Out of all the hair accessories I have, a hair pin is probably the one I reach for the most. I love how many different hairstyles you can do with just one little pin. You can use it for a ponytail, a bun, a half-up style, and so much more. But what I really love is that it works with almost any hair length. Whether your hair just hits your shoulders, falls around your chest, or reaches all the way down to your hips, you can use a hair pin to put it up and keep it in place.
The way you use a hair pin can be a little different depending on your hair length. So, I wanted to share a few of my favorite ways to wear a hair pin, starting with super long hair and working our way up to medium-length and short hair.
Super Long Hair: Full-Up Bun
If your hair is longer than chest length, this is one of my favorite ways to put all of it up with a hair pin. It keeps all of your hair neatly tucked away, and once it’s in, it feels really secure and comfortable—even for a full day. It does take a little practice at first, especially getting the hand movement right. But once you get it, it’s such a nice go-to style for really long hair.
What you’ll need
- A comb
- A hair stick that’s at least 7 inches long, or a hair pin
Step 1: Gather your hair
Brush your hair out and gather all of it into a ponytail. Hold the base of the ponytail with your left hand.
Step 2: Make the bun
With your left hand holding the ponytail, turn your hand clockwise about half a turn. Your palm should be facing up. As you twist, your hair will start to form the base of the bun, and you'll notice a loop forming as well.
Step 3: Wrap your hair
Keep holding the base with your left hand. With your right hand, take the rest of your hair and wrap it around the base. Just keep going until you get to the ends.
Step 4: Secure the bun
Now take your hair stick or hair pin and slide it in from right to left, going through the loop you made in Step 2. Keep sliding it through the bun until it feels nice and secure.
Video Tutorial
Medium-Length Hair: A Secure Everyday Bun
For hair around chest length, you actually have a lot of options with a hair stick. You can do a simple ponytail, a messy bun, or even a braided side bun. For this tutorial, though, I want to show you one of my favorites. It’s secure enough to stay in place, but still simple enough for everyday wear. I think it works for pretty much any occasion, too.
What you’ll need
- A comb
- A hair stick
Step 1: Gather your hair
Brush your hair and gather all of it into a ponytail. Hold the ponytail with your left hand.
Step 2: Place the hair stick
With your right hand, place the hair stick right on top of the ponytail.
Step 3: Wrap your hair around the stick
Bring the ponytail up and wrap it around the hair stick. You can wrap it once or twice, depending on the look you want.
If you want a sleeker look, wrap it twice. If you want something a little more relaxed and casual, wrap it once.
Step 4: Secure it
Now slide the hair stick from right to left, keeping it close to your scalp as you pull it through the hair.
Video Tutorial
Shoulder-Length Hair: Keeping Your Hair Stick in Place
Shoulder-length hair can be a little tricky with a hair stick. I often see people say that their hair stick keeps slipping out at this length, and honestly, I get it. There just isn’t that much hair to work with.
So, I want to share a little trick that helps keep the hair stick in place. Instead of putting the stick directly on top of the ponytail, we’re going to use it to pick up a small section of hair first. It makes a surprisingly big difference.
What you’ll need
- A comb
- A hair stick
For shoulder-length hair, I prefer using a shorter hair stick. I think it looks more balanced with this length and doesn’t stick out too much.
Step 1: Gather your hair
Brush your hair and gather all of it into a ponytail. Hold the ponytail with your left hand.
Step 2: Pick up a small section of hair
With your right hand, use the hair stick to pick up a small section of hair from the upper left side of your ponytail. Once you’ve picked up that section, bring the ponytail over and around the hair stick.
This is the little trick that helps keep the hair stick from slipping out. Instead of just resting the stick on top of the ponytail, you’re giving it a little extra hair to hold onto.
Step 3: Wrap the ponytail
Wrap the ponytail around the hair stick once.
Step 4: Turn the hair stick
Now turn the hair stick counterclockwise until the end of the stick is pointing toward the right.
Step 5: Secure it
Finally, slide the hair stick from right to left, keeping it close to your scalp as you pull it through the hair.
Video Tutorial
Looking for more hairstyle ideas for shoulder-length hair? I also put together a guide with 7 easy hairstyles for shoulder-length layered hair, including half-up styles, messy buns, and more.
Short Hair: Half-Up Style with a Hair Pin
For short hair, I usually prefer a half-up style with a hair pin. Shorter hair can be a little harder to put fully up, but a half-up style works really well. I want to show you one that only needs a hair pin—no hair tie, no clips, and nothing else.
I also really like how this style makes short hair look a little fuller. It has a soft, slightly romantic feel to it, too.
What you’ll need
- A comb
- A hair pin
Step 1: Take two sections of hair
Take a small section of hair from each side of the top of your head. If you want a little more volume, just take bigger sections.
Step 2: Tie a knot
Bring the two sections to the back of your head and tie them into a simple knot.
Step 3: Bring the ends up
Take the two ends of the hair you just tied and bring them up over the knot. Hold them there with your right hand.
Step 4: Secure it with the hair pin
Starting from the left side of the knot, slide the hair pin across the knot toward the right, then turn it and bring it back out toward the left.
The important part here is that the knot sits underneath the hair pin. This is what helps hold everything in place.
Video Tutorial
Final Thoughts
A hair pin is such a simple way to put your hair up, and it works with so many different hair lengths. Whether your hair is super long, around chest length, or just past your shoulders, there’s a hair pin style that can work for you.
So if you’ve never tried a hair pin because you thought your hair was too short or too long, give it a try. You might be surprised by how many different hairstyles you can do with just one little pin.