10 Rave Hairstyles: Get Ready To Feel Festival-Chic With These Looks
May 23, 2023 by Marissa Matozzo
Are you looking to make a bold statement at your next rave? From vibrant colored buns to glittery tresses to intricate neon bobs, you can stand out from the crowd and look festival-chic with these 10 eye-catching rave hairstyles that we rounded up from TikTok and Instagram! We also checked in with hair stylists and experts for pro tips and suggestions to keep in mind when styling.
Whether you’re attending an electronic music show, a festival, or just a fun dance party, you can shine brighter than the lights around you with these unique and illuminating looks. Read on to find the perfect choice for your next rave, and ample pics to use as inspiration.
Whether you want to go for a singular braid or have a fun Wednesday-core double braided moment, there’s no denying the convenience (and cuteness) of this style when dancing around. Braids will stay in place while you’re swaying and jumping to the beat at any rave, and colorful ones, as seen above, are extra noticeable.
Ghanima Abdullah, hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles notes that braids will also “keep your hair from becoming tangled,” at your favorite music event. She also recommends not making them “too tight” to prevent any damage or loss.
Need another stylish and tried-and-true way to keep hair out of your face at a rave? A ponytail always does the trick! When attending a fest, however, we get that you’d want to bring your A-game and a basic pony just won’t do. Instead, why not try a funkier option with added ribbons, ties, other accessories or braids, as seen here?
90s and Y2K styles are definitely back, and a bubble ponytail or ultra-high style can also be fun to emulate. When rocking a ponytail, Abdullah suggests “playing around with what looks nice on you, whether it’s a sleek or messy ‘do.” She also recommends “using a curling iron at the roots of your hair up top to create more body and volume.”
Using glitter spray all over your tresses is one option when it comes to standing out in a dimly or neon-lit warehouse for a rave, but another fun way is to apply sparkles at your roots. This TikTok-trendy trick can help you amp up any other style in this list if you find that your braid, ponytail or other look is lacking an extra glittery oomph.
If you often wear a headband or hat, this could also replace that. Also, you won’t need to be adjusting a shimmering accessory all night long when dancing up a storm!
What do Princess Leia, Björk and Gwen Stefani all have in common? They’ve all sported iconic space buns! Whether you want to emulate your favorite Star Wars character or 90s musician/ style icon, buns are another fun option for your hair to stay in one spot and also look timelessly chic.
To keep your space buns in place, John Belt, hair expert and owner of Belt Salon, says you will need bobby pins, hair ties, and hairspray. “Depending on the individual’s hair type and texture, you may also need a comb or brush to smooth the hair before creating the buns,” he advises.
It’s important to choose products that are “suitable for your hair type and texture,” he recommends, so you may need to “experiment with different products” to find what works best for you.
One surefire method for shining among thousands of other concertgoers is to rock neon hair. Whether you select a lime green as seen here, a bright yellow, rich sapphire or fiery red, this is also a celeb-fave hairstyle for garnering attention, Jack Miles, hair expert and founder of Wigporium shares. “Celebrities such as Rihanna, Billie Eilish and Kylie Jenner have all rocked this style with great success, making iconic statement looks with bright neon hues,” he says.
After choosing a neon hue for yourself, he recommends using “color-depositing shampoos,” as they are “particularly helpful to keeping neon looks fresh and bright in-between salon visits.”
If reflecting, gleaming and iridescent colors are calling your name, this just might be the look for you! Holographic hair, as seen above, is shiny, striking and incandescent. Whether you want to dye your whole head this way or do a split, half style like this creator did here, the choice is up to you, but both would fare well at a rave!
When going for highlights or a dimensional look like this, Abdullah advises applying colors “sparingly in such a way as to increase the appearance of movement and volume.” This will allow “light to filter through in the sunlight (or under rave lights!) in a very attractive way.”
Can’t choose just one color of the rainbow for your hair? You don’t have to! Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet can all come together in an aesthetically pleasing way, like here.
If you don’t want to commit to a fully rainbow look, you can also try a dip-dye style, which only adds this element to the bottom half or tips of your locks. When combined with voluminous waves and curls, this dyed style is an instant statement maker.
If you’re tied between a braid and a bun, there is luckily a clever way to combine the two styles with braided crowns! This look is just as functional as the aforementioned other two, and just as timeless.
Ultimately, for a festival or concert, this is a no-fail choice, especially with already stunningly colored and/ or vibrant tresses as seen in this image. “This will make you look super trendy,” Abdullah says, and she points out that you can position a braided crown “anywhere on your head, on the side, the back or around the head” to switch up your usual style.
Unicorns are emblematic of power and uniqueness in fairytales and mythology, and channeling this when experimenting will help you discover your true style! This look, often deemed ‘unicorn’ hair, combines traditionally feminine and romantic hair colors.
If you’ve been longing to try something new but don’t want to go too hard when it comes to neon hair dye, softer, gentler hues like these can still help you reach your goal, and they’ll also be just as noticeable at a fun music event!
Half-up, half-down styles such as this one also help keep emphasis on your facial features and makeup without loose strands falling in your face while dancing! You can also make it as intricate or simple as you’d like when it comes to accessorizing, although we personally think the more bling and glitz the better when thinking of memorable rave style.
If you arrive to a concert or festival with your hair down, this is also a simple mid-show fix to keep in mind if you need it to cool off or try something new while having a fun time. Overall, we’re sure that any ravegoer or fan can find the next hairstyle of their dreams with this list, helpful tips, and a great source of inspiration whenever needed!