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How To Create The Messy Updo Bun #Beauty

I love the way casually dressy, tousled loose upod buns (aka messy buns) allow a woman to look both laid back yet pretty. Here is Natalie Portman sporting the messy updo bun that the simple tutorial below can help you create as well:

how to create messy loose updo

Natalie Portman sports messy updo

The messy updo bun is a beautiful and sophisticated hairstyle option to keep your hair away from your face without resorting to a basic ponytail all the time (and takes less than a couple minutes).

How To Create The Messy Updo Bun

1. Tie hair back into a high ponytail. Spin the ponytail into a bun and bobby pin into place.
2. Spritz some hairspray onto the bun so it stays in place (doesn’t come loose while you go about your day), and shake it gently so it messes up a bit. This helps to avoid that librarian/school teacher stern looking tight bun.
3. Add a narrow headband or skinny elastic band, pushing it back about two inches from the forehead to create that full “bump” on the crown behind the headband that gives the look a bit of a Greek goddess touch (optional, for a dressier look).

Voila! Less than two minutes to easy glamour.

If you want a more casual looking updo bun, skip the spray and headband and use a pretty hairclip to accessorize your hairstyle and keep hair in place.

Me with my quick messy updo bun:

how to make messy loose bun

Penelope with messy updo bun




  • Shana Putnam

    Very cute!

  • Penelope

    I wear my hair like this a lot

  • Nichol

    I think my hair is finally long enough to do this again! I love messy buns:)

  • Sounds easy…I’ll give it a shot tomorrow maybe.

  • Very nice! I highly doubt my hair would cooperate though πŸ™‚

  • Heidi

    Love this, new follower.

  • Penelope

    Nicole, you’d look great with it…you are already so pretty.

  • Michelle C

    2. I have your button on my sidebar!

    mrsmchappell at gmail dot com

  • Michelle C

    3. I have your button on my sidebar!

    mrsmchappell at gmail dot com

  • Alison

    Who knew that I was being fashionable when my hair would like that a few hours after fixing it. πŸ™‚

  • Tammy

    As much as I try to do the messy bun, it still comes out looking too neat. Drives me insane! I think I must try to hard. Will have to try this! πŸ™‚ Wish me luck!

  • monique

    Yeah, that is cute. I need longer hair LOL!

  • Cute and laidback style!

  • Donna

    I wear mine like this a lot. πŸ™‚

  • Lolo

    I would love to do this with my hair!

  • Jordin

    This’d be great for me but my hair just never co-operates at all, I’d really like to try this, but it’ll just go all crazy.

  • I always throw my hair up but this looks so much better than mine does. It’s messy but looks like it was on purpose. Love it

  • Maryann

    Of course I find this after I chop all my hair off.

  • Mellisa

    How cute!

  • Jennifer @ The Quirky Momma

    I have short hair but I try many different styles on my daughter. Unfortunately, I’m terrible at doing hair. This might be something I could do.

  • When my hair was long, I wore a messy updo a lot. I love this look!

  • It’s looks good. Rather neat, if I do say so myself.

  • cute!!! I’m always looking for things to do with my long hair. I don’t like short hair but I also don’t like putting it in a boring pony tail every day

  • Very cute! I love the messy look. My hair looks better after a few hours than it does when fixed. πŸ™‚