How to Accessorize Half-Up, Half-Down Wedding Hair

Half-up, half-down wedding hair offers the perfect middle ground for brides torn between the romance of flowing locks and the polish of an updo. By securing the top section back while leaving the rest loose, this versatile style gives you the best of both worlds—and opens up endless wedding headpiece opportunities!

What’s Special about Half-Up, Half-Down Wedding Hair

Half-up, half-down bridal hair offers style and practicality; it provides a natural anchor point for headpieces and veils, and keeps your hair off your face. This style flatters every face shape, can match any aesthetic, from boho to glam, and works with bob-length, medium, and long hair.

Face-Framing

If you’ve got layered or curly hair, a partially up hairstyle is a natural. The shorter sections fall naturally around your face, creating a super romantic feel. Meanwhile, the secured top prevents the rest of your hair from getting in the way if there’s a stiff breeze or lots of twirling on the dance floor.

Bridal Accessories Galore

Thanks to the bit that’s pulled back, there’s a solid spot on which to affix accessories. A half-up’s structure can accommodate a royal cathedral veil during the ceremony and bold pieces like a crystal bridal tiara or headband. Plus, with your hair partially up, you highlight your wedding earrings!

Versatility

A half-up do complements all face-shapes and aesthetics. It’s sleek and modern, textured and braided-boho, or dramatic and high-volume glam. All hair textures look great in a half up, too! Straight hair lends itself to polished half ups, wavy hair has volume built in, and curly hair has the gorgeous fullness that a half-down benefits from.

Accessories For Half Up, Half-down Bridal Hair

Since it combines the structure of an updo and the loose locks of a down, this wedding day hairstyle is truly a match for every bridal accessory.  

However, there are four ways to approach styling your half up with a bridal headpiece:

1. It's all about the half-up: No matter how you gather it, it's intricate. Maybe there's a braid involved, or it looks woven. Either way, you want to not just add sparkle to your look, but also highlight where your hair is gathered.
2. The spot your hair is gathered is secondary. Maybe your half-up hairstyle has a little pompadour for extra height. In this case, it's not where it's gathered; it's how. Your headpiece should add to the overall effect.
3. It's mostly about the headpiece. You want to wear a bridal tiara. Period. You also want to wear your hair down, but don't want it getting in your face. Your stylist will hide the pins securing your half-up beneath the headpiece, then arrange your long hair in soft curls, Hollywood waves, or however you choose. 
4. It's a combination. You want to show off your hairstyle and your headpiece.

All of the above can be accommodated by any bridal hair accessory. The difference is really about the size and design of the piece. For example, a large, statement hair vine takes up much more space, while a dainty pearl-and-crystal hair vine does not. You can use both to showcase your half up, but the former tends to get the upper hand as far as where the eye falls first.  

If you’re wearing a veil with your half-up, half-down, anchor it just above or beneath it. You can place your headpiece in front of or below the veil, depending on what you like best. 

Headbands

A classic in general, a dazzling bridal headband works beautifully with a half-up style. Even without pinning your hair at the lower crown of your head, a band creates a similar look; your hair will look as though it’s drawn up, even though it isn't. You can see what we mean in the pictures of our two lovely brides below.

Hair Combs

The gathering point of a half-up is meant to show off a dainty pearl-and-crystal comb or a glittering statement bridal hair comb. That doesn't mean centering your comb atop your half-up is a must. You can also use it to support a large statement comb that arcs from just over the ear. Alternatively, you might tuck the comb beneath your half-up to highlight the hairstyle itself, as our lovely bride below shows.

Hair Vines and Halos

These flexible pieces are like chameleons; gently bend them to appear in your hair as you wish. Some of our brides wear their hair vines like a headband, curving over the secured section in the back. Others place the hair vine below the anchor point so the piece forms a crescent that stretches almost ear to ear. 

Crowns and Tiaras

Regal wedding headpieces and half-ups are excellent partners! Either can sit on top of your head or be placed further back and slightly angled. Keep in mind that there is a difference between tiaras and crowns. Tiaras are in a crescent shape, while crowns are designed in a full circle. As you can see, the headpiece style and type affects where the focus is. 

Why Brides Choose Half Up, Half-down

A half-up is ideal for brides who can't decide between an updo and wearing their hair down. We're talking to you ladies who worry about getting hot with your hair up or having it get in the way during the ceremony and reception. With a half-up, you don't have to choose; you can keep your hair out of your face while still letting your locks flow around your shoulders.

To find the right headpieces for your half-up, half-down, browse our collection of bridal headpieces. If you'd like to see how different accessories look with your specific hair length and aesthetic, we'd love for you to visit us at our NYC bridal accessory boutique for a styling session.