20 Candlelit Hanukkah Party Hairstyles, From Braided Chignons to Velvet-Bow Half-Ups

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Quick answer The best Hanukkah party hairstyles are secure, pulled-back looks such as a low braided chignon, a velvet-bow half-up or a crown braid, finished with blue, silver or white accessories. They keep hair clear of the menorah flame and hold through hours of frying, hugging and photos.

Hanukkah gives you eight nights to dress for, and they are rarely the same kind of evening twice. One night is a formal family dinner, the next is a latke party where you stand over a pan of hot oil, and somewhere in between there is an office gathering and a round of dreidel with the children.

Each night one more candle is lit in the nine-branched menorah, using the shamash as the lighter, so your hair spends a lot of time near an open flame.

These Hanukkah party hairstyles are organised by occasion rather than by trend. You will find polished updos for the dinner table, braids and scarf wraps that survive the fry station, quiet office-party styles, photo-ready family looks and styles built for leaning over the candles. There are options for short, medium, long, curly and coily hair, with accessories in blue, silver and white throughout.

Jump to a look (20)

1. Formal Dinner Low Braided Chignon with Silver Pins
2. Midnight Velvet Bow Sleek Low Ponytail
3. Side-Swept Hollywood Waves with a Crystal Slide
4. Textured French Twist with a Pearl Comb
5. Curly High Puff with a Silver Cuff
6. Latke-Night Dutch Braid Pigtails
7. Scarf-Wrapped Low Bun for the Fry Station
8. Pearl Claw-Clip Twist with Face-Framing Pieces
9. Pineapple Curls with a White Satin Scrunchie
10. Dreidel-Night Bubble Ponytail with Navy Elastics
11. Office-Party Half-Up with a Slim Navy Bow
12. Tucked Chin-Length Bob with Stacked Silver Slides
13. Low Knotted Ponytail
14. Side-Swept Pixie with a Jewelled Clip
15. Family-Photo Crown Braid
16. Matching Family Ribbon Side Braid
17. Double Buns with Short Blue Ribbons
18. Candle-Lighting Compact Braided Bun
19. Twisted Half-Up with a Silver Barrette
20. Flat-Twist Low Roll with White Pearl Pins

1. Formal Dinner Low Braided Chignon with Silver Pins

Best for Formal dinners, medium to long hair

This is the formal-dinner anchor: a three-strand braid coiled into a flat chignon at the nape and studded with silver pearl pins. It suits medium to long hair of almost any density, and the low placement sits comfortably above a coat collar.

If you are booking a salon, ask for a low braided chignon pinned flat with a soft, face-framing front. It holds through a long seated meal; carry two spare U-pins for a mid-evening tuck.

2. Midnight Velvet Bow Sleek Low Ponytail

Best for Straight or wavy hair from shoulder length down

A centre-parted low ponytail smoothed with a pea-sized amount of styling cream and finished with a midnight-blue velvet bow tied over the elastic. It flatters straight and wavy hair from shoulder length down, and gives fine hair a deliberate, polished outline.

Ask your stylist for a sleek low ponytail with the ends bevelled under. Upkeep is minimal: a clean toothbrush misted with flexible hairspray tames flyaways, done well before anyone strikes a match.

3. Side-Swept Hollywood Waves with a Crystal Slide

Best for Shoulder-length or longer hair with natural grip

A deep side part, brushed-out S-waves, and one side pinned behind the ear with a silver crystal slide. It works on shoulder-length or longer hair with some natural grip; very fine hair may need a setting lotion to hold the wave.

Ask for a brushed-out Hollywood wave set on a 1.25-inch iron and pinned to cool. It is the highest-upkeep look here, so avoid touching it and keep the loose side tucked back when you lean toward the candles.

4. Textured French Twist with a Pearl Comb

Best for Medium-length hair too short for a full bun

A vertical roll pinned up the back of the head, left slightly undone at the crown and finished with a white pearl comb.

It works for medium-length hair that is too short for a full bun, and the lift at the crown can balance a rounder face, though that is a stylist’s rule of thumb and not a law. Ask for a soft French twist with a loose top. Secure it with crisscrossed bobby pins and it lasts through dessert.

5. Curly High Puff with a Silver Cuff

Best for Tightly curled and coily hair past a short crop

Coils and tight curls gathered into a high puff with a stretchy band, the edges smoothed, and a silver cuff or wire wrapped at the base.

It suits tightly curled and coily textures at most lengths past a short crop, and keeps every curl well above the table and the flame. Ask your stylist for a stretched, fluffed puff with defined edges. Refresh with a water-and-leave-in mist the next morning and it carries across several nights.

6. Latke-Night Dutch Braid Pigtails

Best for Thick, long or layered hair at the latke fry

Two Dutch braids running from hairline to nape keep every strand contained while you stand over hot oil. They suit thick, long or layered hair especially well, because the tight plait traps short layers that slip out of a ponytail.

No salon is needed: part down the centre, braid underhand, and tie off low. Sleep on them and you get loose waves for the next night, and a silk scarf over the top limits how much fry smell they absorb.

7. Scarf-Wrapped Low Bun for the Fry Station

Best for Any texture, keeping cooking odour off hair

A simple twisted low bun covered with a blue-and-white silk scarf, folded into a triangle and knotted at the nape. It suits every texture and any length that reaches a ponytail, and it is the most effective way to keep cooking odour off your hair, since the fabric takes the smell instead.

Tie it before the oil heats. Afterwards, swap in a clean scarf or pull it off to reveal a bun that still looks fresh.

8. Pearl Claw-Clip Twist with Face-Framing Pieces

Best for Medium and long hair, fine or thick

Hair twisted upward and caught in a pearl-white or tortoiseshell claw clip, with two soft pieces left out at the front. It is good for medium and long hair, fine or thick; choose a larger clip with interlocking teeth if your hair is heavy.

It takes thirty seconds and no stylist. Tuck the front pieces behind your ears when you cook or light candles, and re-clip whenever it loosens, because the slightly undone finish is the point.

9. Pineapple Curls with a White Satin Scrunchie

Best for Wavy, curly and coily hair from shoulder length

Curls gathered loosely at the very top of the head in a white satin scrunchie so they spill forward without being stretched. It suits wavy, curly and coily hair from shoulder length, and protects definition during a long evening of hugging relatives.

Ask a curl specialist for a rounded shape with shorter top layers if you want it to sit fuller. For upkeep, shake out the roots, scrunch in a little curl cream, and re-tie.

10. Dreidel-Night Bubble Ponytail with Navy Elastics

Best for Long hair of any texture, fine hair too

A mid-height ponytail segmented every two inches with navy or silver elastics, each section gently tugged into a rounded bubble. It works on long hair of any texture and makes fine hair look thicker, since the puffed sections add width.

You can do it yourself in five minutes. It is close to indestructible at a dreidel table full of children, and when an elastic slips you simply slide it back and re-fluff that bubble.

11. Office-Party Half-Up with a Slim Navy Bow

Best for Office parties, shoulder-length to long hair

The top third of the hair is pulled back to the crown and tied with a slim navy grosgrain or velvet bow, with the lengths left smooth. It suits shoulder-length to long hair and reads festive without looking costume-like at work.

Ask for a smooth blow-dry with a slight bend at the ends, then tie the half-up yourself. It is low maintenance: carry the bow in your bag, wear your hair down through the workday, and add it at five.

12. Tucked Chin-Length Bob with Stacked Silver Slides

Best for Short hair, straight or wavy, with earrings

A bob tucked behind one ear and held with two or three stacked silver slides just above the temple. It is built for short hair, straight or wavy, and shows off earrings.

Ask your stylist for a blunt chin-length bob with minimal layering so the tuck lies flat. Keep the line crisp with a trim every six to eight weeks, because a blunt edge loses its shape visibly as it grows out.

13. Low Knotted Ponytail

Best for Long, smooth-to-wavy hair with length to knot

Instead of using an elastic, the hair is split in two, tied in a single overhand knot at the nape, and pinned underneath so the ends fall like a ponytail.

It suits long, smooth-to-wavy hair with enough length to knot, and slippery hair holds better with a little texturising spray first. No stylist is required. It looks intentional at a desk and at the party, and needs only one bobby pin pushed back in if it loosens.

14. Side-Swept Pixie with a Jewelled Clip

Best for Fine and medium short hair, open face

A short crop swept to one side with a touch of matte paste and anchored with a single blue-stone or crystal clip above the ear. It flatters fine and medium hair and anyone who wants their face fully open.

Ask for a soft pixie with longer top layers that can sweep sideways. Styling takes two minutes, but the cut needs a tidy-up every four to six weeks to keep the neckline and sides defined.

15. Family-Photo Crown Braid

Best for Long, medium-to-thick hair for family photos

A braid wrapped around the head like a band and pinned behind the ears, with nothing loose to blow across your face mid-shot. It suits long, medium-to-thick hair; shorter or finer hair can use two smaller braids that meet at the back.

Ask for a halo braid with a slightly loosened, pancaked edge. It photographs well from every angle and stays put all day. Set it with a light mist of hairspray early, well before candle lighting.

16. Matching Family Ribbon Side Braid

Best for Children and adults, shoulder length down

A single side braid with a thin white or silver ribbon tied at the top and plaited in as a fourth strand. It works on children’s fine hair and adult hair alike, from shoulder length down, which makes it easy to match across a family photo.

Knot the ribbon around the elastic, braid, and finish with a small bow. It survives running, gelt hunting and nap time, and the ribbon unties cleanly without snagging.

17. Double Buns with Short Blue Ribbons

Best for Children and adults with medium to long hair

Two small buns set high behind the ears, each tied with a short blue ribbon. They suit children and adults with medium to long hair, and curly hair makes the fullest buns without any padding.

Part down the centre, make two ponytails, twist and wrap, then secure with a second elastic instead of pins, which is more comfortable on small heads. They keep hair off faces during dinner and out of sticky sufganiyot jam.

18. Candle-Lighting Compact Braided Bun

Best for Candle lighting, any hair reaching the shoulders

Designed for the moment you lean over the menorah: one braid coiled tight at the nape, with no loose ends, tendrils or long ribbons. It suits any hair that reaches the shoulders, and thick hair can be split into two braids wrapped around each other.

Ask for a compact braided bun pinned close to the head. Skip aerosol spray right beforehand; hairspray is flammable, so apply it early, let it dry fully, and rely on pins for hold.

19. Twisted Half-Up with a Silver Barrette

Best for Lobs and medium cuts too short for a bun

Two front sections are twisted back from the temples and clipped together with a silver barrette, which pins exactly the pieces that would otherwise swing forward. It suits lobs and medium-length cuts too short for a secure bun, in any texture.

Ask your stylist for face-framing layers long enough to reach the back of the head. When you light, gather the remaining length over the shoulder farthest from the flame, or slip it into a clip.

20. Flat-Twist Low Roll with White Pearl Pins

Best for Coily and tightly curled hair, protective style

Flat twists run from the hairline back and tuck into a low rolled bun, keeping textured hair stretched, neat and fully contained. It suits coily and tightly curled hair and works as a protective style across all eight nights.

Ask your braider for flat twists into a tucked low roll, with the tension kept gentle at the edges. Sleep in a satin bonnet, smooth the hairline with a little oil, and slide in white pearl pins for the dressier evenings.

The Bottom Line

The thread running through all twenty looks is control: hair that is pinned, braided or tied stays out of the flame, out of the frying oil and out of your face in photos.

Pick by the evening in front of you, with a scarf-wrapped bun or Dutch braids for cooking nights, a chignon or French twist for the formal dinner, and a simple bow or silver slide when you want a festive note at work.

One practical tip: finish your hair before the candles are lit, not beside them. Apply any hairspray at least ten minutes ahead so it dries completely, then rely on pins, clips and elastics for hold. Keep a small kit in your bag, with spare bobby pins, a scrunchie and a travel dry shampoo, and one style can carry you from the kitchen to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the safest hairstyle for lighting the menorah?

Any style that leaves nothing loose at the front: a low braided bun, a crown braid, a French twist or a high puff. Tuck in tendrils, avoid long trailing ribbons, and do not spray aerosol hairspray near the candles, because it is flammable. Apply it earlier and let it dry fully before you light.

How do I keep my hair from smelling like fried latkes?

Cover and contain it before the oil heats. A silk or cotton scarf over a low bun takes most of the odour instead of your hair, and braids expose less surface than loose lengths. Run the extractor fan, then work dry shampoo through the roots afterwards to absorb oil residue and freshen the scent.

What hair accessories work for a Hanukkah party?

Blue, silver and white are the traditional palette, so think midnight-blue velvet bows, silver slides and cuffs, white pearl pins and satin scrunchies, or a blue-and-white silk scarf. One or two pieces usually look more polished than a full set. Choose short, secure accessories over long dangling ribbons if you will be lighting candles.

What can I do with short hair for a Hanukkah party?

Short hair is already clear of the flame, so focus on finish and one accessory. Tuck a bob behind one ear with stacked silver slides, or sweep a pixie to the side and add a single jewelled clip. A little matte paste or styling cream gives definition and keeps shorter layers in place all evening.

How do I make a party hairstyle last through a long evening?

Start with day-old or lightly texturised hair, which grips pins better than freshly washed hair, and crisscross bobby pins for hold. If you blow-dry or use an iron, apply a heat protectant first. Irons go on completely dry hair only, at about 150C/300F for fine or bleached hair and 180-200C/355-390F for coarse hair.

Keep Reading

• Slip-proof updos for thick hair
• Volume-faking updos for thin hair
• Oversized bow hairstyle ideas
• How to do hair tinsel at home for the holidays
• Heatless curls that actually set and last

Sources

• What is Chanukah chabad.org