9-way guide on how to do a top knot bun for messy hair

You know you are going to have a challenging day at work! Today is not the workday where you flaunt your hair, pin up your check shirt and enjoy your latte while working on your project. Rather, you have deadlines with dead ends, a team that’s almost a mess and perhaps your coffee maker is just whistling out the black one for you! Clearly, you couldn’t manage to wash your hair and the only thing you can do now is top knot it. But how to do a top knot bun that is unconventional? Since you are already scrolling your phone – read through real quick –

What are the must-haves in your dressing closet?

For all the days when your mane is in a mess, a top knot bun is your savior. But you will need some must-haves for those days. Here – comb, elastic band, bobby pins, hair donut, crimper, U-pins, brush, dry shampoo, and hair spray. Here’s how to do a top knot bun in distinct ways –

How to do a top knot bun for messy hair?

On a day when your hair is messy or you haven’t got the time to wash your mane, you could pick up any of these top knot buns to try. Here’s a listing of the styles –

1. The easiest of the top knots

What do you need? 

Bobby pins, hair brush, and elastic bands.

How to do?

You just don’t have time and there’s a messy mane dangling from your crown. So gather up all your hair into a ponytail and take an elastic band and pass it through your hair. Once that is done, you twist the band and pass only half the hair through it. You will see a fan bun. Stretch this bun, and wrap the ends of it around your ponytail. Use bobby pins to fix it. Do you wish to loosen the bun? You could use your fingers to loosen the same and create a fan bun effect.

2. The messy half-top knot

What do you need? 

Dry shampoo, hair brush, bobby pins, and elastic bands.

How to do? 

Have you been wanting to know how to do a top knot bun for messy hair for a long time? Then let’s try this messy half-style –

Your first step is detangling your hair and if you want you can add dry shampoo to it to increase the volume. In case you are fine without the volume, you will have to gather all your hair up at the top and use an elastic band to tie it up. Twist this band again and allow only half of your hair to pass through. To add style to this look, leave out the ends of your hair.

You could just check out Gigi Hadid’s and Kendall Jenner’s half-top-knot looks to get a better idea.

3. The sleek-actress top knot

What do you need? 

Hairspray, brush, bobby pins, elastic bands, and mousse

How to do? 

Have you been hunting about how to do a top knot bun in a sleek manner quite like red carpet celebs? Read this segment well and trust us you too will be able to don the red-carpet bun –

Start by detangling your hair and brushing your hair behind. To enhance the pull-back hair look, you will have to use the mousse in the under-section and front parts of your hair. Use the elastic band to tie up your hair in a high ponytail. In case a strand or two is coming out, pull back by spraying some hairspray.

Take the ponytailed mane, divide it into two parts, and tie one side of the hair around the ponytail base. Pin it up well. Take the other side of the hair and wrap it around the already twisted section with bobby pins.

4. The vintage top knot

What do you need? 

Dry shampoo, Bobby pins, hair spray, and elastic bands

How to do? 

As they say – classics always remain in style. If you want to know how to do a top knot bun in a vintage style – read up this segment.

Here you will have to use dry shampoo to fluff up your hair. Once your locks are completely fluffed up, you make a high ponytail. Ensure that no hair is left out and smoothen your crown top for better results. Now you will have to create a bubble bun for attaining the vintage look.

Take an elastic band and pass it over your ponytail. The second time, you will have to twist the band and pass it halfway through. This will create the bubble bun. You will find some strands falling out. You can tie it around the base of the bun and pin it under the crown. To add to the mess, we would suggest you pancake the bun.

5. The crimped donut bun

What do you need? 

Hair donuts, elastic bands, crimper, and bobby pins

How to do? 

Who said that you can do a top knot bun only when your hair’s a mess? Here’s how to do a top knot bun in style –

You will have to detangle your hair first and then completely crimp it. Then you have to use the elastic band to make a high ponytail. Take the hair donut and slide the ponytail through it and leave it. Take the hair falling through the donut and wrap it around. Use bobby pins to secure the hair that is falling sideways. Put in your fingers and volume up the donut-tied hair to enhance the look.

6. The perfect top knot bun

What do you need? 

Elastic bands, comb

How to do? 

You have seen Jennifer Lopez do it ‘n’ number of times! All it takes is 5 -minutes!! Make a high ponytail first and then lift the hair from the ponytail and single-twist it at the base. Once that is done – wrap up the rest of the hair around this twisted portion. You will see the ends of the hair, take them and wrap them around your bun’s base. Use another elastic bun to secure this bun. That’s how to do a top knot bun perfectly in a JLo style.

7. The bubble top knot

What do you need? 

Elastic bands, spray, bobby pins, and brush.

How to do? 

This top knot bun is one that will require some effort! But yes, unlike the other top knot buns, this one works as a party style as well. Do the usual smoothening and tie up your hair in a high ponytail. Tie a second band some inches below the first one and loosen the hair above the initial band.

Pass the ponytailed hair through it in a way that you stop at the second band. Naturally, some hair is stuck within the two bands. Spread it to achieve the bubble bun look. Take the ends of the bun, wrap it around the ponytail, and use bobby pins to secure it.

8. The elegant top knot

What do you need? 

Brush, band, Bobby pins, and hairspray.

How to do? 

How to do a top knot bun if you have a two-day unwashed hair dangling at your shoulder? You do not need to detangle your hair completely, rather, pull it up into a ponytail with the bands. Pile up some hairspray on that, since it will give you more volume.

You will have to now take this ponytail and braid it into a triple-stand format. When done, wrap it around the ponytail’s base like a bun with bobby pins.

9. The faux bang top knot

What do you need? 

U-pins, bobby pins, straighteners, and elastic bands.

How to do? 

You will have to detangle the hair and make a high ponytail. Now you will have to divide the ponytail into two sections in a way that when you pull the topmost section of your ponytail over the crown, it falls down like bangs. Secure those with bobby pins. Then you will have to twist the bottom section and wrap it around the base. While doing so, tuck in the extra hair and secure them tightly with U-pins. Use the straightener on the bangs to flatten them.

Please be cautious

Now, do you know how to do a top knot bun? But, this is not a style you can follow every day! A sudden Zoom meeting or a taxing office day is fine. What you must know about a top-knot bun is – if followed for long periods it could lead to traction alopecia. It blocks the air from your scalp and could lead to cloggy hair, increasing hair fall. Also, if you by any chance are prone to headaches – this could amplify the same in the long run.

Did you know this about top knot buns?

Assuming you have clarity about how to do a top knot bun – do you want to know how did it originate? The initial instance of this was found in the Maori culture of New Zealand migrants in the 14th century (that old!)

This technique was followed by Joseon dynasty men, the Japanese Edo period, and came down to the modernized version of the 20th-century Victorian chignon style. Currently, it is categorized as one of the classic street styles that almost goes with every outfit.

Pull up your hair well

Once you know how to do a top knot bun you can be the lady boss who can just tie up her hair and show the world her worth, even on her worst (hair and otherwise) day! Also, if you are in the mood to explore this style with your streetwear, add a pair of chic danglers, and a sling and pair up the look with pumps. Be assured – you will be the woman to watch out across the traffic.

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