Hairstyles for Medium Length Hair: 20 Styles Sorted by How Much Time You Have
Hairstyles for medium length hair have more options than most people use. Hair between the collarbone and the shoulder blades is long enough for ponytails, braids and small buns, and short enough to dry quickly and hold a wave. The usual problems are ends that flip out where they hit the shoulders, and buns that come out too small.
This guide starts with what each part of the medium range can do, then fixes the shoulder flip, then gives twenty styles sorted by how long they take: two minutes, five, ten, no heat at all, and styles for events. Each one lists the time and the tools you need.
What Counts as Medium Length
Medium hair covers a wide range, and two inches can decide whether a style works. Measure where your ends fall when your hair is dry and straight.
| Where your ends fall | Ponytail | Bun | Braids | Best styles here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just above the shoulders (long bob) | Small, low | Only a twist-tuck or mini bun | Short braids, often with pins | Half-ups, side tucks, bent waves |
| At the shoulders | Yes, low or mid | Small loop-through bun | Dutch or French braids to the nape | Bubble ponytail, twisted half-up, flat-iron waves |
| Collarbone | Any height | Messy or low bun | Two braids, braided crown with pins | Most styles in this guide |
| Just past the shoulder blades | Any height | Full low bun or chignon | All braids | Everything here, plus long-hair updos |
Layers change this: the shortest layer decides whether a style holds. If your face-framing pieces sit at the chin, expect them to fall out of buns and ponytails, and plan to pin them or leave them out on purpose.
How to Stop Ends Flipping Out at the Shoulders
Hair that ends at the shoulders flips out because the ends hit the shoulders and get pushed up and outward every time you move. Straight, thick and blunt-cut hair flips most. A few fixes help:
- Bend the ends under with a round brush while blow-drying, or with one pass of a flat iron turned slightly inward at the ends.
- Wear it in front of or behind the shoulders, not on top of them. Tucking the ends behind the shoulders keeps them from catching.
- Flip them on purpose. A deliberate outward flip with a round brush looks finished; a half-flip looks accidental.
- Put weight on the ends with a drop of smoothing cream, which helps them lie down.
- Change the cut. Ends an inch above or below the shoulder line flip less. Long layers also take weight off so the ends move instead of kicking out.
The styles below that are worn down include an end-bending step for this reason.
2-Minute Hairstyles for Medium Length Hair
1. Tucked Half-Up Knot
Take the top section from the temples back, tie it with a small elastic, then pull the hair halfway through on the last turn so it makes a small loop. Pin or tuck the ends under the loop. It keeps hair out of your face and hides second-day roots at the crown. Our guide to half up half down hairstyles shows how to size the top section.
Takes: 2 minutes, one small elastic and a pin.
2. Low Ponytail With a Wrapped Base
Tie a low ponytail at the nape, take a thin strand from underneath, wrap it around the elastic and pin it under the ponytail. On medium hair, the wrap uses up very little length, so the ponytail still reaches past the nape. Our ponytail hairstyles explain how to hide the pin.
Takes: 2 minutes, one elastic and a bobby pin.
3. Behind-the-Ear Pin Tuck
Tuck one side of the hair behind the ear and fix it with two bobby pins crossed in an X, just behind the ear. Leave the other side down. It works especially well on a long bob, and gives a deep side part without restyling the whole head.
Takes: 1 minute, two bobby pins.
4. Low Twisted Clip-Up
Gather the hair at the nape, twist it once upward and hold it against the back of the head with a medium claw clip, letting the ends fan out above it. Shoulder-length hair is too short to tuck neatly, and the fanned ends make that look intentional. Our 14 claw clip hairstyles include a size chart for every hair thickness.
Takes: 1 minute, one medium claw clip.
5-Minute Hairstyles
5. Flat-Iron Bent Waves
Take a two-inch section, clamp the flat iron near the top, turn it half a turn away from your face and slide it down slowly, stopping an inch before the ends. Alternate the direction with each section and leave the ends straight for a modern, undone wave. Shake it out with your fingers once it cools.
Takes: 5 to 10 minutes, a flat iron and heat protectant.
6. Bubble Ponytail
Tie a mid-height ponytail, then add small clear elastics every two inches down the length. Pull each section gently wider to make a bubble. Medium hair fits three or four bubbles, which is enough for the shape to show.
Takes: 5 minutes, four or five small elastics.
7. Twisted Rope Half-Up
- Take a two-inch section above each ear.
- Twist each one back toward the center of the head, turning the hair away from the face.
- Join the two twists at the back of the head and fix them with a small elastic or two crossed pins.
The twists hold shorter layers that would fall out of a plain half-up.
Takes: 5 minutes, a small elastic or two pins.
8. Messy Loop-Through Bun
Medium hair is often too short to wrap into a full bun, so use the loop method. Tie a low ponytail and, on the last turn of the elastic, pull the hair only halfway through to make a loop. Spread the loop wider with your fingers and pin the loose ends under it. Our bun hairstyles include other ways to build a bun from short lengths.
Takes: 3 to 5 minutes, one elastic and a few pins.
10-Minute Hairstyles
9. Round-Brush Blowout With Bent Ends
Rough-dry the hair until it is about 80 percent dry, then work in sections with a medium round brush. Lift at the roots for volume and turn the brush under at the ends, holding it there for a few seconds before releasing. This is the most reliable fix for ends that flip out at the shoulders.
Takes: 10 to 15 minutes, a blow dryer, a round brush and heat protectant.
10. Two Dutch Braids
Part the hair down the center and braid each side as a Dutch braid, crossing the strands under so the braid sits on top. On collarbone-length hair, the braids end just past the nape. Our Dutch braid hairstyles explain the technique step by step.
Takes: 10 minutes, two small elastics.
11. French Braid Into a Low Bun
French braid from the crown to the nape, then braid the rest of the length and wind the braid into a small bun, pinning it in an X. The braid uses up the length, so the bun stays compact and neat. See our French braid hairstyles for the basic braid.
Takes: 10 minutes, one elastic and four pins.
12. Half-Up Space Buns
Part the top section down the middle and twist each half into a small bun just above the crown, securing each with an elastic and two pins. The rest of the hair stays down. Medium length gives each bun enough hair without the buns getting heavy.
Takes: 10 minutes, two elastics and four pins.
13. Braided Crown for Medium Hair
Braid two sections, one from behind each ear, then lift them over the top of the head and pin each end under the opposite braid. On shoulder-length hair the braids won’t meet in a full circle, so cross them at the top and hide the ends. Our crown braid guide has versions for every length.
Takes: 10 to 15 minutes, two small elastics and several pins.
No-Heat Hairstyles for Medium Length Hair
14. Overnight Braid Waves
On slightly damp hair, make two loose braids and sleep on them. In the morning, undo the braids and break up the waves with your fingers, not a brush. Start the braids higher up the head for more wave at the roots. Our guide to styling a bob without heat covers more overnight methods for shorter lengths.
Takes: 5 minutes at night, two elastics.
15. Scrunched Air-Dried Waves
For naturally wavy hair, apply a little mousse or curl cream to wet hair, scrunch it upward with your hands and leave it to air-dry without touching it. Scrunch again once it is fully dry to soften any crunch.
Takes: 3 minutes, plus drying time; mousse or curl cream.
16. Defined Curls on Medium Hair
Shoulder-length curls often sit wider than they are long. Apply styler to soaking-wet hair, shape the curls with your fingers, and let them dry fully before touching them, either in the air or with a diffuser on low heat. Pin the crown up overnight to keep the volume off the sides. Our guide to curly hairstyles by curl type matches products to your curl pattern.
Takes: 5 minutes, plus drying time; curl cream or gel.
Medium Length Hairstyles for Events
17. Low Chignon With Twisted Sides
- Twist a section from each temple back toward the nape.
- Gather the twists with the rest of the hair into a low ponytail.
- Roll the ponytail under and up into a small chignon and pin it in an X.
- Pull a few pieces loose around the face.
It suits weddings, dinners and holiday parties, and holds with collarbone-length hair. For more updos at this length, see our updos for short hair, which include shoulder-length versions.
Takes: 15 minutes, one elastic, six to eight pins and hairspray.
18. Hot-Roller Volume
Set large hot rollers on dry hair, rolling the crown sections back away from the face and the sides down and under. Leave them in for ten to fifteen minutes, then brush out lightly. The result is full, bouncy hair that curves under at the ends.
Takes: 20 minutes, hot rollers and light hairspray.
19. Curled Half-Up
Curl the hair in two-inch sections with a one-inch curling iron, turning each section away from the face. Let the curls cool, then take the top section back with a small clip or a decorative pin. Loosen the curls with your fingers so they blend.
Takes: 20 minutes, a curling iron, heat protectant and a clip.
20. Sleek Straight With Tucked Ends
Smooth the hair with a flat iron in small sections, turning the iron slightly under at the ends. Finish with a drop of shine serum on the lengths and tuck one side behind the ear. On a long bob or shoulder-length cut, this looks polished enough for the office or an evening out.
Takes: 15 minutes, a flat iron, heat protectant and serum.
Styling Tips by Hair Type
| Hair type | What usually goes wrong | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Fine or thin | Buns look small, ponytails look flat | Texture spray before styling, loop-through buns, bubble ponytails |
| Thick | Ends flip, updos feel heavy | Bend the ends under, use more pins in crossed pairs, smaller sections |
| Wavy | Frizz on day two | Scrunched waves, braids, a half-up twist to reset the top |
| Curly or coily | Width at the sides | Pin the crown up, pineapple overnight, half-up styles |
| Layered | Short pieces fall out | Twisted half-ups and braids, which catch shorter layers |
Heat styling on medium hair adds up quickly because the same ends are treated every day. Use a heat protectant each time and keep tools on a medium setting; our heat damage guide covers temperatures by hair type.
Cuts That Make Medium Hair Easier to Style
The cut decides how much styling medium hair needs. Long layers help ends move instead of flipping, and face-framing pieces give a style a finished look with little effort. Compare short, medium and long layers in our guide to layered haircuts by length, see textured options in shag haircuts, or read about the long bob in our bob haircut guide. If you want something around the face, curtain bangs suit most medium cuts.
Medium Length Hair FAQ
What counts as medium length hair?
Most stylists call hair medium when it ends somewhere between the collarbone and just past the shoulder blades. A long bob that ends just above the shoulders sits at the short end of the range.
How do I stop my medium length hair from flipping out?
Bend the ends under with a round brush or a flat iron, wear the hair in front of or behind your shoulders, and add a little smoothing cream to the ends. If it keeps happening, ask for the length an inch above or below your shoulders, or for long layers.
Can medium length hair go in a bun?
Yes. Collarbone-length hair makes a small low bun, and shoulder-length hair works best with the loop-through method, where the ponytail is pulled halfway through the elastic. A braid wound into a bun also works, because it uses up the length neatly.
What are the easiest hairstyles for medium length hair?
The quickest hairstyles for medium length hair are a tucked half-up knot, a low ponytail with a wrapped base, a pin tuck behind one ear and a twisted clip-up. Each takes two minutes or less.
How often should I trim medium length hair?
Layered cuts usually need a trim every eight to ten weeks, and blunt cuts or long bobs every six to eight weeks to keep the line sharp. Our hair trim schedule lists timings for every cut.
Choosing Your Medium Length Style
Start with where your ends fall: just above the shoulders suits half-ups and bent waves, the shoulders suit ponytails and braids to the nape, and collarbone length or longer can do almost every style here. Pick by the time you have, from a two-minute knot to a fifteen-minute chignon, and bend the ends under whenever you wear it down. Those two choices cover most of what makes hairstyles for medium length hair look finished.
