the knot once more.

Why does it suit curls? A topknot hides flyaways, flattened curls and an uneven curl pattern in one move.

5. Claw Clip Chignon

Twist your hair up from the nape and clamp it with a claw clip.

It looks like an updo but takes about as long as #1.

• Best for: work days, second-day hair and thick long hair. Skip it if your clip is small.
• You need: a large claw clip.
• Skill: Level 2.

A chignon is a low knot or twist at the back of the head. Hairstylist Bailey Englert of the Frédéric Fekkai salon in New York says to “collect the hair at the nape of the neck and twist while bringing the middle of the ponytail length up towards the crown.”

That creates a twist that looks like half of a bow, and the clip goes right over it. She also suggests a crisp part and a little finishing cream on the ends first.

If the twist sags by noon, it was too loose. Twist tight at the base and the rest of the hairstyle holds itself.

6. Twisted Ponytail

Make a low ponytail, then flip it through a hole above the elastic.

It turns a plain pony into something that looks braided.

• Best for: school, errands and dressing up a basic ponytail. Skip it if your layers are too short to stay in a ponytail.
• You need: an elastic or scrunchie.
• Skill: Level 2.

Tie a low ponytail and slide the elastic down about an inch. Poke a finger through the hair just above the tie, then push the ponytail through that hole from the outside in.

Pull the sides gently to loosen the twist. In other words, one flip buys a style that looks far more involved.

7. Messy Bun

Twist a ponytail around its base and let it stay a bit undone.

A messy bun is forgiving, which is why it’s a classic.

• Best for: day-old hair, weekends and long hair with texture. Skip it if you need a sleek office look.
• You need: an elastic and 2 or 3 bobby pins.
• Skill: Level 3.

Tie your hair high or low, twist the length, wrap it around the elastic and pin the ends under. Then pull a few strands loose around your face.

Clean, slippery hair makes a flat bun. So spray a little dry shampoo at the roots first for grip.

8. No-Tie Low Bun

Twist your hair into a shell at the nape and tuck the end into the coil.

No scrunchie, no clip and, on thick hair, no pins.

• Best for: thick long hair and days you forgot a hair tie. Skip it if your hair is fine and very silky.
• You need: nothing, or 1 bobby pin for fine hair.
• Skill: Level 3.

Smooth a leave-in conditioner through your hair so it bends easily. Twist it into a shell shape low on your head, keep wrapping the length around itself, then tuck the end into the tight coil.

The catch? It holds best on thick hair, so fine hair usually needs one pin through the coil.

9. Bubble Braid

Add small elastics down a ponytail and puff out each section.

It looks like an intricate braid, but there’s zero braiding involved.

• Best for: school, festivals and teens learning to style. Skip it if lots of elastics bother you.
• You need: 1 elastic, 6 to 10 small clear elastics and a brush.
• Skill: Level 4.

Start on dry, brushed hair and tie a ponytail at any height. Add a small elastic a couple of inches below, then gently pull the hair between them outward to make a rounded bubble.

Repeat all the way down with even gaps. On long hair, bigger gaps make fuller bubbles, and a light mist of hairspray keeps frizz from creeping in between them.

10. Space Buns

Split your hair down the middle and twist each side into a high bun.

It’s playful and keeps long hair completely off your face.

• Best for: weekends, concerts and kids. Skip it if your hair is too heavy for two high buns.
• You need: a comb, 2 elastics and 4 to 6 bobby pins.
• Skill: Level 4.

Here’s what to do:

1. Part your hair straight down the middle, front to back.
2. Tie each side into a high ponytail above the ears.
3. Twist each ponytail and wrap it around its base.
4. Pin each bun and pull a few strands loose.

A straight center part matters more than perfect buns. So take your time on step 1.

11. Loose Three-Strand Braid

Split your hair into 3 sections and cross the sides over the middle to the ends.

A braid keeps long hair tangle-free all day.

• Best for: gym class, travel, sleep and windy days. Skip it if you’ve never braided, and try #9 first.
• You need: a small elastic.
• Skill: Level 5.

Start low at the back and cross the right section over the middle, then the left. Keep going to the ends and tie it off.

If your arms tire, bring the braid over one shoulder to finish it in front. Then tug the edges gently for a fuller look.

Pro Tip: Smooth a drop of hair oil through dry ends first, so the braid doubles as a treatment.

12. French Braid

Braid from the crown down, picking up new hair with every cross.

It’s the hardest style here, and the most secure.

• Best for: active days and anyone ready to move up from #11. Skip it on a rushed morning.
• You need: a brush and a small elastic.
• Skill: Level 5.

A French braid starts with a small section at the top of your head split into 3 strands. Each time you cross a side strand over the middle, add a little loose hair from that side first.

By the time you reach the hairline at the back, all your hair is in the braid, so finish with a regular braid and tie it off. A Dutch braid works the same way, except you cross the strands under the middle.

How to Make a Quick Style Look Polished

A clean part and smooth edges make any quick hairstyle look polished. Hairstylist Bailey Englert puts it this way: “The sharper lines of a part and clean hairlines elevate any style when we’re in a rush.”

That’s good news, because neither takes any skill. Run the tail of a comb from your forehead back to set the part, then smooth the hairline with your palm or a dab of gel.

Finish with a quick mist of hairspray over the top so flyaways stay flat until evening. If you wear bangs, smooth them last, after the rest of the style is set.

On a frizzy morning, these 5-minute frizz fixes pair well with any style on the list.

Key Takeaway: Spend your extra time on the part, not on the style itself.

Easy Styles for Work, School and Second-Day Hair

The best easy hairstyle for second-day long hair is a half-up, half-down, which a Marie Claire beauty writer says hides grease after a day or two without washing. For work, use the low ponytail (#3) or claw clip chignon (#5), and for school, the bubble braid (#9) or twisted ponytail (#6).

For Work

Sleek and contained beats trendy at work. Both #3 and #5 look tidy in a meeting, and the no-tie bun (#8) is your backup when you forget a clip.

For more office ideas, see these work hairstyles for long hair built around a full day at a desk. Each one comes with its own quick tutorial.

For School

Kids and teens need styles that survive recess, and braids win there. The bubble braid (#9) and loose braid (#11) last longest, and the twisted ponytail (#6) is fast enough for a rushed bus stop.

For Second-Day Hair

Day-old hair has more grip, so buns and twists hold better than on freshly washed hair. Beyond #2, a messy bun (#7) or tall topknot (#4) turns oily roots into texture.

How to Keep a Style in Thick or Fine Long Hair

Long thick hair stays up best when you split its weight and use a large claw clip with long teeth, while fine long hair needs a bobby pin or two for grip. A Marie Claire beauty writer found the same split: her no-tie low bun works best on thicker hair types, and thinner hair might need a bobby pin to secure everything.

For thick hair, smooth a leave-in conditioner or cream through evenly before you style, then make two smaller buns or braids instead of one heavy one. A clip that closes fully over the twist won’t pop open by lunch.

Fine hair is the reverse. A spray of dry shampoo or a little hair mousse at the roots adds grip, and 2 bobby pins crossed in an X lock a bun in place.

Work the hair mousse through damp roots and let it dry before you style, since wet product makes buns and braids slip. A light hairspray on the finished style adds hold without weighing fine hair down.

If your long hair is curly or wavy, these curly hair products help a style hold without frizz. For natural hair with tight coils, there’s a separate guide to quick easy hairstyles for Black hair, with braids and buns built for that texture.

The Gentlest Easy Hairstyles for Long Hair

The gentlest easy hairstyles for long hair are loose at the roots, like the half-up claw clip (#1), a relaxed low bun or a loose braid (#11), so skip anything that aches by midday. Switch between low and high styles too, so the pull never lands on the same spot every day.

If you’re noticing thinning along your hairline, this guide to hair loss in women covers the common causes and when to see a doctor. For split, broken ends, these steps to repair damaged hair pair well with low-tension styles like #1 and #11.

If your length itself is hard to manage, browse these haircuts for long hair or every cut and style in haircuts and hairstyles. Then build your favorites into your hair care routine.