Nice Buns

With summer approaching, I felt it appropriate to write about a hairstyle I can’t live without when the temperature is sky high: the bun. The bun is slowly but surely creeping out of the realms of old ladies and dancers, and into a stylish girl’s hair repertoire. Like its carefree sister the pony tail, buns have a million different versions. From sleek to bohemian chic, here’s my list of nice buns

SJP sparking the trend on the mean streets of NYC

The Lilly Bass Bun: No one wears a bun better than Lilly Bass. Put together, polished and hassle free, Lilly bas rocks a bun with just about everything. My favorite version is this one:

It’s easy to create and it looks great. Just pull your hair into a ponytail, loop a clear elastic around once, and on the last pass, pull the hair only partially through. Pin the tail ends around your loop and you’ve got yourself a Lilly Bass!

Why should Lilly have all the fun?

The Sock Bun: Giant buns have taken over the heads of America. While I haven’t seen the trend as much here in Europe, I can appreciate it’s preppy appeal. You can buy a “hair doughnut” like Sarah or a round sponge to roll your hair in, or you can simply use an old (but clean!) sock, like me.

Nice Bun curtesy of the hair donut from H&M

Tucked under, twisted, or braided around the base, it's a nice bun baby!

Preppy

Put your hair into a pony tail and pull the ends through the middle of the sock. Roll your hair from tail to base until you reach your pony tail. Work the hair around the sock so none of it is showing and pin it into place.

View from the top

The Messy Bun: There are a million ways to make a messy bun, from simply using an elastic, to carefully pinning each piece, it’s up to you to choose your weapon. My weapon of choice is the Spin Pin. These little darlings have SAVED my buns many a time.

A loose topknot makes for a fuss-free style

Simply twist your hair into the desired bun, screw one pin in from one side and the other from the opposite side, and you are done! They hold amazingly well and your buns can fall anywhere from quite neat to casually messy depending on how you twist your hair.

The Side Bun: Like the side ponytail, I like this look with a bit of volume at the crown of your head. Tease your hair near the base and when you’ve got the desired height, comb over to tame fly aways. Pull the rest of your hair neatly just behind your ear and secure with an elastic, pins or my favorite, spin pins. If you are looking for a more polished look then try the side bun with a side part, sleeked back hair and pull into a tight bun, with no loose hairs. 

A sleek side bun totally amps up the posh factor for a date night with the hubs (and so easy to do!)

Cute and casual for a day in the city

The Braid Bun: Like the sock bun, braided buns have taken the world by storm. This super easy and very romantic style is perfect for a summer picnic or walk on the beach.

A  french braid adds to an ordinary bun

Simple and elegant

I created this look by parting my hair straight down the middle and beginning a French braid at the front on one side. When the braid gets to my ear, I stop French braiding and continue with a normal braid until it is long enough to reach the back of my head. Then I secure it with a clear elastic. I repeat the same technique on the other side and then twist the ends of my braids, along with the rest of my hair into a messy bun and secure with spin pins.

Pinwheel Bun: This bun is the crazy aunt of the sock bun, a little bit off, but you will love it all the same. This bun is best worn low on the head with your hair slicked back. Blow dry hair straight, I love to use Unite Blow and Set  when creating this look (or any style for that matter). Take hair and put it in a low pony with an elastic band. Then begin to twist your hair into a bun, pinning the hair as you twist. Let the ends stick out as you are twisting it (this adds to the look). Once all your hair is pinned into the bun, take the longer strands that are sticking out and pin them to the sides of the bun. Be sure to use your hair to cammo the bobby pins as much as possible.  Leave shorter strands to stick out. Hairspray the bun to secure, I like using Pureology Colour Stylist Strengthening Zero Dulling HairSpray. 

The Pinwheel bun is messy but with a purpose.

Nice bun!-side profile of the pinwheel bun