We’ve all had those mornings when, instead of waking up when your alarm goes off, you instinctively hit the snooze button to get in those couple extra minutes of sleep, and (10 snoozes later) wake up in a panic with no time at all to get ready and get to class.
While I’ve been guilty of rushing out the door myself without even brushing my hair or looking in the mirror some days, I’ve come to grow fond of several quick and easy hairstyles you can do on the go while you’re waiting for the elevator or booking it to the lecture hall. Best of all, they involve no heat so you don’t have to worry about causing any damage to your hair:
1. Overnight Curls
Taking damp hair after you shower, braid it in whatever style you like before going to bed. When you wake up the next morning, simply take the braids out to reveal your waves!
2. Upside Down Braided Bun
If you want to give your usual top-knot a little twist, an upside down braided bun is a great way to do so. To achieve this look, begin by tipping your head upside down and grabbing 3-strands to dutch braid, (instead of crossing the strands over like you would with a regular braid, dutch braids cross the strands under each other!). Once you’ve braided up the back of your head, secure your hair with an elastic before forming a messy bun to complete the look.
3. Waterfall Braid
First, section off a piece of your hair at the top of your head, then divide it into three sections and begin braiding as you would with a French braid. Start by crossing the strand closest to the top of your head over the middle section, before crossing the bottom section over the new middle section.
Next, repeat the braid one more time before dropping the middle section so that it blends in with the rest of your hair to create the first waterfall. Pick up a new piece of hair near your part to be the new top section and continue braiding and dropping sections all the way around your head until you get behind your opposite ear and secure with a bobby pin to keep in place. (If you’re more of a visual learner, check out this great video tutorial.)
4. Pin and Twist
This one takes less than a minute to do, and as a bonus looks cute under a hood for those chilly days as well! Start by parting your hair down the middle, then twist the front section on either side of your head and pin each piece in place with a bobby pin.
5. Messy Fishtail
Arguably one of the most classic boho hairstyles, a messy fishtail is a great way to look effortless but not disheveled. To achieve this particular look, pull your hair back and start by loosely braiding the upper half in a regular braid. Next, pull a couple pieces of hair and wrap it around the braided section (you can loosely bobby pin the hair to the braid for more security) before fishtailing the remaining hair. Once you’ve finished braiding, pull at the sides of the braid to loosen it up and give it more texture before securing it with an elastic to finish the pony tail off.
Enjoy these compliment-inducing hairstyles, Collegiettes!