29 Stunning Summer Hairstyles For Medium Hair

Medium-length hair, past the chin but short of the shoulder blades, holds a style through a beach walk, a bike ride, and a dinner reservation without losing its shape by four o’clock. That length takes braids, buns, and loose waves without a fight, which is why it shows up in more warm-weather looks than any other length.

The 29 styles below run from five-minute options for a school-run morning to a few that need an extra ten minutes for a wedding or garden party. Sea salt spray, a one-inch curling wand, and a pack of bobby pins cover most of them.

Beachy Waves

A trip to the coast isn’t required for beachy waves. Spray a sea salt texturizer onto damp hair, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends, then scrunch upward with cupped hands to rough in the wave.

For more defined movement, wrap random one-inch sections around a curling wand with a loose hand and release without brushing through. Uneven sections read as natural; matched, uniform curls read as a blowout.

A light hairspray holds the texture through an afternoon outdoors. Our summer beach hair color roundup has shade pairings that photograph well against this same tousled texture.

Messy Bun

A messy bun takes under a minute and keeps hair off the neck on a humid day. Gather hair into a loose ponytail, twist it around itself once, then secure with a claw clip or a few bobby pins instead of pulling it tight.

Pull a few face-framing strands loose before you finish. A texturizing spray applied to dry hair beforehand gives the twist enough grip to stay put without extra pins.

The same bun works from a morning coffee run through an evening out with zero adjustment. If low-maintenance is the priority for the rest of your summer rotation, our low-maintenance hairstyles roundup has more one-step options like this.

Braided Crown

Part hair down the middle for a braided crown, then braid each side into a standard three-strand plait and secure the ends with a small elastic.

Cross each braid over the top of your head and pin it into place with bobby pins, tucking any loose ends underneath the opposite braid. This keeps every inch of hair off the neck for a garden party or an outdoor wedding.

Sleek Ponytail

Brush out tangles first, then work a smoothing serum through the lengths to control frizz before pulling hair into a sleek ponytail. Secure it at your preferred height with a firm pull on the hair tie.

Wrap a thin section of hair from the ponytail around the base to hide the elastic, pinning the end underneath with a bobby pin.

This holds through a hot afternoon without the frizz a looser style picks up, and it moves from a beach day into a dinner reservation with no changes needed.

Half-Up Twist

Section off the top third of your hair and twist it back toward the crown for a half-up twist. Pin the twist with two bobby pins crossed in an X for a hold that won’t slip.

The rest of your hair stays down, which works on straight or wavy hair alike. It takes under two minutes and keeps hair out of your face without committing to a full updo.

Top Knot

Pull hair into a high ponytail, twist the length around its own base, and pin the resulting knot in place for a classic top knot. On warm days this keeps hair off the neck.

A headband or a printed scarf tied at the base dresses it up for an outfit change. It works on any hair type or length, and it holds up under humidity better than most down styles.

Fishtail Braid

Divide hair into two sections for a fishtail braid. Take a thin piece from the outer edge of one section and cross it over into the other, then repeat on the opposite side.

Keep alternating sides until you run out of hair, then secure the end with a small elastic. It looks more complicated to make than it is, and it keeps hair contained with no loose pieces on a hot, sunny day.

Low Chignon

Gather hair at the nape of your neck into a low ponytail, then twist the length and wrap it around the base to form a low chignon. Bobby pins around the perimeter hold the shape in place.

A touch of hairspray tames flyaways, and leaving a couple of strands loose at the temples softens the whole look. This one works for both a casual lunch and a formal summer event without changing a step.

Side Braid

Bring all your hair over one shoulder for a side braid, then braid it just below your ear, snug but not pulled tight, and secure the end with a clear elastic.

Tug at the edges of the plait to loosen it for a relaxed, festival-ready look, or keep it tight and neat for something closer to formal. It suits any hair type and length.

Loose Curls

Apply a heat protectant, then wrap sections around a curling wand for a few seconds each and release without clamping down for loose curls. Bigger sections give a softer wave; smaller ones give more defined curl.

Run your fingers through the curls once they’ve cooled to separate and loosen them, then set with a light mist of hairspray. This works for a beach party or a casual lunch with friends without any extra fuss.

Headband Tuck

Place a stretchy or decorative headband over your hair, then tuck small sections underneath the band around your head to create a rolled effect for the headband tuck.

It clears hair off your face and neck in under a minute, and it works on almost any length and texture, which makes it a good option when you’re already running late.

Bubble Ponytail

Pull hair into a high or mid-level ponytail, then space small elastics at even intervals down the length and tug at the sections between each one for a bubble ponytail. The tugging is what creates the rounded “bubble” shape.

Colorful elastics or thin ribbons dress it up for a festival. It suits any hair type or length and reads as more done-up than the effort it takes.

Double Dutch Braids

Double Dutch braids start with a center part into two equal sections. Braid one side by crossing the outer strands under the middle strand, picking up more hair with each cross as you go, then repeat on the other side.

Once you run out of hair to add, finish with a regular braid down to the end and secure with an elastic. These stay intact through a full day of activity and pull hair away from your face, which matters on a hike or at the beach.

Scarf Wrap

Fold a lightweight scarf into a long strip, lay it across the nape of your neck, and cross the ends up toward your forehead to tie a knot for a scarf wrap.

A knot on top reads more retro; a knot to the side reads more playful. Tuck loose ends underneath for a clean finish, and pick a pattern that echoes a color in your outfit.

Twisted Updo

Start with a low ponytail for the twisted updo, divide it into two sections, twist each one on its own, then intertwine the two twists into a rope-like braid.

Coil the braid around the base of the ponytail to form a bun and pin it in several spots to keep it from loosening. A little hairspray smooths any flyaways for a wedding or garden party.

High Bun

Pull hair into a high ponytail, twist it around its own base, and secure with bobby pins for a high bun that keeps hair off your neck on the hottest days.

A headband or scarf dresses it up, and pulling out a few face-framing pieces softens it. It goes from a beach outing to a casual dinner without any changes.

Waterfall Braid

Start a waterfall braid with a small section of hair from the front, split into three strands, and begin a standard three-strand braid. On each cross, drop the top strand instead of carrying it forward, replacing it with a new section of hair from below.

The dropped strands fall loose down the back of your head, creating the cascading effect. Wrap the finished braid around your head and pin it, or leave it running along the crown and secure the end with a small elastic.

Side Swept Waves

Take a deep side part, then curl the mid-lengths and ends with a wand for side swept waves, leaving the roots untouched so the movement looks natural rather than set.

Loosen the curls into waves by running your fingers through them, then back-comb the roots a touch on the heavier side of the part for added volume. Pin the swept section behind your ear with a bobby pin and finish with hairspray. If you’re pairing this with a fresh color, our summer blonde balayage roundup shows how this wave pattern reads against lighter pieces.

Slicked Back

Work a generous amount of gel or mousse through damp hair from roots to ends, then use a fine-tooth comb to smooth everything straight back with no part for a slicked back look.

Finish with hairspray for hold that lasts through a full afternoon in the heat. Bold earrings or a strong lip color balance out the severity of the style.

Boho Braid

Part hair down the middle and braid both sides with a loose hand, leaving small pieces out at the hairline, for a boho braid that works on straight, wavy, or curly hair alike.

Secure each braid with a thin elastic and tug the edges outward for extra width and volume. Small flowers or thin ribbons woven in suit a festival setting.

French Twist

Gather hair at the nape as if forming a low ponytail, then twist it upward against your head instead of out for a French twist. Pin the fold in place with bobby pins along its length and tuck the ends inside.

Loosening the twist a little and pulling a few strands free softens it for a garden party. Hairspray at the end keeps it in place through a warm evening.

Braided Ponytail

Start with a high ponytail, then braid it into three even sections and secure the end with an elastic for a braided ponytail. Tug the edges of each braid section outward afterward to widen it.

Wrapping a thin piece of hair around the base hides the elastic for a cleaner finish. This one suits a pool day and a summer dinner alike.

Clipped Back

Part hair down the middle or to one side, take a small section from each side, pull them back, and secure with a claw clip or decorative barrette for a clipped-back look.

The rest of your hair stays down, so face and neck stay cool while the ends still move. A decorative clip adds personality; a sleek metal one keeps it understated.

Twisted Ponytail

Pull hair into a low ponytail and secure it, then split the length into two sections and twist them around each other into a rope for a twisted ponytail.

Secure the end with a small elastic once the twist reaches the bottom. A colorful scrunchie at the base or a decorative pin at the top gives it a bit more personality.

Half Bun

Take the top section of your hair, secure it with a small elastic, then twist it into a bun and pin it for a half bun that clears hair off your face while the rest falls loose.

A tidy, smooth bun reads more polished; a looser one reads more relaxed. Either way it takes under two minutes and works on any hair length or texture.

Braided Bun

Brush out any tangles, pull hair into a high or low ponytail, then braid the length and secure the end with a small elastic for a braided bun.

Wrap the braid around the base of the ponytail to form the bun and pin it in place. Decorative pins or a couple of small flowers tucked into the wrap give it a summery finish for a garden event.

Low Ponytail

Brush hair smooth, gather it at the nape of your neck, and secure with a hair tie for a low ponytail that keeps hair off the back of your neck without pulling too tight against your scalp.

Wrap a small section around the base to hide the elastic for a neater finish, or leave a few strands loose at the front for something more relaxed. It suits a backyard barbecue as much as a beach day.

Pin-Up Curls

Section your hair and wrap small pieces around a curling iron for a few seconds each, letting each section cool before releasing, for pin-up curls with real hold.

Once every section is curled and cooled, run a wide-tooth comb through to loosen the curls into soft waves and set with hairspray. A bold red lip or winged eyeliner finishes the vintage reference.

Butterfly Clips

Part hair into small sections and pin each one back with a butterfly clip to build a textured, layered look at the crown. Mixing clip colors and sizes reads more playful than matching sets.

Try a half-up, half-down placement, or scatter clips throughout for a fuller effect. They keep hair off your face at a festival or a pool day without any real styling required.

Final Thoughts

Most of these styles come down to the same handful of tools: a curling wand, sea salt spray, bobby pins, and a couple of elastics. Pick two or three that fit your routine and build from there rather than trying to rotate through all 29.

If you’re planning a full summer refresh, our summer hair trends roundup pairs several of these looks with current color and cut directions.