Hat Hair: Graduation Styles for Natural Hair

With graduation season in full swing again, it's time to break out the caps and gowns. Let's face it, the mortarboard wasn't designed with your natural hair in mind but fear not as there are many options out there for you naturalistas! You need graduation cap hairstyles for black hair and you've got it.

All of these styles are best when you start out with a twist-out or flexi-rod set because it stretches your hair without the use of heat, making the texture of your hair smoother and easier to work with.  Here are a couple of hairstyling ideas for your big day, avoiding hat hair.

Bohemian Infinity Twist

It is similar to Dutch side braid but has a more whimsical look to it. This style is great if you have high volume hair, length or both. You'll start out by doing a short side-part on your head and sectioning off the top of your hair. Use a light hair oil to smooth down your roots, eliminating fly-aways.

Grab one section from the front of your head, begin twisting your hair down and out, adding more hair as you twist along.

When you're finished twisting the perimeter of your hair, release the top of your hair that you sectioned off earlier and twist that hair using the same method eventually combining it into the hair that you've already twisted.

The end result should be a loosely twisted braid that rests on one shoulder. For a visual explanation of the process, take a look at this Bohemian infinity twist video.

Headband Up-do

This is a great style that lets you achieve a sophisticated look with minimal effort. Again start out with hair that was flexi-rod set or is fresh from a twist out.

Using your fingers, separate your twists or curls allowing your hair to fall evenly around your head and frame your face. You may part your hair in the center or on the side.

Place a headband over your hair and make sure that it is snug and secure. The headband should be placed so that it sits two to three inches from the front of your head and the back sits 2-3 inches from the nape of your neck.

Starting from one side of your head, begin to tuck your hair into the headband loosely, section by section of your hair, eventually doing the whole perimeter of your head.

The end result should be a neat updo in which you'll be able to place your graduation cap on the center of your head with minimal effort. For a visual explanation of the process, take a look at this headband updo video.