Nine yards. Nine yards of a saree is all it takes to transform an ordinary woman into a divine Indian goddess. When a woman drapes a saree, she is making a statement. She is proclaiming to the world that she is a fiercely independent woman who also nurses a tender and nurturing spirit. She is a force to be reckoned with and you better not get in her way.


The saree has been the identity of the traditional Indian woman for centuries now. And over these years, it has evolved to suit the needs and style of the modern woman as well. But it’s heartbreaking to see the look of a gorgeous saree being ruined by a hairstyle that does not suit it in any way. Worried you might be making this mistake? Well, fret no more! I’m here with my foolproof list of beautiful hairstyles that will compliment any saree perfectly and make you look like the divine goddess that you truly are.

20 Hairstyles For Sarees That Will Make You Look Like A Goddess

1. Messy Low Bun

What’s the point of wearing a sexy backless blouse if you don’t show it off, right? So, it’s time to tie up your hair (and flaunt that gorgeous back tattoo, maybe?) and go for this chic messy bun style that will work perfectly to complement your sleeveless and backless blouse. And the best part is that it suits every face shape.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Texturizing spray
• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Light hold hairspray

How To Style

• Brush out all the knots and tangles from your hair.
• Generously spritz on some texturizing spray all over your hair.
• Part your hair on one side.
• Pick up a 2-inch section of hair from the front (from the left side of your parting), twist it a couple of times, and pin it at the back of your head.
• Repeat the previous step on the right side.
• Gather all your hair and tie it into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck.
• Messily roll up this ponytail into a bun and secure it to your head by inserting bobby pins into it from all directions.
• You can mess up the bun a little more with your hands if you want to go for a shaggier look.
• Finish off with a few spritzes of light hold hairspray to set the look in place.

2. Half Up Curls

Straight hair may hold a special place in some people’s hearts, but curly hair has a beauty of its own. So, what better way to style up your elegant party saree than with some graceful curls? Go for a half-up style that will help you show off your jewelry as well. This style is perfect for round and square face shapes.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Heat protectant
• 5-inch curling iron
• Bumpit (small)
• Bobby pins
• Strong hold hairspray
• Fresh flower

How To Style

• Prep you're washed, dried hair with some heat protectant.
• Brush out all the knots and tangles from it.
• Picking up 1-inch sections of hair at a time, curl all your hair.
• Part your hair on one side.
• Insert a bumpit under your hair at the crown of your head.
• Gather all the hair from the front and pin it in the center, right under your bumpit, at the back of your head.
• Spritz on some hairspray and pin in a fresh flower to finish off the look.

3. Loose Curls

No other saree can beat the elegance and grace emitted by a simple chiffon saree. So really, you don’t need to go for frills and fancies when styling your hair for it. Just take a page out of Madhuri Dixit’s book. With just a simple loose curls style, she has managed to keep her gorgeous saree the center of her ensemble. And if you have an oval or oblong face like Madhuri, this hairstyle will suit you perfectly.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Heat protectant
• 2-inch curling iron
• Smoothening serum

How To Style

• Brush out all the knots and tangles from your washed, dried hair.
• Apply some heat protectant to your hair.
• Picking up 2-inch sections of hair at a time, curl the lower half of your hair.
• Apply some smoothening serum to get rid of any frizz.
• Lightly run a hair brush through your curls to open them up and finish off the look.

4. Half Up Puff

I get it. You’re worried that wearing a saree is going to make you look older than your age. Well, there’s a simple solution for that. You can go for a youthful hairstyle to offset the aging effect of your saree. Take Madhuri Dixit, for instance. She has gone for a glamorous half up puff hairstyle on curls that takes at least 10 years off her face. This look works especially well on people with round or diamond face shapes.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Heat protectant
• 5-inch curling iron
• Teasing brush
• Fine toothed comb
• Bobby pins
• Smoothening serum
• Light hold hairspray

How To Style

• Brush out all the knots from your washed and dried hair.
• Apply some heat protectant.
• Curl the lower half of all your hair.
• Tease down all the hair at the crown and sides of your head.
• Rub some smoothening serum all over your fine toothed comb.
• Use this comb to sleek back all the hair at the front over the teased hair.
• Gather and pin up this sleeked back hair in the center at the back of your head.
• Fan out your curls and spritz on some hairspray to finish off the look.

5. Sleek Low Bun

If you’re not taking hairstyling tips from Deepika Padukone, then what are you even doing with your life? Take a look at this one for a second. To keep the focus on her embroidered saree and heavy antique silver jewelry, she has gone for a sleek low bun that adds a bit of boldness to the otherwise flirty ensemble. If you have a heart shaped face, you need to try out this hairstyle right NOW.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Hair gel
• Fine toothed comb
• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Strong hold hairspray

How To Style

• Brush out all the knots and tangles from your washed, dried hair.
• Part your hair down the middle.
• Apply a generous amount of hair gel to all the hair on the top and sides of your head.
• Sleek down your hair with the help of a fine toothed comb.
• Tie up all your hair into a low ponytail.
• Roll the ponytail into a neat bun and secure it to your head with the help of bobby pins.
• Finish off with some strong hold hairspray to smoothen down any flyaways.

6. Texturized Curls With Maang Teeka

Want to jazz up a rather plain looking saree? Or maybe you want to add a bit of oomph to your mum’s old saree? Whatever the case, texturized curls are here to your rescue. They are bold, yet feminine, and add just that bit of glamor that your saree needs. And the best part? They look good on all face shapes.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Heat protectant
• 5-inch curling iron
• Texturizing spray
• Bobby pins
• Maang teeka

How To Style

• Brush out all the knots and tangles from your hair and apply some heat protectant to it.
• Picking up 2-inch sections at a time, curl the lower half of all your hair.
• Spritz on some texturizing spray all over your curls and run your fingers through them to open them up.
• Part your hair down the middle.
• Loosely pick up all the hair in the front and pin it at the back of your head.
• Put on your maang teeka to finish off the look.

7. Low Side Bun

Look like a powerful Indian goddess who don’t need no man (because, really, you don’t) with this edgy side bun look. Be it any saree, in any design, this traditional hair look is bound to suit it perfectly. But to really nail that goddess look, finish this hairdo off with a gold teeka headdress. Especially perfect for people with long faces.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Smoothening serum
• Light hold hairspray
• Gold teeka headdress

How To Style

• Remove all the knots from your hair with a hair brush.
• Apply smoothening serum to get rid of all that frizz.
• Part your hair down the middle.
• Tie all your hair into a low side ponytail.
• Pick up a 2-inch section of hair from your ponytail, roll it into a ringlet, and pin it to your head right near the base of your ponytail.
• Keep repeating the previous step until all the hair in your ponytail has been rolled and pinned up to create a bun.
• Spritz on some hairspray and put on your traditional gold headdress to finish off the look.

8. Side Fishtail Braid

A traditional saree calls for a traditional braid. And what better braid to go for than an intricate fishtail! Add a bit of sparkle to your fishtail braid with some gold floral accessories and a maang teekaand get ready to rock that wedding. And if you have a round face, this will work even more perfectly for you.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Texturizing spray
• Hair elastics
• Small floral accessories
• Light hold hairspray

How To Style

• Brush out all the knots and tangles from your hair.
• Spritz on some texturizing spray to give your hair some hold.
• Part your hair on one side.
• Gather all your hair and tie it into a low ponytail.
• Divide your hair into 2 sections.
• Fishtail braid your ponytail by alternately picking up a thin section of hair from the outer side of one section and adding it to the inner side of the other section.
• Once you’ve fishtail braided till the end of your ponytail, secure it with a hair elastic.
• Cut off the hair elastic at the top of your braid.
• Spritz on some hairspray and insert some flower accessories into your braid to finish off the look.

9. Necklace Headdress

Heading out to a function and don’t have time to dress up heavily? Then I’ve got the easiest hack for you! Simply take one of your (or, let’s face it, your mum’s) heavy gold necklaces and wear it around your head to create a makeshift traditional headdress. This works especially well on people with long faces and big foreheads.

What You Need

• Heat protectant
• Straightening iron
• Smoothening serum
• A gold necklace

How To Style

• Prep you're washed, dried hair with some heat protectant.
• Picking up 2-inch sections of hair at a time, straighten all your hair.
• Part your hair down the middle.
• Apply some smoothening serum to get rid of any frizz.
• Place your gold necklace across your forehead and secure it at the back of your head to finish off the look.

10. Beachy Waves

Who says you can’t sport casual hair looks on a saree? Definitely not me. And if your heart wants to sport beachy waves on a heavy saree, then who are you to deny it? If you’ve got a heart shaped face, these beachy waves will complement your facial structure perfectly.

What You Need

• Heat protectant
• 2-inch curling iron
• Hair brush
• Maang teeka

How To Style

• Apply some heat protectant to your washed, dried hair.
• Picking up 2-inch sections of hair at a time, curl all your hair.
• Lightly brush your hair through your curls to loosen them up.
• Part your hair down the middle.
• Put on your maang teeka to finish off the look.

11. Puffed Up Bun

Nothing can beat the beauty of a neat bun when it comes to hairstyles for sarees. It’s graceful, it’s elegant, and it shows that you are totally in command. Try it out over any saree and you’ll see what I’m talking about. And if you have a round face, this hairstyle will work amazingly to elongate your face.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Texturizing spray
• Teasing brush
• Fine toothed comb
• Smoothening serum
• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Strong hold hairspray

How To Style

• Detangle your washed and dried hair with a hair brush.
• Spritz on some texturizing spray to give your hair some hold.
• Tease down all the hair at the crown of your head and above your ears.
• Rub some smoothening serum all over your fine toothed comb.
• Use this comb to sleek back your front hair over the teased hair.
• Gather all your hair and tie it into a mid-level ponytail.
• Roll this ponytail into a bun and secure it to your head with some bobby pins.
• Finish off with a few spritzes of strong hold hairspray to set the updo in place.

12. Chic Swept Back Bun

If Deepika Padukone is sporting a hairstyle, you best believe we should be following suit. To complement her gorgeous baby blue and gold designer saree, she has opted for a swept back bun style that is as chic as it gets. This hairdo is perfect for anyone with a heart shaped face.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Sea salt spray
• Teasing brush
• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Light hold hairspray

How To Style

• Brush out all the knots and tangles from your hair.
• Spritz on sea salt spray all over your hair generously.
• Lightly tease down the hair at the crown of your head.
• Use your hair brush to brush back all your hair over the teased hair.
• Tie all your hair in a mid-level ponytail.
• Divide your ponytail into 2 sections.
• Twist these sections right till the ends and intertwine them with each other until they naturally start forming a bun.
• Secure this bun to your head with the help of bobby pins.
• Spritz on some light hold hairspray to finish off the look.

13. Curly Ponytail

A unique saree calls for a unique hairstyle. Shilpa Shetty has kept this in mind when picking a hairstyle for her avant garde saree gown outfit. Instead of more traditional hairdos like a bun or a braid, she has styled her hair in a more casual ponytail. This hairstyle would work perfectly for any face shape.

What You Need

• Heat protectant
• 5-inch curling iron
• Fine toothed comb
• Hair elastic
• Straightening iron

How To Style

• Prep your washed and dried hair with some heat protectant.
• Picking up 2-inch sections of hair at a time, curl the lower half of all your hair.
• Comb back your hair and tie it into a mid-level ponytail.
• Pull out a couple of sections of hair from the front to frame your face.
• Straighten these face framing sections to finish off the look.

14. Bubble Ponytail

Trust Shilpa Shetty to add a badass spin to a simple black and white handloom saree. And how! With just simple accented twists and a quirky bubble styled ponytail, she has completely transformed her look. This, again, is a hairdo that will look good on any face shape.

What You Need

• Hair brush
• Teasing brush
• Hair elastics
• Bobby pins

How To Style

• Brush out the knots from your washed, dried hair.
• Part your hair down the middle.
• Pick up a 2 inch section of hair from the left side of your parting, twist it a few times, and pin it at the back of your head.
• Repeat the previous step on the other side.
• Gather all your hair and tie it into a ponytail right where you pinned back your front section of hair.
• Pick up a thin section of hair from your ponytail, wrap it around its base, and secure it with a bobby pin to hide the hair elastic from view.
• Tease down the underside of your ponytail to create volume.
• Smoothen down the upper section of your ponytail over the teased down section.
• Tie a hair elastic right at the bottom to create the bubble effect.
• Take a thin section of hair from the tail end of your ponytail, wrap it around the hair elastic and pin it in place to hide the hair elastic from view.

15. Gajra Bun

It doesn’t get more traditional than a gajra now, does it? This beautiful garland of jasmines has the ability to transform the simplest of hairdos into something absolutely gorgeous. Besides, what better way to show off your blouse with a sexy tie-up back, right? And this hairdo looks great on literally any face shape. (Yay!)

What You Need

• Smoothening serum
• Bobby pins
• Hair elastics
• Gajra

How To Style

• Prep you're washed, dried hair with some smoothening serum.
• Part your hair on one side.
• From the front right side of your head, pick up a 2-inch section of hair, twist it a few times and pin it on the side of your head, just past your ear.
• Repeat the previous step on the left side.
• Tie all your hair vertically in 2 ponytails, one above the other, at the nape of your neck.
• Twist the top ponytail right till the end, lay it horizontally against your head, and secure it down with some bobby pins.
• Tuck the tail of your ponytail under the horizontal bun and pin it down.
• Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the bottom ponytail, making sure the bottom horizontal bun lay right under the top one.
• Wrap your gajra around your bun and secure it to your head with the help of some bobby pins.

16. Greek Goddess Updo

Ever wondered what a fusion of an Indian goddess and a Greek goddess would look like? Well, wonder no more because Shilpa Shetty has pretty much nailed it. With her pearl white designer saree and her crown braided bun, she truly looks like an ethereal being. If you have an oblong face shape, you’re in for a treat when sporting this hairstyle.

What You Need

• Heat protectant
• 5 inch curling iron
• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Light hold hairspray

How To Style

• Prep your washed and dried hair with some heat protectant.
• Part your hair on one side.
• Picking up 2-inch sections of hair at a time, curl all your hair.
• Leaving out the front section of hair on the side of the parting with more hair, braid all your hair into a low braid at the nape of your neck.
• Secure the very end of your braid with a hair elastic.
• Place this braid around the crown of your head until its tail reaches back to its base.
• Secure the braid to your head in this position with the help of some bobby pins.
• Finish off with some light hold hairspray to secure the hairdo in place.

17. Side Accent French Braid

Magic happens when you blend traditional and modern styling. Case in point, this look by Shilpa Shetty. To complement her dual shaded crepe saree, she has gone for a biker chick accent braid that adds a hint of edge and boldness to her look. Try it out if you have a heart shaped face.

What You Need

• Heat protectant
• 2 inch curling iron
• Bobby pins
• Light hold hairspray

How To Style

• Apply some heat protectant all over your washed, dried hair.
• Picking up 2 inch sections of hair at a time, curl the lower half of all your hair.
• Part your hair on one side.
• From the front of the side with lesser hair, pick up a 2 inch section of hair and divide it into 3 sections.
• French braid these 3 sections by adding more hair into the braid from either side with each subsequent stitch of braid.
• Once your French braid has reached the back of your head, secure it to your head with some bobby pins.
• Spritz on some light hold hairspray to set the braid in place.

18. Low Ponytail

Listen, if you’re wearing a Sabyasachi saree, first of all I’m, jealous of you. Secondly, you better keep that undoubtedly gorgeous saree the focus of your look. The best way to do that is to go for a super simple hair look. A sleek low ponytail is perfect for that job. You will be serving up some serious looks with this hairstyle, especially if you have an oval face shape.

What You Need

• Heat protectant
• Straightening iron
• Smoothening serum
• Fine toothed comb
• Hair elastic

How To Style

• Prep your washed and dried hair with some heat protectant.
• Picking up 2 inch sections of hair at a time, straighten all your hair.
• Part your hair down the middle.
• Rub some smoothening serum all over your fine toothed comb.
• Use this comb to sleek down your hair and tie it into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck.

19. Chinese Top Knot

When it comes to bold and unconventional styling choices, Anushka Sharma is your girl. I mean, who would’ve thought of pairing a designer printed saree with a Chinese top knot, right? And yet, somehow, it works. The top knot looks effortlessly chic and makes her look like the modern independent woman she is. And if you have a diamond shaped face like Anushka, then this style will work especially wonderfully for you.

What You Need

• Heat protectant
• Fine toothed comb
• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins

How To Style

• Apply some heat protectant all over your hair.
• Picking up 1 inch sections of hair at a time, straighten all your hair until it is poker straight.
• Rub some smoothening serum all over your fine toothed comb.
• Use this comb to sleek back all your hair and tie it into a super high ponytail right at the crown of your head.
• Roll this ponytail into a bun and secure it to your head with some bobby pins.
• Pull out a few strands of hair from near your ears to frame your face and finish off the look.

20. Braided Bun

Karisma Kapoor is a part of Bollywood royalty (what with being a member of the Kapoor clan), and she dresses every bit the part.

What You Need

• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Light hold hairspray

How To Style

• Part your washed and dried hair on one side.
• Tie all your hair into a mid-level ponytail at the back of your head.
• Braid this ponytail till the very end and secure it with a hair elastic.
• Roll your braided ponytail into a bun, making it lay flat against your head, and securing it down with bobby pins in the process.
• Finish off with some light hold hairspray to set the do in place.

Now leave behind those days when you automatically braided your hair when you wore a saree. As you can see, there is no dearth of hair styling options when it comes to wearing a saree. Comment below and let us know which styles you can’t wait to try out!