Some might argue that achieving the perfect look for your graduation photos is more important than your actual graduation ceremony look. Although there will be some snaps taken at your ceremony, your graduation photos will likely be the most shared, so you'll need an awesome graduation photo hairstyle to rock at your shoot.
Think about this for a second: Would you rather have photos taken by a professional handed out to your close family and friends, or pictures taken by your excited mom that turned out blurry, with the class joker photo-bombing in the background? These pictures will not be going anywhere soon; your proud grandparents will put them on their mantels for all of their visitors to admire and they'll keep popping up on social media when you least expect it.
If you're going to hire a pro to take your photo, you might as well make sure your hair and makeup are on point. A look that's two-thirds classy Kate Middleton and one-third trendy Khaleesi is a good rule of thumb when it comes to graduation photos – if you can't look majestic in your graduation photos, when can you? So to give you a little inspiration, here are some glamorous hairstyles you can wear with or without your cap and gown, because if you're going to fork out for a pro, you may as well have options.
1. The Tousled Waves
Ever wondered how to get celeb-worthy waves? This beauty vlogger shows viewers how to get beautiful, loose waves in a jiffy, so you've got more time to practice your poses.
2. The Picture Perfect Style
If you're totally stumped on how to wear your hair and makeup for your graduation photos, Michelle Phan comes to the rescue with this fantastic picture day tutorial that helps you complete a picture perfect look from start to finish.
3. The Natural Hairstyles
This fun vlogger shows gals with natural hair how to style a whole host of hair 'dos that look fabulous under a graduation cap.
4. The Braided Up 'Do
If you have long locks and the day of your graduation photos is forecast to be windy, put your hair up and out of the way with this intricate braided style. After all, nobody wants photos of their hair stuck to their lipgloss!
5. The Loop Waterfall Braid
Although you may need help from a willing friend to create this hairstyle, the results will definitely be worth it. This ethereal style will look gorgeous with or without your cap and gown, which will give you a lot of scope for different shots. Just make sure to be gentle when pinning your cap onto this delicate 'do.
6. The Twist-Back 'Do
Maybe hairstyling is not your forte, which is totally cool, because we're all awesome at different things, right? So if that's the case, this seriously simple, twisty style could be the one for you. If you have straight hair, you'll need to create loose waves first if you want it to look similar to the vlogger's curls.
Want more beauty tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!
7. The Vintage Style
Gals wanting to go for a glamorous, vintage inspired look can follow this tutorial that shows how to get a stunning style that's reminiscent of years gone by. Make sure to take a comb and a hair accessory for shots that don't include your cap.
8. The Elegant Bun
To finish off a formal look you'll need an elegant up 'do, like this sophisticated bun. It'll look gorgeous in photos with or sans cap, plus it'll hold up nicely for celebratory post shoot drinks and dinner!
9. The Braids Both Ways
This handy tutorial shows viewers how to create a half-up half-down 'do with a braid, or a braided "messy" bun, so you can decide which look will be better depending on the weather.
10. The Sideswept Styles
Depending on your mood or the overall vibe of your outfit, with this tutorial you can choose either a sideswept romantic style or a braided bohemian 'do to complement your graduation look.
11. The Contemporary Hairstyles For Different Lengths
Perhaps you are a gal with short hair who's thinking of wearing extensions, or maybe you're someone with super long hair who's debating a dramatic cut before graduation? Whatever your hair length, you're sure to find a lovely style within this nifty tutorial.
Don't let your graduation photos haunt your for the rest of your life. Sport a chic hairstyle that will help you love your graduation pictures for years to come.
Image: LiveNaturallyLove/YouTube
Get Even More From Bustle — Sign Up For The Newsletter
From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person who’s on TikTok, even if you aren’t.
More like this
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSraOeZpOkunCt0a2gnKSVqHxygpFtbW5lYWZ6qL7AnayarJmku268x6irqGWYlrazecidnJqrXam8br7OnKJmr5mptW670WauoqyYpMK1ediorKtlk5a9