Julia Roberts’ hair in My Best Friend’s Wedding is still one of the most requested references I get for wedding guest and bridesmaid hair, and I understand why. Julianne Potter’s copper curls are never set into rigid ringlets. They move, they frame her face, and even the formal versions keep some looseness. That is also what makes them tricky to copy, because loose hair that still looks deliberate takes the right cut and the right drying method. I’ve broken the look into fifteen versions, from everyday curls to updos, with notes on what each one asks of your own hair.
Starting From Straight Hair, Loose Waves or Coils
Her curls sit in the loose to medium range: big, open S-shapes that turn into spirals at the ends. If your natural hair already does something like that, most of these looks are about cut and drying technique. If it doesn’t, you can still get there, but the method changes.
Straight or barely wavy hair
You’ll need to set the curl with heat. I use a medium curling iron, alternate the direction of each section away from and toward the face, and pin each curl to cool before releasing it. Hot rollers give a softer, more 90s result than a wand. Expect it to drop over the day, so set slightly tighter than you want the final look.
Tighter curls and coils
Your volume is already there. To get closer to her looser shape, stretch the curls gently with a twist-out or a low-heat diffuse while the hair is held lengthwise, rather than with a hot blowout. You keep your curl health and lose some shrinkage.
Before any wedding, test the style once on a normal day and look at it after a few hours. That tells you far more than the mirror does at the start.
1. Julia Roberts Curly Red Hair
The signature look starts with the curl itself: a soft, open pattern with volume around the crown and sides that still reads light rather than heavy. The warm copper-red color helps a lot, because the lighter and darker tones show every bend. Ask for long layers that remove weight without chopping through the curl clumps. Then curl cream on soaking wet hair, a gentle diffuse, and no brush once it’s dry. I see people get this wrong by aiming for neat ringlets. What you’re after is soft, slightly lived-in movement with shine.
2. Julia Roberts Long Layered Curls
Without layers, long curly hair settles into a heavy triangle: flat at the roots, wide at the ends. Rounded long layers give the curls room to open, so the movement sits around the cheekbones and shoulders instead. This only works if your hair already waves or curls; on straight hair, layers alone won’t create it. Tell your stylist you want minimal thinning. Thinning shears chop curls into short broken pieces, and those pieces frizz. A lightweight mousse and a diffuser on low finish it.
3. Julia Roberts Side Part Curls
A side part does more for this look than people expect. Flipping the hair over creates lift at the root on one side and a softer sweep on the other, so you get volume without any backcombing. Set the part while the hair is still wet and full of curl cream; if you try to move it once dry, you’ll break up the curls along the line. Let the front pieces fall where they want. Once everything is dry, fluff only at the roots. I rate this one highly for anyone who wants Julianne’s shape without an updo.
4. Julia Roberts Wedding Guest Updo
Picture soft curls gathered loosely, a little height at the crown and a few tendrils left out. The trap with a curly wedding guest updo is straightening the hair first to make pinning easier. Don’t. The curls themselves create the shape and give pins something to grip. I pin in loose sections, one pinned clump at a time, instead of twisting everything into one tight roll, and then mist with flexible hairspray. It sits nicely above a slip dress or anything with a simple neckline.
5. Julia Roberts Lavender Dress Updo
Julianne’s lavender dress moment balances drama with softness: the hair is swept up but keeps its movement and a few pieces around the face. That’s why bridesmaids keep showing it to me. The secret is keeping the curls loose and slightly separated before anything gets pinned. If I smooth them first, the result looks like any formal updo and the character disappears. Lift the crown a little, gather the curls into a low-to-mid updo, and let a few strands drop. Stop before it looks worked on.
6. Julia Roberts Messy Curly Updo
Second-day curls are your friend here. By the day after washing, the texture has grip and volume that fresh curls don’t have yet. Gather the hair loosely and pin curls in different directions to build a full, uneven shape. Brushing anything smooth defeats the point. Use pins that match your hair color, because on red hair dark pins show at every angle. A touch of shine spray stops the curls looking dry. It’s my pick for brunches and the relaxed events around a wedding.
7. Julia Roberts Half Up Curly Hair
This keeps the length visible while getting hair off your face. Take a small section from each side, twist it back and pin it near the crown, leaving the sides and back loose. Before pinning, add a little lift at the root, otherwise the top lies flat against the head and looks dated in the wrong way. Don’t pull the twists tight; the charm is in the softness. Medium to long hair suits it best, and it’s quick enough to redo yourself mid-event.
8. Julia Roberts Loose Curly Blowout
A loose curly blowout stretches the curls into soft waves with rounded ends. It’s smoother than a diffused finish, which helps if your natural curls get unpredictable at events. I use a round brush section by section, keeping tension low so the curl isn’t blown out completely, then touch up a few front pieces with a curling iron. Keep volume at the roots and mid-lengths, and leave the ends glossy. One honest warning: a blowout on curly hair reverts quickly in humidity, so for an outdoor summer wedding the diffused versions above will last longer.
9. Julia Roberts Face Framing Curls
Those shorter pieces around the cheeks and jaw are a big reason her hair flatters so much. They soften the face and make the curls look intended. Ask for face-framing layers that blend into the rest of the cut, not short disconnected bits; a heavy line at the cheekbone looks very different once the curls shrink. When styling, finger-coil those front curls around your finger with a little cream while damp, then let them air dry or diffuse on low. It works on long curls, layered cuts and shoulder-length hair.
10. Julia Roberts 90s Curly Layers
The 90s curly layers have an airier finish than the tight, defined curls popular now. The layers start high enough to create movement, while the overall length stays full. If your curls feel weighed down or flat at the roots, this cut is the fix. Find a stylist who cuts curly hair dry or curl by curl, because curls shrink and a wet cut can surprise you once it dries. Style with mousse at the roots, scrunch in a little gel, and once dry, scrunch out the crunch gently with your hands.
11. Julia Roberts Copper Curly Hair
The shade sits between auburn and golden red, warm enough to glow without looking loud. If you want it, ask for a soft copper or warm auburn gloss and let your colorist adjust it to your skin tone; pale skin and olive skin need different versions of copper. Red tones fade faster than most shades, and coloring dries curly hair, so care matters. Use a color-safe shampoo, deep condition weekly, and put a light oil on the ends. If you’re coloring for an event, do it a week or so before, not the day before, so the first wash has settled the tone.
12. Julia Roberts Soft Bridal Updo
If you’re the bride and love vintage movie hair, this is the version to try. The shape is lifted and airy, built from defined curls or soft waves pinned loosely in small sections rather than smoothed into a bun. Small sections are the key, since each one carries its own pins and the whole updo won’t collapse if one slips. Leave a few tendrils at the temples and neckline. A veil comb needs a solid anchor, so I build a tight pinned base where it’ll sit and keep everything around it soft. Pearl pins finish it simply.
13. Julia Roberts Casual Curly Hair
This is Julianne on an ordinary day: loose, slightly undone curls that look better after hours of wear than they did in the morning. To refresh, mist with water and a little leave-in conditioner, then scrunch the ends to bring the shape back. If the roots have gone flat, flip your head over and massage the scalp for a few seconds. Don’t chase perfect curls. The relaxed, slightly imperfect finish is the whole appeal, and it takes about five minutes.
14. Julia Roberts Romantic Low Bun
A low bun reads more grown-up than loose curls, so I like it for rehearsal dinners and as a guest look when you want polish without a stiff salon finish. Curls or waves wrap loosely into place near the nape, with the crown slightly lifted and a few face-framing pieces free. Clean, silky hair won’t hold this, so add mousse or a wave spray first and let it dry fully. Sitting at the nape, it stays comfortable against a chair back all evening. Simple earrings and soft makeup suit it best.
15. Julia Roberts Voluminous Curly Hair
Volume is the heart of the look, and it comes from root lift and curl separation rather than heavy product. Mousse at the roots, curl cream through the lengths, then diffuse with your head tilted so gravity pulls the roots away from the scalp. Once dry, lift at the crown with your fingertips. Oils and serums near the top flatten everything, so keep them on the ends. On very fine hair, big volume collapses within a few hours; that’s the one hair type I’d steer toward the updos instead.
Why Diffused Curls Flatten by the Reception
Curly volume lives at the root, and a long event works against it. Sitting through a ceremony, leaning back in a chair, hugging people, warm rooms: all of it presses the crown down while humidity swells the ends. By evening, the shape that started round has turned into a pyramid.
A few things help. Let your hair dry completely before you go out; damp roots collapse first. Use a gel or mousse with real hold underneath, then soften the cast once dry. Clip the roots at the crown with a few duckbill clips while you do your makeup, and remove them just before you leave.
- Pack a small spray bottle with water and a little leave-in to revive flattened curls in the restroom.
- Carry two or three bobby pins in your hair color for a quick half up if the sides go wide.
- Skip touching the curls through the evening. Every touch breaks them into frizz.
- Bring a fine-tooth comb only for the part, never for the lengths.
As a guest, remember the bride is the one in the photos all day. Big copper curls draw the eye, which is fine, but if she’s wearing her hair down and full, a soft low bun keeps you on the right side of that line.
Red Curls Without a Film Set Hair Team
This hair still works because it looks real. The curls aren’t overcontrolled, the updos stay soft, and the copper color warms the face in every kind of light. You can wear it to weddings, for a casual weekend or as a 90s-inspired hair refresh. You don’t need to match the film shot for shot. Get layers that suit your curl pattern, keep the ends healthy, dry your hair in a way that protects the texture, and the feeling of Julianne’s hair will follow.
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