I keep seeing butterfly clips in my salon’s waiting area. Not the tiny claw kind from my middle school locker, but these wide, structured ones that actually hold hair. They pair with everything from braided buns to straight half-ups, and they do not slip by noon.
This article rounds up 24 Butterfly Clip Hairstyles that work across lengths and textures. Whether your hair goes flat by 4 pm or you have coils that need a secure grip, there is a clip placement here that stays. I tested them on my fine, straight hair and found a few that surprised me.
Braided Space Buns With Butterfly Clips
Fine hair usually laughs at the idea of space buns, but braided space buns with clips change the math. The cornrow details anchor the style so the buns sit tight instead of sliding into sad little nubs by noon. On my fine, straight texture, I’d need a salon visit and a lot of patience, but on naturally curly or coily hair, this holds like a fortress. Black, mid-back length, no bangs, just clean braids and those butterfly clips catching the light. It’s playful without trying too hard.
Long Coily Braids With Scattered Clips
I’ll admit it: I thought the clips would be the first thing to go, sliding out by Tuesday. They weren’t. Coily braids with butterfly clips stay put because the braid gives the clip something to grip, and the scattered clips act like tiny anchors along the length. The style holds for a full week, and honestly, the braids do the heavy lifting.
To keep it fresh, I re-arrange the clips every couple of days, moving them from the crown to the ends. That’s the whole styling routine, which is exactly why I keep coming back to this one. Black, mid-back, no bangs, and the clips catch the light without me doing anything else.
Half-Up Waves With Side-Swept Bangs
Ever wonder why some half-up styles look like they took effort and others look like a happy accident? This one is the latter. Loose waves, done with a large barrel iron, take about twenty minutes, and the side-swept bangs fall naturally to the side. Pull the top section back, secure it with the clip, and you’re done in thirty minutes total.
The hold is decent, but the bangs will need a re-curl by mid-afternoon if your hair is as fine as mine. The iridescent clip adds a bit of shine against the light brown with blonde highlights, and the mid-back length keeps the waves from looking heavy. It’s a salon-leaning style, but the technique is simple enough to fake at home.
Collarbone Half-Up With Subtle Color
I’m calling it now: the half up half down butterfly clip is the quiet winner here. The light brown base with subtle pink and blue tones reads as sweet, not loud, and the light blue clip ties the whole thing together without shouting. It’s a softer alternative to bold rainbow streaks, and the collarbone length keeps it practical. The subtle color tones mean you can go longer between root touch-ups, which is a win in my book. Wavy, medium density, no bangs, and it takes fifteen minutes to pull together.
Curly Half-Up With Tortoiseshell Clip
Curly hair has a secret advantage with this style: it does the work for you. The curly half up with butterfly clip takes about five minutes, just gather the top section and let the tortoiseshell clip do the gripping. The dark brown, collarbone length curls fall naturally underneath, and the clip holds without pulling or snagging. It’s a DIY dream, and the tortoiseshell clip adds a classic touch that doesn’t fight the texture. If your curls are prone to frizz, a quick refresh with water is all you need.
High Braided Ponytail With Charms
The ponytail hits mid-back, and the charms catch the light. This is a festival look, a birthday look, a “I want to be seen” look. The black base is thick and coily, braided from root to tip. Colorful butterfly charms are woven in at intervals, gold and pink and teal. The hold is serious — we are talking two weeks of neat braids, if you wrap them at night. The styling took a salon appointment, and you will need another to take it down without snagging. But for that one weekend, it is a conversation piece that does not need touching up.
- Length: mid-back, braided from scalp to ends
- Texture: thick, coily — needs tension to stay smooth
- Color: black base with multicolored butterfly charms
- Styling: salon braided ponytail, charms clipped in after
- Ask your stylist: “Braided ponytail with butterfly charms, tight enough to last a week”
It is not a weekday style. You will not wear it to the grocery store. But for the right occasion, it is worth the three hours in the chair.
Blonde Half-Up With Marbled Clip
I will confess: I bought a marbled butterfly clip because it was pretty and assumed it would sit in my drawer. Then I tried it. Blonde hair at collarbone length, loose waves, pull the top section back and clamp. Ten minutes, no mirror required. The wavy texture hides the part line, the clip holds all afternoon, and the blonde reads warm against the cream and brown marbling. This is a DIY win. You do not need a salon for a blonde half up butterfly clip. You just need waves and a clip that does not slide.
Back View Half-Up With Blue Clip
My gut says most people forget the back. They clip the front, check the mirror, and leave. With a half up secured with butterfly clip, the back is where the style lives. Light brown base with subtle highlights, mid-back length, loose waves. The mistake is pulling too much hair forward — the clip sits flat and the back falls apart by noon. Instead, section from ear to ear, twist the top section once before clamping. The light blue butterfly clip reads against the brown, and the side-swept bangs soften the line. Upkeep is a dry shampoo refresh at the crown and a re-clip after lunch. The highlights need a toner every six weeks, or the gold shifts brassy.
That back view matters. Make it the good one.
Low Bun With Tassel Clip
Verdict: a bun with decorative butterfly clip is the fastest way to dress up short hair, but it is also a reminder of what short hair cannot do. Black base, straight and thick, chin-length. The low bun uses every inch of length, pinned tight, then the blue tassel clip goes on top. The tassels swing when you walk. The hold is solid for a dinner out, but by day two the bun loosens and the tassel clip looks heavy for the amount of hair it anchors. Honest downside: short hair limits how many times you can redo this bun before the ends split. Two wears, then let it down.
Side View Half-Up With Butterfly Clip
I was running late to a friend’s dinner, hair still damp from the gym. Dark brown, wavy, thick, mid-back. I pulled the top section back, twisted once, and clipped it with a butterfly-shaped hair clip. Side bangs fell forward on their own. That was it. The half up half down wavy hair dried into soft waves, the clip held through three hours of talking and eating, and no one asked if I had tried. It is the style you forget you are wearing, which is exactly the point. Ten minutes, one clip, done.
Fine Blonde Half-Up With Jeweled Clip
Does your fine hair mock every clip by lunchtime? Mine does, which is why I was skeptical of this one. A fine hair butterfly clip actually holds, because the ornate jeweled butterfly clip grips just the top section, not the whole head. The blonde base catches the light, and the jeweled detail adds a glam touch without weighing anything down. Straight, shoulder-length strands stay put for a few hours, but by evening, you’ll be re-clipping. It’s delicate, not fragile.
Black Braids With Large White Clip
The contrast is the whole point: black braids against a white clip, zero subtlety. The braiding itself is a salon job, thick coily strands parted down the middle and woven to mid-back. Once the braids are in, the large white butterfly clip just snaps over a crown section, no extra styling time. That’s the trick, the clip does the heavy lifting while the braids do the holding. It stays secure for days, which is more than I can say for most clip moments.
- Length: mid-back, braided
- Technique: tight cornrows or box braids
- Texture: coily, thick
- Styling: clip at the crown, done
- Ask your stylist: keep the parting clean
Bold contrast is the look, and it’s honestly low-maintenance once the braids are in.
Double Bun With Central Butterfly Clip
A single bun is fine, but it’s also forgettable. This double bun with a central butterfly clip is the upgrade I didn’t know I needed. The clip sits dead center, pulling the two buns together visually, so the whole thing reads polished instead of playful. It’s a salon-leaning style, the kind that takes 25 minutes and a steady hand, because the buns need to match or the symmetry falls apart. Straight, thick blonde hair holds the shape well, and the middle part keeps everything balanced. If you’re not patient, skip it. If you are, this is the one.
Straight Half-Up With Metallic Clip
I’ll admit it, I’ve ruined this look by overthinking it. The mistake is trying to make it fancy. A straight hair butterfly clip on dark brown, mid-back straight hair is a five-minute job: smooth, gather the top section, snap the metallic butterfly clip in place. That’s it. The sleekness does the work, the clip adds the polish. You don’t need a salon, you don’t need product, just a comb and a steady hand. It holds for a few hours, but re-clip after lunch if you want it sharp.
Braided Bun With Butterfly Clips
I was ready to hate this, expecting a fussy updo that collapses by noon. Instead, the braided bun with butterfly clips held all day, which surprised me. The wavy texture gives the braid grip, so the side braid wraps into a bun at the back and stays put. Decorative butterfly clips are tucked along the bun’s edge, catching the blonde tones without screaming for attention. It’s a salon job, 30 minutes of careful pinning, but the payoff is a style that doesn’t quit. By evening, a few wisps escaped, but the bun itself never shifted.
Mid-Back Straight Half-Up With Silver Clip
Summer calls for something that takes five minutes and does not make your neck sweat. This half updo with butterfly clip is exactly that: straight mid-back hair, a middle part and a silver butterfly clip holding the top section back. No bangs, no waves, no fuss. The colour is a deep dark brown that reads clean against the metallic shine. It holds until you take it out, which is about eight hours in my experience. For winter, swap the silver for a gold clip and add a low ponytail underneath.
Bubble Braid With Clear Butterfly Clips
Ever tried a bubble braid and wondered where to put the clips? The answer is everywhere. This style uses a bubble braid butterfly clips technique: section the mid-back blonde hair into segments, secure each with an elastic, then gently pull the sections to puff them out. The small clear butterfly clips go between the bubbles, catching the light against the wavy texture. It takes about thirty minutes and some patience. Thicker hair holds the bubbles better. Fine hair can collapse them by hour two. Upkeep is minimal if you sleep with a silk scarf.
Visual Idea
Shoulder-length blonde hair in a low bun with a butterfly clip on top. That is the whole description. The clip is the focal point, not the bun. This works best for straight textures that do not fight the shape. If your hair is coily or very thick, the bun will bulge and the clip will sit awkwardly. Fine hair at shoulder length can pull this off without a donut or pins. The colour is a single-process blonde, no highlights, which keeps the look clean. The clip does the talking.
Shoulder Visual Idea
I will admit it: I thought a half-up with a clip on shoulder-length hair would slide off by lunch. It does not, but only if you start with clean, dry hair. This light brown shoulder-length style uses a large iridescent butterfly clip at the back of the head, gathering the top half. The texture is straight and medium density, which gives the clip enough grip. The honest downside is that the clip leaves a dent after four hours. A quick finger comb fixes it. Do not brush it out or the dent stays.
Mid-Back Visual Idea
This is a DIY win. Mid-back black hair with loose waves and a middle part, finished with colorful butterfly clips pinned into the waves. The waves are the key: you can create them with a large-barrel iron in fifteen minutes. The clips add color without dye. The texture is wavy and fine, so the clips need a slight bend in the hair to grip. Straight hair would let them slide. The clips go in after the waves cool. That is it. No salon trip, no product, just a heat protectant and a few clips.
Black Visual Idea
I remember a friend with the same curly, fine hair texture I have, and she wore her black mid-back waves with a few braided sections pinned back by pink butterfly clips. It was the first time I saw someone with my hair type pull off clips without them sliding out by noon. The secret is the braids: they give the fine strands something to grip, so the hold lasts. My own hair goes flat by 4 pm, but braided sections keep their shape. If you want this, ask your stylist for loose waves with a few face-framing braids. Then add the clips yourself, it is a diy job.
Dark Brown With Caramel Highlights Visual Idea
Multiple gold butterfly clips woven into braids look stunning against dark brown hair with caramel highlights, but my first reaction is always caution. The mistake people make is clipping too tightly, which snags and pulls the hair. I have seen it happen. The fix is to slide the clip in at an angle, not straight down, and leave a little slack in the braid. On thick, wavy mid-back hair, the clips hold well, but they will catch on tangles if you rush. Take the extra minute to smooth the section first. It is not difficult, just careful. The honest downside is that even careful application can damage fine strands over time, so rotate the placement each wear.
Collarbone Visual Idea
Who does a collarbone half-up with a large matte butterfly clip actually flatter? Wavy, thick hair, that is who. The volume at the crown keeps the clip from looking like an afterthought, and the length stops just where the weight of the hair can pull the whole thing down. I have tried this on finer hair and it slid by lunch. On thick waves, the clip has something to bite into, so the hold lasts through a full day. The middle part widens a round face, so consider a slight off-center part if that is you. Blonde reads bright against the matte clip, which keeps the look from going too shiny. It is salon-leaning because the volume needs a round brush and some patience, not because the clip is hard.
Medium Brown Visual Idea
A sparkly butterfly clip wins over a matte one on a simple half-up, every time. I have worn both. The matte clip disappears into medium brown hair, the sparkly one catches the light and gives the whole style a point. On wavy, thick mid-back hair, the half-up holds without much fuss, just gather the top section and clip it. The sparkle does the work, so you can skip the styling products. It is a diy job, no salon required. The only catch is that the clip can snag if you rush, so open it wide and slide it in slow.
Final Thoughts
After writing all 24 of these, I am booking the high braided ponytail with charms next. The clips held longer than I expected, and the structure meant no readjusting at dinner. That is rare for my hair.
