7 First Date Hairstyles for All Types of Dates

First dates aren’t all about looks and making a first impression, it’s about being comfortable and seeing if there’s a connection.  Because who knows, maybe they’re going to be the one, or a friend for life.  But the wrong hairstyle could wreak havoc on a first date if you have hair in your face, or styles that pull and sit uncomfortably. This is where we come in to help.

If you’re going on a picnic, a hike, or something outdoors, you’ll want a look that can work with and without a hat to block the sun, and if it is ice skating or an activity, you’ll want a look that can keep your hair out of your face and style intact until the date is over.  We went through about a hundred looks to find the perfect hairstyle for first dates, and scoured the web for the most popular types of first dates.  This way we can bring you a list of ideas for both.

Here’s our top 7 first date ideas with the matching hairstyles and how to do them.

1. Coffee shop
2. Picnic and hiking
3. Amusements (Go Karts, laser tag, etc…)
4. Restaurant
5. Escape rooms
6. Outdoor concerts (not indoor)
7. Walking somewhere with conversation starters

Coffee shop

The half-up half-down hair clip ponytail, or braided crown is the perfect hairstyle for a coffee shop first date.  The ponytail version is comfy to wear, keeps your face as the focal point as it frames you, and gives an earthy vibe.  If you want a bit more boho, go with the braided crown version.

The reason we recommend a hair clip over a traditional half-up half-down ponytail is that you may decide to “let your hair down” and want a fidget.  Hair clips can slide out more casually than a hair tie and with less effort.  When you combine first date nerves with caffeine, fidgets can become a needed distraction to help you relax and focus on the date, not jitters.  Plus this style works for all hair types.

Skill level: Easy to Medium

Face shape: All shapes

1. Brush your hair out to remove tangles or knots.
2. Take a section of hair from the crown of your head, leaving the hair at the sides and back loose. 
1. The size of the section depends on how thick you want your half up half down section to be.
3. Smooth out the top section with a flat iron if it isn’t already sleek from step 1.
4. Gather the section of hair and tie it into a ponytail using a hair tie to hold your ponytail in place.
5. To create the half up half down look, use a hair clip to secure the ponytail at the back of your head.
1. If you go under the ponytail and spread your hair over the clip, you’ll add depth and dimension.
2. If you position the hair clip over the hair tie, the clip becomes part of the look.

Picnics and hiking

French braids are the perfect hairstyle for a picnic or hiking first date.  They are timeless, keep your hair off your face so you can focus on the trail or lunch, and you can easily add a sun hat, baseball cap, or other hat to block the sun and look fabulous!

Skill level: Easy

Face shape: All

1. Brush your hair so it's free of tangles.
2. At the crown of your head, take a small section of hair and divide it into three equal parts.
3. Start a regular braid by crossing the right section over the middle, then the left section over the new middle.
4. As you cross the right section over the middle again, add a bit of new hair from the right side of your head to it.
5. Do the same on the left side: add some new hair to the left section before crossing it over the middle.
6. Keep adding new hair each time before you cross a section over the middle as you alternate between the right and left sides.
1. Make sure to keep the sections tight..
7. When all your hair is included in the braid and you've reached the nape of your neck, finish with a regular braid until you reach the end of your hair.
8. Use a hair tie to secure the end of the braid. 

Amusements (Go Karts, laser tag, etc…)

The classic ponytail is the way to go for amusement themed first dates.  You can tuck your hair in or through the back of a baseball hat if there’s batting cages, it’ll hold in place on a go kart, and you won’t be brushing flyaways out of your face so you can focus on your target, your date, during laser tag.  

As an added bonus your hair will be lifted off your shoulders and back to keep your shoulders and neck cooler if it’s hot out.

Skill level: Easy

Face shape: All

1. Comb or brush your hair out to remove tangles and knots.
2. Gather your hair and pull it back to where you want the base of the ponytail.
3. Feed your hair through a hair tie, and then twist the hair tie and feed the ponytail through again until it holds tight.

Restaurant

Dinner dates are all about making eye contact and getting to know each other.  So why not spot a first date hairstyle that frames your face.  And there’s nothing better to “stage” your look than layered curtain bangs.  They’re soft and flowing, bring an emphasis to your eyes, and create movement to your outfit.

Skill level: Medium to advanced

Face shape: Round, oval, diamond, heart

1. Wash and dry your hair.
2. Part your hair in the middle or slightly off-center based on your preference.
3. Section out the hair you want to style into curtain bangs starting from the highest point of your eyebrows and extend to the outer corners of your eyes.
4. Apply a heat protectant to your bangs before using any hot tools.
5. Use a round brush and a blow dryer on a low heat setting. 
6. Position the brush under your bangs at the roots, and blow-dry while rolling the brush out and away from your face to create a swooping effect.
7. Once your bangs are dry, use a straightener on a low heat setting to slightly curl the ends of the bangs away from your face for that classic curtain look.
8. Use a lightweight hairspray or texture spray to hold the style in place.

Escape rooms

By far one of the best ways to challenge each other while getting to know each other, escape room dates where it is a small group or just the two of you are perfect.  But you need a look that allows for mystery, and the hair pin hair bun is perfect.  Just like the spy and adventure movies, hair buns can hide lock picks and more to keep things mysterious and match the escape room theme.  Adding a curly bang on one side adds some symmetry and fun to the look.

Skill level: Easy

Face shape: All shapes

1. Brush your hair thoroughly to remove any tangles.
2. Gather your hair at the back of your head (for a medium bun), or the top of your head (for a high bun) and secure it as a ponytail with a hair tie.
3. Hold the end of your ponytail and begin twisting it around the base of the ponytail until your hair forms a twisted rope.
4. Wrap the twisted hair around the base of your ponytail until all of your hair is coiled into a bun.
5. Use another hair tie to secure the end of the ponytail against the base, or tuck it in through the center.
6. Add in the decorative hair pins, or adorned pins, or chopstick style in an x pattern.

Outdoor concerts (not indoor)

Normally we’d say space buns, and although they’re cute and perfect for music festivals, you’re on a date, not out to party.  That’s why the half-up half-down bubble braid is the perfect look.  And when you use TELETIES, you can add pops of color because it is a concert after all.

Skill level: Easy

Face shape: All

1. Start by brushing your hair thoroughly to remove any tangles.
2. Grab a section of your hair from the front on both sides (like you would do for a half-up, half-down ponytail) and secure it at the back of your head with a hair tie.
3. Now you're going to create your first "bubble." Gently tug at the hair in the ponytail between your head and the hair tie to create a round, bubble-like shape.
4. About an inch or two below your first hair tie, secure another hair tie. Now tease the hair in between to form the next bubble.
5. Keep going until you have the amount of bubbles you want for your look.

Walking somewhere with conversation starters

Walking somewhere with conversation starters could include a zoo, a sculpture or botanical garden, museums, or somewhere there are interesting things to look at and get conversations going.  And when it comes to interesting places you’ll want an interesting do.  You cannot go wrong with the fishtail braid.  It keeps your hair off your shoulders so you don’t overheat, and maintains itself while you walk whether it is windy or calm.

Skill level: Medium

Face shape: All

1. Start by brushing your hair to remove any tangles.
2. Gather your hair and pull it to the lower, center of the back of your head, or wherever you want your fishtail braid to start.
3. Divide your hair into two equal sections. Unlike a traditional braid that requires three sections, a fishtail braid only needs two.
4. Take a small piece of hair from the outer edge of one of the two main sections, and cross it over to the inside of the other section. 
1. It's important to cross it over and add it to the inside of the other section, not just pull it across.
5. Take a small piece from the outer edge of the second section and cross it over to the inside of the first section.
6. Continue these steps, alternating sides each time, until you've braided the entire length of your hair. 
1. Pro-tip: The smaller sections of hair you take, the more intricate the detail of the braid will look.
7. Secure the end of your braid with a hair tie.

There’s a perfect hairstyle for all types of first dates.  Hopefully the ones above will help inspire your perfect look while you meet your perfect match.  Subscribe to the TELETIMES blog below for more hairstyling, nutrition, and tips like these.