25 Easy Claw Clip Hairstyles to Try Now
Twenty-five claw clip styles that actually hold, plus the two things that decide whether yours slips — clip size against hair volume, and whether the hair has enough texture to grip. Clean hair is the usual culprit.
In this article · 32
- The Two Rules That Decide Everything
- How to Choose Your Claw Clip Style
- The 25 Claw Clip Hairstyles
- 1. Classic Twist and Clip
- 2. Half-Up Claw Clip
- 3. Claw Clip Bun
- 4. Low Claw Clip Chignon
- 5. Messy Claw Clip Updo
- 6. Sleek Claw Clip
- 7. Claw Clip with Face-Framing Pieces
- 8. Side Twist Claw Clip
- 9. Double Claw Clip
- 10. Claw Clip Ponytail
- 11. Claw Clip on Short Hair
- 12. Claw Clip on Curly Hair
- 13. Claw Clip with a Middle Part
- 14. Claw Clip Bubble Style
- 15. Claw Clip with a Headband
- 16. Wet-Hair Claw Clip
- 17. Claw Clip for Thick Hair
- 18. Claw Clip for Fine Hair
- 19. Braided Claw Clip Updo
- 20. Claw Clip with Tendrils
- 21. High Claw Clip
- 22. Claw Clip for the Gym
- 23. Claw Clip on Layered Hair
- 24. Two-Section Claw Clip
- 25. Claw Clip Overnight
- How to Make Any of These Hold
- Mistakes to Avoid
- FAQ
- Final Thoughts
A claw clip is thirty seconds of styling that either holds all day or falls out by lunchtime. The difference is almost never the style — it is clip size against hair volume, and whether your hair has enough texture to grip.
The Two Rules That Decide Everything
Size the clip to your volume. Fine or short hair holds in a 3 to 4 inch clip with closely spaced teeth. Thick or long hair needs 5 inches or more with a deep jaw, or two medium clips rather than one large one. Slipping runs both ways: too small and the jaws never lock, too large and the teeth close on empty space.
Clip the fold, not the ends. Twist, fold the twist upward, then clip so the teeth catch that fold. Clipping the loose ends is the single most common reason a style slides out.
How to Choose Your Claw Clip Style
Hair texture beats hair length. Slippery clean hair fails in any style; day-two hair holds in most.
Match the style to your length. Short hair suits half-ups and side twists. Long hair suits full twists and buns.
Wide jaw for thick hair. Deep teeth grip; shallow decorative clips do not.
Nothing needs to be neat. Pieces falling out is the intended look.
The 25 Claw Clip Hairstyles
1. Classic Twist and Clip
Twist away from the face, fold up, clip the fold. The one to learn first.
2. Half-Up Claw Clip
Top section only, rest left down. Thirty seconds and suits every length.
3. Claw Clip Bun
Full twist coiled and clipped. Needs a 5 inch clip on most hair.
4. Low Claw Clip Chignon
Twisted low at the nape. The most formal version.
5. Messy Claw Clip Updo
Deliberately loose with pieces falling. Forgiving on day-three hair.
6. Sleek Claw Clip
Smoothed with a little gel before twisting. Polished and office-appropriate.
7. Claw Clip with Face-Framing Pieces
Two front pieces pulled out deliberately before clipping.
8. Side Twist Claw Clip
Twisted to one side rather than centred. Suits shorter hair.
9. Double Claw Clip
Two smaller clips stacked. Holds thick hair better than one large clip.
10. Claw Clip Ponytail
Gathered into a low pony and clipped instead of tied. No elastic dent.
11. Claw Clip on Short Hair
Half-up with a small clip. The version that actually works above the shoulder.
12. Claw Clip on Curly Hair
Twist loosely so the curl pattern is not crushed.
13. Claw Clip with a Middle Part
Part kept clean, everything behind gathered.
14. Claw Clip Bubble Style
Sectioned down the length with several small clips.
15. Claw Clip with a Headband
Band at the front, clip at the back. Fully off the face.
16. Wet-Hair Claw Clip
Twisted straight out of the shower. Creates a soft wave as it dries.
17. Claw Clip for Thick Hair
Wide jaw, deep teeth, hair split into two clipped sections.
18. Claw Clip for Fine Hair
Backcomb the crown first so the clip has something to grip.
19. Braided Claw Clip Updo
Braid first, then coil and clip. Holds far longer than a twist.
20. Claw Clip with Tendrils
Two long pieces released at the temples after clipping.
21. High Claw Clip
Gathered at the crown. Striking, and heavier on the scalp.
22. Claw Clip for the Gym
Twisted tight and low so it survives movement.
23. Claw Clip on Layered Hair
Shorter layers left out rather than fought with.
24. Two-Section Claw Clip
Top and bottom halves clipped separately. Distributes weight.
25. Claw Clip Overnight
Loose twist in damp hair before bed. Wakes up as a soft wave.
How to Make Any of These Hold
Skip the wash. Day-two hair grips; freshly washed hair slides.
Texture spray if you must use clean hair. A light mist through the mid-lengths gives the teeth something to catch.
Twist away from your face, not toward it. Toward-the-face twists unwind as you move.
Fold and clip the fold. Not the ends.
Mistakes to Avoid
A clip too small for your hair. The most common problem by a wide margin.
Clipping the loose ends. It will slide within the hour.
Using a decorative shallow-toothed clip for a full updo. Pretty, and it will not hold.
Trying it on freshly washed hair. Nothing grips.
FAQ
Why does it slip? Clip too small, or hair too freshly washed to grip.
What size do I need? 3 to 4 inches for fine or short hair; 5 inches or more for thick or long.
Can short hair wear one? Yes — half-up or side twist with a smaller clip.
How do I make it hold all day? Twist away from the face, fold up, clip the fold rather than the ends.
Final Thoughts
Buy a bigger clip than you think you need, use day-two hair, and clip the fold. Those three things fix almost every claw clip problem there is.
For the technique broken down step by step see 20 steps to an easy claw clip updo. More in Updos & Clip Styles.
