High School Musical 3 Hairstyles

The Disney Look

We've got the definitive scoop on the hairstyles from the movie. If you like what you see, try one on; and if it suits your face shape, get one yourself.

Zac's hair totally suits his persona in the High School Musical movies: it's cool, stylish and kind of clean cut. It's exactly what you'd imagine on the handsome high school basketball-playing lead character of a Disney movie.

If you like it, then bear these things in mind. The top's got heavy layers, and razor-cutting has been used to lighten the ends and create a more casual "fly away" feel.

Styling is simple. It's a "finger dry" look that allows the hair to fall into its natural shape. All that's needed is some hard wax or molding cream on the ends to create extra definition.

This is a great hairstyle for Vanessa's character Gabriella. She's the smart one who's good at maths, proving that clever girls can be pretty and cute too. With those dimples and those lovely locks, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

Vanessa's hair is mostly a one length look with slight layers on top to create some extra body and bounce. It's got a lovely dark brown/almost black color that provides extra shine and really makes her stand out from the other characters.

This hairdo's quite high maintenance. It has been set in large rollers in a spiral fashion, and then pulled out (using the fingers) to create a "stringy" look. A high gloss sculpture lotion has been applied over the entire hair for that wet 80s "body wave" look.

Corbin's hair is also perfectly matched to his Disney character. It works well to emphasize him as neat and tidy, yet cool and a little out of the ordinary at the same time.

In this photo, Corbin's hair is longer than in the first two High School Musical movies, but it's basically the same: a one length style with graduation through the back and sides.

This isn't the most practical look for a teenager because the hair falling constantly in the eyes would drive anyone crazy, but at least styling it is straightforward. It's just a case of applying a gel-type sculpture lotion on damp hair and leaving it to dry.

If you want to see a fairy tale hairstyle for a fairy tale movie about high school, then look no further than Ashley Tisdale. She's the "rich girl" with the perfect platinum blonde hair.

It's a "perfect" look, but not actually very complicated. Aside from the platinum color (which would really only work on those with light hair anyway, and would take a lot of time and money too), it's really only a one length look with soft layers through the back and sides.

Ashley's hair would take quite a bit of work to look so perfect. It's been curled (probably using a ceramic iron), which means that a heat protection product needed to be applied before styling. After the curls are created, Ashley would either have applied a serum (to allow for some movement in her curls), or hairspray (to keep her curls in place).

The Real High School Look

"Clean cut" and "picture perfect" sum up the kids in High School Musical, and even though they look great, I can't help but think that it's all a little fake. So I decided to give them a reality check. Have a look at my virtual makeovers and see how I think the stars would look if they went to an ordinary high school near you.

Zac Efron

You know what, I don't think Zac's as squeaky-clean as he'd like us to believe. It seems to me that he's got quite a bit of an "out there" attitude bottled up in that tip-top Disney persona, and given half a chance I think this is the kind of hairstyle he'd definitely go for at his real life high school.

Vanessa Hudgens

I have no doubt that if Vanessa was at a high school near you, a run of the mill American high school, she'd be a bit of a trashy bleach blonde. Why? Blondes like to have fun, and we all know that Vanessa likes to have fun (especially if there's a camera involved).

Corbin Bleu

As if that arty name's real, "Corbin Bleu"; and as if the hairdo you're sporting in the High School Musical movies is the hairdo you'd really have if you were a typical high school student. Hiding behind your trendy on-screen persona and your arty stage name, I think, is something a little more straightforward... This buzz cut's definitely more like the real you.

Ashley Tisdale

You look so perfect in the movies with that platinum hair, but I'm sorry Ashley you're just a regular girl in real life. If you were a typical high school student you'd still color your hair, but like most typical girls it'd be a "home job" for sure and regrowth would be your worst enemy (you'd definitely need to read these "Hair Coloring Tips").