Yesterday the girls and I were getting ready to go out to lunch and see a movie with my sister and nephew. Sam walked out of her room and stopped in her tracks, looking at me intently. “Oh! You did your hair,” she said, satisfied that she realized what was different about me before continuing on her merry way. Ouch.
But she was right. It’s been so hot and humid here in New York that I’ve resorted to throwing my hair up, clipping the droopy bits, and pulling my bangs away from my face. Pieces in the back inevitably fall down. Short pieces of my bangs flop forward and within a half hour I look like a general mess. Not cool or attractive or desirable in any sense of the word.
In short, momma needs to get it together. So I decided to collect a little arsenal of ideas to keep in my back pocket for days when I’m feeling less than inspired. Each of these easy summer hairstyles can be done in a few minutes and can work for a variety of hair lengths (sorry in advance to my shorties!).
This hair scarf tutorial from Keiko Lynn is definitely one of my favorites. It’s my go-to for stretches of time (you can see it on me in this personal style post–and if I can do it, anyone can!) and can definitely help tame unruly bangs when the humidity is unbearable.
You know I’m a huge fan of the top knot. My hair is a little short at the moment to get a big fat knot going–luckily I’m ok with that because I’m loving my choppy bob–but that doesn’t mean my love for it as faded. A Cup of Jo has an awesome sock-free tutorial for the perfect knot.
For days when I’m running really late (my husband and daughter will tell you that’s most days. My response to that is a growl), I love this idea from Seventeen. Just throw up all that hair and tame the falling pieces with a couple of headbands–bonus points if they’re sparkly. The addition of accessories automatically makes you look more pulled together, in my opinion.
I absolutely love this look from Henry Happened for those times when you’re trying to look a little fancier. Date night anyone? Or even a lunch meeting? This is seriously perfect. My favorite part is that it only takes two minutes.
Lastly, who doesn’t love a messy braid in the summer? This one from A Cup of Jo changes it up a little bit by adding in a fourth strand. It’s a little bit more complicated than the others, but with a little practice it will be like second nature.
What are your favorite easy summer hairstyles? Feel free to link to any tutorials in the comments!
Hi! I'm Jen, a freelance writer and girl mom who loves reading the newest children’s books as much as I love a good psychological thriller. I believe fiercely in the power of kindness, empathy, and really good quality chocolate. When I'm not knee-deep in glittery crafts and girl talk, you can probably find me sprawled out on my couch in the middle of a Netflix marathon with dark chocolate smeared on my face. The struggle is real. 
This makes me miss my long hair. I think I’m going to grow it back out so I can put it up in cute messy buns and braids!