12 Back To School Hairstyles For All Hair Types

If you find yourself having difficulty drawing inspiration, we get it. It’s easy to get stuck in a hairstyling rut, especially if you’re always running late and rushing out the door. To help make mornings easier, we asked four expert hairstylists to break down 12 creative styles, so your child will look and feel confident on the first day of school and beyond. “Back-to-school is an exciting time for both the kids and their parents,” stylist Ona Diaz-Santin enthuses. “It means fresh new beginnings, and what better way to express this excitement but through hair!” Scroll through to see these easy, unique styles created by celebrity stylists—who are all mothers, themselves. Adorable inspiration for this school year is right this way! Sarah Potempa has worked with stars like Reese Witherspoon, Lea Michele, and Emily Blunt. The founder of The Beachwaver Co is also a braiding expert. She has two children (ages 8 and 11) and is based in Chicago, IL. Ona Diaz-Santin is the owner and CEO of 5 Salon & Spa in New Jersey. Ona’s youngest daughter, Joie Rei, is 8 and loves getting her hair done by mom! Michelle Sultan is a brand ambassador and creative director for Imbue. The U.K.-based textured hair specialist has worked with stars like Jennifer Hudson and Mel B.   Description: This style features pigtail braids that look like floating French braids. Skill level: Intermediate Description: This look showcases a child’s natural curls with an adorable accessory for some flair. Skill level: Beginner Description: Get Instagram ready with two bubble ponytails and colorful elastics. “Pom-Pom ropes are easy and fun, not to mention they give your child the freedom to get creative with colors, ribbons, rubber bands, and other kinds of embellishments,” says Diaz-Santin. Skill level: Beginner Description: For this ‘do, you’ll need a cute headband that sits atop two half-up ponytails and a low pony. “This look just gets cuter with the more pigtails that you make, so if your kid has the patience, you can make as many mini pigtails connecting to each other as you’d like!,” Polko says. “But this look is a team effort, and even with just two pigtails, it’s adorable.”  Skill level: Beginner Description: Two high buns with four braids framing the face complete this look. “This is great for children’s hair that is really long,” says Sultan. “It’s also good if you struggle to find alternative styles and want to try something cute that looks cool.” Skill level: Intermediate Description: This look features a French braid down the center of the head with glitter on either side of the style.“Middle school can be overwhelming, but it’s nothing a little sparkle and a triangular mohawk plait can’t fix,” says Diaz-Santin. Skill level: Intermediate Description: Show off the hair’s natural texture, and then add some accessories to pull the hair away from the face. “If the hair is a medium length and you don’t want to tie it up completely, then using cute little letter clips or grips in the hair is really effective,” says Sultan. Skill level: Beginner Description: A waterfall braid starts as a French braid, with hair continuously cascading down from the braid, like…a waterfall! Often it’s only a small section of hair. Skill level: Advanced The description: For younger children or for those with short hair, this easy double pigtail style is cute and fun. Skill level: Beginner Description: For a special occasion or school dance, this style is a showstopper. The hair is half-up and twisted with loose boho waves. Skill level: Intermediate Description: A two-for-one look that can lasts upwards of a week. It starts in twists and can later reveal the hair’s natural texture in a loose, volumized style. “If you have medium to long hair, a twist out can be perfect for you, as it’s something that looks great for an extended period of time while in twists—and also once you remove the twists,” says Sultan. Skill level: Intermediate Description: This style is a twist on the traditional top knot. Hair looks polished and sleek from the front, but then a “tail” in the back adds interest and adorableness. Skill level: Beginner