The messy bun: How to recreate the easiest up-do ever

It’s the effortless hairstyle we can all achieve. By Sarah Young

Friday 19 October 2018 16:08 BST

Chanel presented a modern take on the oldschool chignon for autumn/winter 2018 (Getty)

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When Meghan Markle first stepped out sporting a messy bun back in January while she visited Reprezent radio station in Brixton, we’re sure she had no idea just how much the effortless hairstyle would catch on.

Many column inches later, the nonchalant up-do made its way onto the catwalk and, naturally, the heads of women everywhere.

At Chanel this season, the modern take on the oldschool chignon came courtesy of hair expert Sam McKnight who teased the models’ tresses into flyaway knots using his eponymous range of products, before adorning the buns with blinged-out double-C hair clips.

Similarly, hair stylist Anthony Turner created artful top knots with twisted figures of eight at Prabal Gurung, while Xiao Li offered a mix of curly and straight buns piled on top of models’ heads leaving a few loose strands around the face.

Runway and royalty aside, the trend’s appeal lies in its ease. It’s simple to do at home, suits pretty much everyone and requires very little time to achieve.

If you fancy giving the messy bun a try there are a few things you should consider.

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First of all, try and resist the urge to wash your hair because day-old locks tend to have more grip, making the bun easier to style.

Similarly, if you’d like to create a more voluminous up-do your hair might benefit from being run through a large curling tong beforehand. Remember not to overthink it too much either; after all, this look is all about imperfect perfection.

Before you begin, spritz your hair with a texturising spray to create movement and then gather your tresses into a high ponytail using your hands; a brush will make things look too done.

Next, twist the ponytail into a rough bun and attach to the first ponytail using a clear hair tie. If you’d prefer, leave two loose strands at the front to frame your face and finish with a light mist of hairspray to keep things in check.