DIY: How to Style Your Wig for a Special Event

Amazing Secrets For Creating Wig Updos

Let’s be honest: styling your hair for a special event is hard.

Curling your hair, pinning it back into a perfect updo, setting it with just the right amount of hairspray, and leaving a few loose tendrils to give the look softness takes hours of practice.

Hours of practice that only professional hairstylists are ever going to get.

That’s why we love using wigs to create special occasion looks. You can create a flawless updo and half the time with a wig.

Keep reading to learn how.

You Can Style Your Wig Ahead of Your Big Event (Yes, Really!)

When you style your natural hair into an updo, you can never really be sure if the back of your head looks exactly the way you want it to (be honest, even that handheld mirror you have won’t let you see every angle).

With a wig, you can style your head of a wig stand or mannequin days ahead of time. Saving you time on the day of your big event and helping you guarantee that every inch of your style looks flawless.

No more yanking at your head, worrying if you’re going to burn your forehead, or wondering if every piece of hair is in the right place.

Wigs take the guesswork out of creating great updos.

What to Ask Yourself Before You Choosing an Updo

First things first, you need to ask yourself what type of look you want.

Do you want something glamorous and polished, or something romantic and flowing?

Ask yourself these questions:

• If you have natural hair, are you going to buy a wig for your event, or could you get away with extensions, additions, or hair buns to achieve your desired look?
• Do you want to wear your wig up or down?
• Do you want curly or straight hair? If you want curly hair, should you choose a synthetic wig to take advantage of pre-curled wigs?
• Do you want a wig cap with a natural part or do you want something that gives you extra volume up top?
• Are you going to use a wig you already have for your style or buy a new wig? (We buy new dresses for big events, why not get a special event wig?) 

If when you read these questions, the first thing you thought was, “I have no idea how to answer any of those things,” fear not.

We know of a magical place that will provide you with endless updo inspiration and get you started on the path to finding your new special occasion style.

What is this magical place you ask?

It’s Pinterest.

A word of caution: some of the updos you find on Pinterest are...elaborate.

Too elaborate for even the most experienced home hair styling masters.

If you see something you like and aren’t confident you can recreate it yourself, don’t be afraid to take your wig to a stylist!

Not only will you guarantee that you’ll have a flawless style, but you’ll also be able to,

1) Get your wig styled ahead and save yourself some time on your big day, and,

2) Get your nails done while someone else worries about your hair.

That’s a win, win, win in our books.

The Best Special Occasion Hairstyles

Long, Sophisticated and Elegant

Lately, celebrities have adopted low key, simple hairstyles on the red carpet over-elaborate, complicated updos.

Just look at these photos of Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson, and Salma Hayek.

Whether you’re sporting a soft blowout or pin straight style, a low key look can help you create a sleek, modern style for your next big event.

Long hair is coming back in style after the years of the bob supremacy, too. So having a sleek straight wig in your collection will not only work for a special occasion look, but also for a day-to-day style.

Even better, if you decide you want to put your hair into an updo, a wig with long hair will help you do that.

Long, Loose and Wavy

If you prefer longer styles but don’t want a pin-straight style, loose, wavy locks are a great alternative.

Waves or very loose curls add interest and dimension to your style while keeping things simple.

And these days, curling your hair is easier than ever, because there are lots of non-heating options that allow you to curl synthetic, heat-friendly synthetic safely, and human hair wigs without damaging them.

With soft foam twist curlers, you can place your wig in curlers on a wig stand, leave them overnight, and take them out the next morning.

Put in a little wig hairspray and you’re good to go!

Note: Make sure you use the largest sized foam curling rods rather than the smaller sizes and only roll the hair halfway up the strands. You’re looking for long, loose curls, not tight, stiff ringlets.

Long, Loose Waves With Hair Accessories

To add even more interest to long looks, create a deep side part and clip a hair accessory or fascinator into the wig.

A gorgeous hair clip or small fascinator can add color and that special something to your look, perfect for a wedding or a fancy banquet.

An accessory is a great way to keep your hair out of your face, too, if it’s an especially windy day at an outdoor event.

If you’re going for this style, opt for long wavy hair rather than a straight look. When you put an accessory on pin-straight hair, it can look like you’ve just stuck something onto your head.

Accessories sit into wavy locks and look a piece with the style, rather than being stuck on top of them.

Bangs With Half-Up/Half-Down Styles

Half-up styles offer the best of both worlds: an elegant updo and long, flowing locks.

Women like Kate Middleton, Emma Watson, and Zendaya have been wearing half up/half-down hairstyles for years. And we’ve been trying to recreate their looks for just as long.

Half-up styles have become ubiquitous for a reason: they look good on almost everyone. These styles work on multiple hair lengths, too.

You can have an half-up style with longer hair (the traditional way) or with medium length hair (the modern way).

You can update the style by adding bangs to look, too. And no, you don’t need an entirely new wig to do it.

With clip-on bangs, you can add bangs to a wig you already have. Just be careful when you’re attaching the bangs so that you don’t puncture your wig cap.

If you have natural hair and want bangs for a fancy event, you can use bang additions, too. Just clip your bangs into your natural hair, shake out your hair, and go!

Loose Braids

Speaking of styles that can be created with an addition or with a wig, loose braids are a great way to add some oomph to your look for a big day.

You can do a side braid or a braid down your back with a wig, just make sure the style is very loose and you’re using a longer haired wig to do it. Otherwise, you run the risk of pulling the braid too tightly and pulling out wig hairs.

To create your braid, gather all of your hair on one side of your head in the back and gently pull the hair into a braid.

Clasp the braid together at the bottom with a clear hair tie, and pull out a few strands to create a relaxed, casual appeal. Set the wig with hairspray and walk out the door!

If you prefer to wear an accent braid, consider using a braided headband. They can be styled with a ponytail, bun, or with your hair down.

Pin Ups and Up-Dos

The ultimate special occasion look will always be a fancy, off the back of your neck updo. For a wedding or your next big event, a classic French twist or a stylish ballerina bun will give you perfect done up appeal.

But for those of us with natural hair who aren’t confident about creating an updo ourselves, a hair addition can help us create a flawless updo. Hair additions come in a variety of styles and can be placed on top of your natural hair.

If you are using a wig to create your entire wig, consider pairing the wig with a hair addition to create a low, loose updo.

To create an updo, follow these steps:

Step 1: Section off your wig hair into thirds, one section per side and one in the back.

Step 2: Wrap the back third into a low ponytail or half bun.

Step 3: Place your bun or hair addition on top of the low bun and pin it into place.

Step 4: One at a time, take the front two sections of and tuck them over the bun addition and down around the bottom.

Step 5: Loosen a few strands, set with hairspray, and admire your handiwork.

Have another wig updo style you love to wear? Tell us about it in the comments!

For more hairstyle inspiration, read our posts on The Top 9 Wigs For Fall and Summertime Wig Updos.