Mothers of the bride usually ask me for one thing: hair that looks dressed up for the day and still looks like them. That rules out anything that needs constant fixing, and it rules out copying the bride. Your hair has to work with your dress, your face and roughly twelve hours of hugging, sitting and dancing. Below are 20 mother of the bride hairstyles covering short, medium and long hair, from Hollywood waves to chignons and half-up curls. For each, I’ve said how it’s built and where it struggles, so you can walk into your trial knowing what to ask for.
Where Mom Fits in the Morning Hair Schedule
On most wedding mornings, the mother of the bride is styled near the end, just before the bride. That way her hair is fresh for the getting-ready photos and she’s free to help her daughter afterwards. It also means you’ll sit in a busy room for a few hours, so plan around it.
Times vary by stylist and hair, but a blowout or waves usually takes 30 to 45 minutes, and an updo up to an hour. Braided or sculpted styles like finger waves take longer. Tell your stylist which style you want when you book, so the timeline has room for it.
Bring these to your trial
- Two or three photos of styles you like, and one you don’t
- A photo of your dress, showing the neckline and the back
- Your earrings, and any hat, fascinator or hair piece
- A note of how your hair behaves in humidity or rain
Wear the style for the rest of the trial day. If anything slips, aches or itches by evening, tell your stylist; it’s easy to adjust a few weeks before and hard to fix on the morning.
1. Classic Low Chignon
A low chignon goes with nearly every neckline, from sweetheart to high collar, which is why I suggest it when a mother hasn’t settled on her dress yet. It sits at the nape, so it won’t press against a chair back or a car headrest. I make it sleek for formal weddings and pull a few pieces loose for softer ones. A pearl pin or small comb at one side is enough decoration. The thing to check at the trial is how it sits with your earrings, since a big drop earring and a big chignon can crowd each other.
2. Old Hollywood Waves
Old Hollywood waves are deep, glossy S-curls brushed into one continuous shape down one side. They’re built by curling every section in the same direction, pinning the curls to cool, then brushing them out with a boar bristle brush until they join into waves. Skip that last step and you just have curls. They need shoulder length or longer and a deep side part. The catch is the brush-out takes practice, and the style is fragile in humidity, so I’d not choose it for an outdoor summer wedding.
3. French Twist Updo
A French twist rolls the hair into a smooth vertical fold at the back of the head, and it’s one of the most secure formal styles there is. It needs medium to long hair. I add a little texture on top first so it doesn’t look severe, and loosen a strand or two around the face for a modern version. Very thick hair can make the roll bulky, so I sometimes take a section out underneath and pin it flat before rolling. It handles hugs and dancing well.
4. Soft Romantic Curls
Loose, brushed-out curls are the easiest way to look done up while wearing your hair down. I use a large barrel iron, pin each curl to cool, then brush through gently so the curls soften into waves. They suit medium and long hair, and flowing chiffon or lace dresses. Heavy, straight hair drops curl fastest, so I prep it with a light mousse and set the curls with a firm-hold spray before brushing. A sparkly clip above one ear pulls it together.
5. Sleek Twisted Bun With Pearls
A twisted low bun with pearl pins suits mothers who want detail without fuss. The twists give the bun texture, and the pearls sit in the folds where the twists meet, which also hides the pins doing the real work. On fine to medium hair, twisting the hair before wrapping makes the bun look fuller than a smooth one would. I push each pearl pin in at an angle under a twist so it can’t slide out. It suits both traditional and modern gowns.
6. Half-Up Half-Down With Curls
The half-up half-down style is for mothers who feel too exposed in an updo but want hair off the face. The top section is gathered and secured, and the rest falls in curls past the shoulders. I anchor the top with a small hidden elastic or crossed pins before adding a twist or decorative clip, because clips alone slide on clean hair. It needs medium to long hair. The loose curls will drop slightly through the day, so I’d plan for that rather than fight it.
7. Elegant Pixie Cut Style
A pixie can look every bit as dressed up as long hair; it just needs intention. I add lift at the crown with a little volumizing product and blow-dry, then define the ends with a small amount of pomade or styling cream so they look shaped rather than flat. The cut shows off earrings and lets bold lipstick work. Get the pixie trimmed about a week before, so the edges have softened. On the day there’s almost nothing to go wrong.
8. Crown Braid Updo
A crown braid wraps around the head like a halo and keeps every strand secure. It suits outdoor and garden weddings, where wind would undo a looser style. Medium to long hair works; shorter hair can manage a half crown that tucks behind the ears. I pull the loops of the braid gently wider after pinning so it looks fuller, and leave a couple of wispy pieces at the front. It pairs well with floral or bohemian gowns.
9. Voluminous Blowout
A glossy, voluminous blowout is the simplest style here to wear and one of the hardest to do well yourself. The volume comes from lifting each section straight up off the scalp with a large round brush and drying it in that position. It suits medium to long hair and almost any dress. A bit of shine spray at the end, not serum at the roots, keeps it from going flat. On very humid days the volume fades, so pack a mini hairspray.
10. Low Bun With Side Bangs
If you always wear side bangs, keep them for the wedding and put the rest of the hair in a sleek low bun. The bangs keep your face looking like yours in photos, and the bun keeps everything else tidy. I blow-dry the bangs across the forehead while wet so they hold their direction all day. Medium to long hair works. A small decorative pin at the side of the bun is plenty.
11. Textured Bob With Waves
A textured bob with soft waves is modern and comfortable, and it suits fine to medium hair especially well. I use a curling wand and leave the ends straight for a less formal bend, then rake through with my fingers. The texture also hides a cut that’s a couple of weeks overdue. It works well with statement earrings and a bold lip. If the bob is very blunt and heavy, the waves can look stiff, so a light texturizing spray helps.
12. Romantic Side-Swept Updo
Gathering the hair to one side gives a softer, asymmetric updo that shows off the jawline and one earring. Curls or twists are pinned in a cluster behind one ear. It suits embellished or one-shoulder gowns, with the hair on the bare side. Before I start, I ask which side the photographer will mostly shoot from during the ceremony, so the updo faces the guests. A few loose tendrils at the front keep it from looking tight.
13. Sleek Straight Hair
Sleek straight hair makes a clean, modern statement and leaves the dress and accessories to do the talking. The finish depends on healthy ends; any breakage or split ends shows in a mirror-smooth style. I iron in small sections and use a smoothing serum on the lengths. A center or side part both work. It needs medium to long hair that’s in good condition, and if yours tends to frizz in humidity, I’d add an anti-humidity spray.
14. Curly Updo With Loose Tendrils
Natural curls make some of the softest updos I do. I gather the curls loosely on top and pin them where they fall naturally, leaving a few tendrils around the face. Natural texture holds pins better than straight hair, so it’s often more secure than people expect. This works on medium to long curly or wavy hair. Refresh the curls with a curl cream on the morning rather than brushing them, because brushing turns curls into frizz. A decorative comb or fresh flowers finish it.
15. Polished Silver Bob
Wearing your gray or silver hair proudly in a polished bob is one of the most modern looks a mother of the bride can choose. Silver shows shine and condition more than any other color, so I use a gloss or a little shine serum and a cool iron to avoid yellowing. A purple shampoo a few days before keeps it bright. It pairs well with jewel-toned or neutral gowns. Waves or straight both work, depending on your cut.
16. Braided Bun Combination
Combining a braid with a bun adds detail without much fuss. The braid gets woven in first, then coiled with the rest of the hair into a low or mid bun. Because the braid holds itself together, this style is very secure through hugs and dancing. It works on medium to long hair at both formal and bohemian weddings. Leave a few face-framing pieces loose. If your hair is very thick, braid only part of it so the bun doesn’t grow too large.
17. Soft Finger Waves
Soft finger waves sculpt the hair into ridges close to the head, and they’re strongest on short to chin-length cuts. They’re made with a strong-hold gel and a fine comb, pushing each ridge into place with the fingers while the hair is wet, then left to dry completely. That drying time is long, so the appointment is too. They pair well with statement jewelry and vintage-style dresses. Wavy or curly hair is hard to set this way, so this is a style for straight or nearly straight hair.
18. Loose Low Ponytail
A low ponytail is the most comfortable style on this list and one of the most practical. I gather the hair at the nape, wrap a small section around the elastic to hide it, and pin the wrap underneath. Left straight it looks sleek; with soft waves it looks romantic. It suits medium to long hair and elegant gowns. Leave a couple of face-framing pieces out so it doesn’t look severe. Choose this if you get headaches from pins.
19. Layered Shoulder-Length Waves
Shoulder-length layered hair with soft waves gives movement and volume without much effort. I curl with a wand in alternating directions so the layers separate instead of clumping, then rake through with fingers. Layers make this style suit almost any neckline, and they frame the face nicely. It’s low upkeep on the day. If your hair is fine, mousse at the roots before drying keeps the waves from going flat by evening.
20. Elegant Updo With Hair Accessory
Finish your bridal-party look with a soft bun or twist and one well-chosen accessory: a sparkling comb, a jeweled pin or fresh flowers. The accessory is the point of this style, so choose it first and build the updo around where it will sit. Combs need a firm base, so I place them into a section anchored with crossed pins. Match the metal to your jewelry and the tone to your dress. It needs medium to long hair.
Hats and Fascinators Change the Whole Plan
At more formal weddings, many mothers wear a hat or fascinator, and the hair has to be built around it. Decide on the headpiece before the hair trial, never after, and bring it with you.
Fascinators
Most fascinators attach with a comb, a clip or a thin headband. A comb needs something to bite into, so I pin a small flat section or a mini braid just where it will sit, then slide the comb into that. It’s usually worn tilted to one side, and the hair works best smooth around it, often a low bun or chignon on the opposite side.
Hats
A hat flattens anything on top of the head, so volume at the crown is wasted. I keep the hair smooth on top, put the shape low at the nape, and leave room for the hat to sit at the angle you want. If you plan to take the hat off for the reception, ask your stylist to show you a quick way to lift the roots with your fingers afterwards.
Feeling Like Yourself Is the Real Brief
A sleek chignon, romantic waves or a textured bob can all be right; what matters is that the style suits your hair length, texture and personality. Think about your dress neckline, your accessories and how long you’ll be on your feet. A trial run with your stylist a few weeks before gives you time to change your mind. Then choose the version that makes you feel relaxed, because on the day you’ll have more important things to think about than your hair.
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