When it's hot outside and your hair is past your ears, an arsenal of updos is a necessity.

Whether it's taming a sweaty mane into a stylish 'do for a summer wedding, or just staying sane on the beach, get to work on the five staple styles below and enjoy feeling the occasional breeze on your neck.

• Hairbands, grips, hairspray - and in one instance a hair doughnut - are required

MESSY HIGH BUN

There's no hairstyle quite like a high messy bun for a fresh, graceful look that's not too done.

The excellent Forever Amber beauty blog gives a comprehensive run-down of how to create a 'gigantic messy bun head,' briefly summarised below.

Secure hair into a high ponytail with a band (the higher the ponytail, the bigger the impact)

Backcomb the underside of the ponytail

Wrap the mussed up ponytail around the band - the tighter the wrap, the smaller the bun

Secure with hair grips

FAUX BOB

A short haircut without the commitment, the faux bob was Beyonce's hairstyle of choice for the Grammys this year.

It takes some twisting and faffing, but is worth it - especially in the hot weather. We like Katie Shelton's advice on how to achieve the look on her Skunk Boy blog, as summarised below.

Divide the top half of your hair into two sections using bands and secure the sections on the top of your head

Pull the leftover bottom section of hair into a ponytail, twist into a bun and pin the twisted sections of the bun as flat as possible to your head

Loosen the top half of your hair into small strands and fold each strand in half, pinning the ends underneath

Gently pull out a few strands and curl with a tong

MILKMAID BRAIDS

A seriously regal updo that's actually a lot simpler than it looks, the milkmaid braid, aka Dutch crown braid, is great for weddings, festivals or just anywhere you want to feel pretty.

We like beauty blogger Zoella's loose strands version, detailed below:

Divide hair down the middle and pull each section into a plait, secure with a clear band

Pull the base of one plait inwards towards your face and pull it over the top of your head and pin

Take the other plait and do the same - try to use the base of the second plait to cover the tip of the first

Tuck the tip of the second plait under the base of the first plait

LOW BUN

An ultra-feminine, profile-enhancing 'do that works just as well when it's messily styled as when it's worn super-sleek.

As well as Emma Watson's glamorous take on the low bun, we like North West beauty blogger Gwen McMullin's deconstructed version on her blog thisfashionismine, as outlined below:

Tie day-old (or product-laden) hair into a low-medium ponytail

Push a hair doughnut to the base of the pony

Backcomb the ponytail and cover the doughnut by pinning hair in place

Depending on how long your hair is, pull out whole strands or pinch out parts of the doughnut for a messier look

HIGH PONYTAIL WITH QUIFF

A super-cool take on the ponytail that works well with feline flicks and a slim-fitting dress.

Before she chopped off her locks, Kristen Stewart was the queen of the quiff. We like beauty blogger Carly Ratcliffe's step-by-step guide on her blog TheCupidBow, adapted below:

Start with slightly dirty hair or lather in product

Brush the front of the hair forward from the crown, so you have a triangular section, and clip or tie in a band

Tie the rest of your hair up into a high ponytail

Untie the front section and separate into smaller, even rows, ideally using the long handle of a comb

Take a small section from the back and backcomb

Repeat with each strand until you almost reach the front of the hair - the last section

Don't backcomb this piece, use it to smooth over the other backcombed hair

Grip the quiff in place and blast with hairspray

Take a section of hair from your ponytail and wrap it around the band, tucking in the ends of the quiff as you go

Use hair grips to secure the ponytail wrap in place