Wavy Hairstyles: Celebrity Looks and Easy Ways to Get Waves

My hair has never been properly straight or properly curly. It’s that annoying in-between, where one side bends nicely and the other side sticks out like it’s trying to leave. For years I fought it with a flat iron. Then, somewhere around my late twenties, I gave up and started working with it, and honestly, it was the best hair decision I ever made.

Waves are forgiving. They hide a bad haircut, they make thin hair look fuller, and they look good a little messy, which is great news if you’re as lazy with your hair as I am.

Whether you’ve got natural waves or you’re faking them with a curling iron, here are the wavy hairstyles worth trying, the celebrities who do them best, and a few tricks I wish someone had told me sooner.

What Counts as Wavy Hair?

If you’ve ever gone down a hair rabbit hole online, you’ve probably seen the 2A, 2B and 2C labels. They’re just a quick way of describing how much bend your hair has.

2A is very loose, more of a soft S-shape than a wave. 2B has more defined waves that start around the middle of your hair. 2C is the strongest, with chunky waves starting near the roots and the odd ringlet sneaking in, especially when it’s humid.

You don’t need to know your exact type to wear any of the styles below. But it does help to know that wavy hair gets dry easily and hates being brushed when it’s dry. More on that later.

Wavy Hairstyles to Try

Undone Beach Waves

This is the one everyone means when they say “I want waves.” Loose, piecey and a bit messy, like you spent the afternoon at the beach and didn’t bother to brush your hair after. Blake Lively has basically made a career out of this look, and her long, glossy waves are the reference picture most colorists see every week.

Kristen Bell does a softer, more polished version, with a middle part and loose waves that start around her cheekbones. It’s a good middle ground if full beach waves feel a bit too messy for work.

The trick is leaving the ends a little straighter than the rest. Fully curled ends look more prom than beach.

Old Hollywood Waves

The total opposite of beach waves. These are smooth, glossy and sculpted, usually swept to one side and all going in the same direction. Margot Robbie wears this beautifully on the red carpet, and Gigi Hadid’s retro version with victory rolls at the front is one of my favorite red carpet hair moments ever.

They take a bit of time and a lot of hairspray, but they’re perfect for weddings, parties or any night you want to feel like a 1940s movie star. And if you love the vintage side of things, our guide to 1920s hairstyles shows how finger waves started it all.

The Wavy Bob

Short hair and waves are a great match. A chin-length or slightly longer bob with soft, bendy texture looks cool and effortless, and it’s much quicker to style than long hair. Naomi Watts is a great example, with her soft, piecey waves that look like they took two minutes. If your hair is thick, a layered bob helps take out some of the bulk, so the waves don’t puff out into a triangle.

The Wavy Lob

Somewhere between a bob and long hair, hitting around the collarbone. Jennifer Aniston has worn a tousled, wavy lob for years now, and it’s one of the easiest cuts to live with. Long enough to tie back, short enough that it dries fast.

Wavy Shag

The shag is having a huge comeback, and it was made for wavy hair. All those choppy layers give your waves room to move, so you get lots of volume at the crown and texture everywhere else. Very ’70s rock star, in the best way.

Jennifer Aniston’s “Rachel” from the ’90s is basically the grandmother of today’s shag. All those layers, all that bounce.

Waves With Curtain Bangs

If you want a bit of extra drama around your face, add bangs. Curtain bangs are the easiest with wavy hair, because they’re meant to be a bit messy and swoopy anyway. They blend straight into your waves and frame your cheekbones really nicely.

Braver? Heavy blunt bangs with long waves give a very ’60s, Jane Birkin kind of look. Just know you’ll probably need to blow-dry them straight most mornings.

Big Glam Waves

Think lots of volume, big bouncy curls that loosen into waves, and a ton of shine. Beyoncé is the queen of this one. It’s a great choice for a big night out, especially with longer hair or extensions.

Half-Up Waves

When you can’t decide between up and down, pull the top half back with a claw clip or a bow and leave the rest loose. It keeps hair out of your face and shows off your waves at the same time. Pretty much my default for the office.

How to Get Waves If Your Hair Is Straight

The quickest way is a curling wand or a 1-inch curling iron. Take medium sections, wrap them away from your face, and leave the last inch or so of each piece out. Let them cool before you touch them. Then run your fingers through and add a texturizing spray. That’s it.

A flat iron works too, once you get the hang of it. Clamp a section near the root, twist the iron half a turn away from your face, and slowly glide it down. It takes a bit of practice (my first few attempts looked like ramen noodles), but it gives a really natural, flat-ended wave.

And if you want to skip heat completely, try braiding damp hair before bed. Two loose braids give soft waves, smaller braids give tighter ones. You can also twist your damp hair into a bun or wrap it around one of those heatless curling rods and sleep on it. You’ll wake up with waves, and hopefully not too much of a crease.

How to Look After Natural Waves

Don’t brush it when it’s dry. I learned this one the hard way. Brushing dry waves just breaks them up into frizz. Detangle in the shower with conditioner in, using your fingers or a wide-tooth comb.

Use something to hold the shape. A lightweight mousse or a curl cream scrunched into soaking-wet hair makes a huge difference. If your waves drop by lunchtime, try a bit of gel on top, then scrunch out the crunch once it’s dry.

Dry it carefully. Air-drying is fine, but a diffuser on low heat gives more volume and less frizz. Scrunch your hair up toward the roots with the diffuser and try not to touch it too much while it dries.

And on day two or three, just mist it with a little water, scrunch in a tiny bit of product and you’re good to go. Waves often look even better the second day anyway.

Final Thoughts

The best thing about wavy hair is that it doesn’t need to be perfect. A few frizzy pieces, a slightly flat side, a wave that’s doing its own thing, it all just adds to the look.

So pick a style, screenshot your favorite celebrity version, and stop fighting your texture. Trust me, your flat iron won’t miss you as much as you think.