You don’t need a red carpet to wear these looks.
Zendaya has long been a hairstyle icon for curly girls, and for good reason. She pulls off short styles, long braids, slick bobs, and romantic updos with equal confidence, making her one of the most referenced celebrity hair inspirations on the internet right now.
So, if you’ve been searching for a new look and don’t know where to start, this is your sign to take a page straight from her book. We rounded up 5 Zendaya-inspired hairstyles you can actually pull off at home. Grab your pins, your flat iron, and maybe a white bow. Here’s what to try next!
This one is heavily inspired by Zendaya’s bridal hairstyle in Drama. To recreate the movie-worthy glam, section off your face-framing pieces first, leaving them loose for now. Then gather your curls into a ponytail and twist it up into a bun, pinning it securely at the back.
Adjust those front strands to sit however flatters your face the most. If you want to try a style like this before committing, check out these black braided updos for more inspiration on pinned and twisted-up styles that work beautifully on natural texture.
Growing out your bob and dreading that in-between length? Wear it the way Zendaya does. Part your hair deeper than usual and tuck one side behind the ear. Run a hair straightener through the ends, flipping them outward so they lift above the shoulders.
The trick is to flip the front sections toward your face for a framing effect that keeps the whole thing from looking flat. A bit of texture spray or dry shampoo at the roots adds the volume needed to complete that hair flip finish that makes this style look so intentionally polished.
This hairstyle screams summer, and you can pull it off at home with no celeb stylist needed. It works best on straight hair, but adjust freely to your natural texture. Start with a high ponytail and smooth a little gel through it for a sleek finish.
If you want your pony to hang as long as Zendaya’s, add hair extensions as you braid, working them in gradually so the transition looks natural. Finish with a white bow at the base for a stylish accent that ties the whole look together. For a non-sag, full ponytail base before you start braiding, the perky ponytail hair hack is a great trick to know.
This look from the Odyssey premiere left Zendaya’s fans speechless, and the simplicity behind it will genuinely surprise you. Section off two strands from the underlayer of your hair, one on each side.
Braid them down, then flip each braid over to the opposite side of the head and pin the ends underneath the top layer with bobby pins. What you get is a Greek-goddess accent braid hairstyle that looks sculpted but takes all of five minutes to put together.
Zendaya keeps coming back to the half-up look for good reason: it frames the face beautifully, keeps hair off the neck, and still feels put-together without being fussy. Section off the top layer of your hair and tie it into a half ponytail using a thick elastic, which gives the pony that lifted, perky shape.
Wrap a strand of hair around the elastic to cover it completely for a clean, salon-worthy finish. There are plenty of ways to switch up the details on this style, so have a look at these half updo hair hacks to keep it fresh every time you wear it.
Whether your hair is curly or straight, long or in that awkward growing-out phase, there’s a Zendaya look here that suits where you are right now. Pick one, try it this week, and see what happens.
And when you’re in the mood to keep experimenting, use the TheRightHairstyles virtual try-on tool to preview even more styles, or get the HairHunt app (iOS, Android) for daily hair styling and coloring ideas straight to your phone.
