Presented by CF x Luvme Hair
Graduation is coming up, and while you may have your graduation dress picked out, don’t forget about your hair! You need a cute hairstyle that will work with a grad cap and look amazing in all of your pictures.
And if you’re looking for hairstyles specifically for black girls and African American hair, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are 17 beautiful graduation hairstyles for black hair, including options for natural hair.
Table of Contents
The Cutest Graduation Hairstyles for Black Hair
Long Wig Styles
Deep Wave
You can’t go wrong with long hair on graduation day!
Long waves, in particular, will cascade out from underneath your graduation cap and look amazing in all of your pictures. They’re so glam and stunning.
While the style above looks difficult to achieve, it’s actually one of the easiest hairstyles in this post because it’s a glueless wig.
Glueless wigs, like this one from our favorite woman-owned wig brand, Luvme Hair, are perfect for beginners or anyone who wants a super easy wig experience. Anyone can achieve this look at home!
Body Wave
Here’s another example of a long, wavy hairstyle for black hair that looks amazing under a graduation cap.
This body wave style is another example of a glueless wig that looks completely natural and stunning!
This style is perfect if you want to look glam and girly on graduation day.
Sleek & Straight
If you like your styles on the sleek and minimal side, straight, smooth hair is a beautiful hairstyle choice for graduation.
Straight hair is easy to style under any graduation cap and looks really classic, perfect for photos you’ll have forever.
Fluffy Afro Curls
If you want a statement-making hairstyle for graduation day, an afro is a stunning option.
The glueless wig shown above is super easy to install and looks completely natural.
Plus, it’s lightweight and easy to manage, perfect for graduation day.
Loose Body Wave
This expensive-looking Hollywood waves hairstyle would look so beautiful with a glam dress at graduation. I love the side part and how sophisticated it feels.
As a bonus, this hairstyle would be fantastic for a grad party!
Mid-Length Wig
Water Wave
If you want a natural, bohemian vibe on graduation day, this water wave style is perfect for you.
The human hair wig shown above is available in lengths ranging from 12″ to 20″, so you can find the perfect length for you. Plus, you can straighten it if you want!
Wear this, and you’ll feel like an actual mermaid on graduation day.
Short Wig
Straight and Short
Another cute straight hair option is the simple, sleek bob. This wig is so chic and a little bit edgy.
It would look particularly amazing paired with a strapless dress, as seen above. This will highlight the cut of the bob.
360 Wig: Braids
Half-Up Half-Down
If you want to wear a wig in a half-up, half-down style on graduation day, you totally can!
The key is to invest in a 360 wig like this one from Luvme Hair.
A 360 wig has lace all the way around so that you can style it into any look. You can even braid it, and it will look like your own hair.
The braided half-updo above is such a cute idea for graduation day, as it will allow you to have length while also keeping your hair out of your face for pictures.
Extra-Long Low Braid
Extra long ponytail braids are so beautiful and perfect for special occasions like graduation day.
The easiest and most versatile way to achieve this style is by using a 360 wig, as shown in the photo above.
You can create a long braided ponytail one day, then take it out and rock flowing waves the next.
360 Long Hair Wig
Cute Ponytail with Front Pieces
If you want to wear your hair up on graduation day but still feel girly and cute, a long ponytail like this is perfect.
Again, this ponytail is achieved with a 360 wig that’s seamless all the way around.
You can make your ponytail on the lower side if you want to ensure it works with a graduation cap, or do a high pony for a graduation party or pictures!
Natural & Relaxed Styles
Sleek Low Bun
Updos and grad caps can be tricky because you don’t want a lot of bulk on top of your head. That’s why low updos are key for graduation day.
In particular, sleek, low buns are classic, plus they’re easy to achieve with natural hair.
Watch the tutorial above to see how to do a low, slicked-back bun on natural hair, without gel!
Twist-Out
Twist-outs are a classic style on natural hair, and because they’re so classic, they’re a great option if you want to look like “you” on graduation day.
If you want to get twist-outs at home, take a look at the tutorial above, which goes through the process step by step.
Long Braids
Long braids work well under graduation caps as they’re usually fairly flat toward the scalp.
When it comes to long braids, there are truly millions of options out there.
The simple, classic long braids above are a great choice, but we also did a whole post on long braided hairstyles if you want more inspo!
Flat Twist Low Bun
Here’s a cute variation on a low bun for natural hair. This time, there are three braids in front that are then swept back into the bun.
Though it looks complex, you can totally get this look at home!
Watch the tutorial to see how it’s done.
Natural Afro
Of course, you can always rock a natural afro for your graduation pictures!
It can be difficult to get a graduation cap to fit properly on top of an afro, but with a little DIY magic, it’s possible.
Here’s a great tutorial on how to use a headband to get a grad cap to work with an afro:
Low Ponytail with Front Curls
Low ponytails, like their low bun counterparts, look amazing with graduation caps.
You can add some extra flavor to the look by leaving two front pieces out, as seen above.
If your curls aren’t this long, don’t worry! This style could be achieved with this wavy 360 wig that has lace all the way around for a natural look.
Fluffy Ponytail with Edges
Finally, if you have short, relaxed hair and want a simple graduation hairstyle that’s also special, this fluffy ponytail with edges is perfect!
Watch the tutorial above to see how to do it at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I install a glueless wig?
As mentioned earlier, glueless wigs are perfect for beginners and so simple to install!
Check out the video below for a full tutorial on how to install one yourself:
What is a 360 wig?
A 360 wig is a wig that features lace all the way around, so it can be free-parted anywhere and styled into braids, updos, and half-updos.
Basically, you can wear it as if it were your normal head of hair.
Here’s a video that explains the 360 wig and how to wear it:
Which of these graduation hairstyles is your favorite?
How are you going to style your hair for graduation? Are you going to try any of these styles? Any go-to graduation hair tips we missed?
Tell us in the comments!
For more info on Luvme Hair or any of the wigs seen in this post, be sure to check out Luvme Hair’s website, as well as their Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook page.
Also, remember that Luvme Hair offers free shipping on all wigs, plus a 30-day free returns policy to guarantee you’ll love your purchase!
Disclosure: The above post was sponsored by Luvme Hair. The opinions, as always, are our own. For more info, please see our Disclosure page.