20 Chic Halloween Hairstyles That You Can Do By Yourself

The best Halloween hairstyles do the following: Stretch our imaginations. Inspire whimsy and magic. And—most importantly—are easy (or at the very least easy enough without having to hire an entire glam squad) to do on our own. With Halloween just a few days away, the pressure is on if you’re still looking for a costume. But don’t fret—this guide is here to help get those creative juices flowing.

From classic fictional characters (Barbie, Little Mermaid, Cinderella, etc.) to the reigning pop princess, there’s a look for everyone. Below are 20 Halloween hairstyles to try out this spooky season. Once you have the hair down (up, braided, or whatever catches your fancy), the makeup and the rest will follow pretty easily. For a little more inspiration, check out these celebrity looks. 

Whimsical Balletcore

Taking inspiration from the biggest beauty trend that emerged at New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2024, ribbon hair makes for a romantic—and easy—Halloween hair look. Celebrity hairstylist Lacy Redway created these “Barre Braids” at Christian Siriano, where she gathered the ends of two braids into a low bun. Ribbon was then weaved in between to resemble that of a corset for the ultimate balletcore hair.

Wednesday Addams's Braided Pigtails

For when you want the dark academia aesthetic with a spooky edge, you channel your inner Wednesday Addams. Before styling hair, opt for a nourishing hair serum like the Fekkai Brilliant Gloss Anti-Frizz Serum that will smooth away any flyways and keep hair looking shiny. Simply split hair into two sections, parting hair directly down the middle. Then create a three strand braid on each side and secure the ends with clear elastics.

The Little Mermaid Sparkle

If mermaidcore is your favorite core trend, you can’t go wrong with going as Ariel from The Little Mermaid this Halloween. She mostly keeps her hair long and flowy, but opt for a jeweled headpiece if you’re looking to match any mermaid-sparkle costume. We especially love Halle Bailey’s sea shell-inspired headband that is just stunning to look at and really elevates any costume.

Elvira’s ‘80s Bob

One of Michelle Pfeiffer’s most iconic on-screen beauty looks, the Elvira rounded bob makes for an easy Halloween hairstyle to replicate on your own. Take a round brush like the Sisley Paris Hair Rituel Blow Dry Brush when styling hair to give your ends a bouncy bend and to make your full bangs extra voluminous. Or opt for a wig if you want to go short for just one night.

Cinderella’s Regal Updo

The 1997 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella boasts a stacked cast (Brandy as Cinderella, Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother, Bernadette Peters as the evil stepmother, Whoopi Goldbergh as the queen to name just a few) and provides endless Halloween hair options to choose from. If you’re channeling the titular Disney princess, all you need to do is dress up a curly updo with a jeweled headpiece like the Balmain Hair Couture Small Eclat Headband to really shine.

Barbie Half-Up Half-Down

Halloween 2023 wouldn’t be complete without Margot Robbie's Barbie. And lucky for us, there are many different Barbies to choose from. We’re partial to this half-up half-down hairdo adorned with an adorable pink gingham bow for a nice added touch.

The Pulp Fiction Bob

When talking about timeless Halloween hair looks, Uma Thurman’s Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction is always in the conversation. The dark blunt bob and matching blunt bangs is a classic and can be replicated easily. If your hair is already short, all you need is a heat protectant spray that also gives hair a sleek glossy finish like the Verb Glossy Shine Heat Protectant Spray. If all else fails, opt for a wig.

Scarlet Witch Waves

One of the most powerful Marvel characters also happens to have enviable beachy waves. To look like everyone’s favorite superhero witch this Halloween, use something like the Briogeo Superfoods Banana + Coconut Hydrating Soft Wave Texture Spray to nourish hair with vitamins and give your hair a defined and tousled wavy texture.

The Marie Antoinette Pouf

Ostentatious and luxe, Marie Antoinette was anything but a minimalist and took her beauty routines very seriously. Channel the infamous 18th century pouf this Halloween and add some floral accents for a really fun look.

Morticia Addams’ Pin Straight Hair

With her long and glossy jet black strands, Morticia Addams proves that Wednesday isn’t the only Addams you should take Halloween hair inspo from. Simply use a flat iron like the GHD Max Styler to get hair straight and shiny.

Bridgerton Black Tie

Dearest reader, we invite you to dress like our favorite fictional noble family this Halloween season. All you really need is a simple—yet elegant—updo to go with whatever 19th century-inspired ensemble you choose to wear. And you can’t forget a jeweled headpiece to finish off the look.

‘90s Pop Icon

It’s hard to pick just one Britney Spears look, but you can never go wrong with one of her famous pigtailed looks, like her concert above or “...One More Time” music video era. To these pigtails, simply section hair into two parts and tie up each section just above the ears. Don’t forget to add fun accents like the fluffy pink pom poms, bows, or body glitter depending on the look. 

Betty Draper in Italy

For fellow Mad Men fans, this is our Roman Empire—at least beauty-wise. The quintessential housewife, Betty ditched her signature wavy flared bob for a skyhigh rounded updo with a tiny bow detail in the center. You’ll need a lot of hair to get an updo that big and a strong hairspray to lock it all into place. The end result is just fabulous.

Princess Leia Buns

One of the best parts of the Princess Leia buns is that it can take less than 10 minutes to style. Simply section hair into two low ponytails. Then twist hair before wrapping the section around on the side of your head to cover the ears. Pin it in place to secure it and you’ve got the most iconic space buns for your Halloween hair look.

Space Buns

If you want something less defined as the Princess Leia buns there are plenty of ways to put your own unique on space buns. Janelle Monae adorns theirs with floral decals to elevate the look.

Midsommar Florals

Taking a cue from the Florence Pugh horror film Midsommar, a flower crown is an easy yet chic way to dress up your hair for any occasion. This Wolf and Badger Glorious Gloria Halo Crown is vibrant with rich hues of orange, purple, and fuschia to give you that idyllic festival vibe…sans the murderous cult.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

The makeup look is low lift on this one (thank you, sunglasses!). Instead, dedicate all your time teasing and pinning hair into a side-parted chignon to imitate Audrey Hepburn's iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's role. 

Supermodel Blowout

The ‘90s was the decade that defined the supermodel and what better way to pay homage this Halloween than with the signature supermodel blowout. Use a lifting texture spray like the Wella EIMI Sugar Lift Spray for Voluminous Texture Spray to give your hair body and lift.

Vampire Bride

It’s been three years since Rodarte debuted this romantic goth beauty look on the runway—and we’re still very much obsessed with it. Inspired by Winona Ryder’s character in Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, models wore soft waves and a veil for a spooky bridal look that’s perfect for this Halloween and beyond.

Disco Queen

For those of who weren’t able to experience Studio 54 in real time, evoking that era with voluminous disco curls might be the next best thing. While styling will depend on your hair length and natural curl pattern, generally you’ll want to use a mousse to enhance curls like the Pattern By Tracee Ellis Ross Curl Mousse on damp hair, blow dry it out, and curl hair with a 1-inch curling iron to get you luscious curls that you can dance all night in.