I’ve been seeing messy buns everywhere this summer, not the throw-it-up-in-two-seconds kind, but ones that look like you spent ten minutes making it look like you spent two. The messy bun has graduated from gym hair to a legitimate style, and I’m not mad about it.
This roundup has 22 messy bun ideas, from low to high upkeep, for fine hair that goes flat by 4 pm and thick hair that holds. Whether you want face-framing strands or a braided detail, there’s a version that actually stays put. I found a few that survived my commute and a few that required a mirror and three bobby pins.
Low Romantic Messy Bun
The low messy bun with loose strands is a trick that relies on layers, not luck. If your hair is medium to thick and wavy, hitting mid-back length, those layers are what give the bun that undone texture without trying. I start with day-old hair for grip, then loosely twist sections and pin them around a low base, pulling out strands intentionally. The dark brown colour keeps it soft, not severe. This is a 15-minute style that holds through a full day, though you might need to tuck a few pieces back in by evening. It suits round and oval faces best, and the middle part keeps everything balanced.
High Messy Bun With Face-Framing Bangs
Ever wonder why some messy buns look intentional and others look like you gave up? The high messy bun with face-framing bangs is the answer. Curtain bangs soften the whole shape, and the ash blonde with highlights adds dimension that keeps the bun from reading as one flat blob.
Technically, you gather hair high on the crown, twist loosely, and secure with pins. Then you pull out the bangs and a few side strands. The honest downside: those curtain bangs need a quick refresh with a round brush or they’ll separate by noon. On collarbone-length wavy hair, this holds for about six hours before the top starts to loosen. It’s a salon-leaning cut because the bangs need precise layering to frame the face without looking chopped.
Loose Messy Bun with Side Part
I used to think side parts were dated. Then I tried this messy bun with side part and loose tendrils. The side part adds volume at the root, and the loose tendrils around the face actually stay put better than I expected. On collarbone-length wavy hair with medium density, this holds through a workday. Ask your stylist for layers that hit just below the chin to frame the face, and keep the side-swept bangs long enough to tuck behind the ear if you want. The ash blonde with subtle highlights catches light nicely.
Messy Bun with Wispy Face-Framing Strands
This look is not for fine hair. The messy bun face framing with wispy strands works best on thick, wavy hair where those pulled-out pieces have enough weight to look deliberate. On light brown mid-back length hair, the wisps frame the face without disappearing.
Summer weddings and casual dinners are its natural habitat. But here’s the skeptic in me: if your hair is thin, those wispy strands just look like you forgot to pin them. The thickness is what makes it read as intentional. It takes about 10 minutes to build, and the hold is decent for a few hours, but expect to adjust the wisps after lunch.
Voluminous Coily Messy Bun
Coily hair does the messy bun better than any other texture. The coily messy bun with textured bun is a DIY win. While straight hair needs teasing and product to fake volume, coils bring their own architecture. Dark brown, mid-back length, thick — you just gather and twist, and the texture holds the shape. No salon required. It takes about 10 minutes once you get the hang of it, and it holds all day without slipping. The contrast with finer textures is stark: this is the style that works with your hair, not against it.
Mid-Back Voluminous Messy Bun with Curls
The first time I attempted this, I was convinced the curled tendrils would fall flat within an hour. Instead, the wavy texture held its shape, and the ash blonde with darker roots gave it a lived-in dimension that actually looked intentional. The voluminous messy bun with curls sat high on my mid-back, the face-framing curls softening the whole thing. It’s a salon color blend, not something you whip up at home.
The honest downside: those curled tendrils need a touch-up by mid-afternoon if you’re in humidity. And the darker roots, while intentional, mean you can’t stretch your color appointment past week six without a visible line. But for a night out, it holds better than any sleek bun I’ve tried. The wispy bangs help anchor the front, and the middle part keeps it from looking too precious.
Messy Bun with Braid Detail
Ever spent 20 minutes on a braid only to have it unravel by lunch? This messy bun braid works best for medium-density wavy hair. The integrated braid adds structure without needing a tight weave, so it holds all day. Dark brown with a side part, it reads bohemian and intricate, perfect for a garden party or a casual dinner. But if your hair is fine or very curly, the braid can get lost or look too fussy. Stick to a simpler bun and save the braid for thicker textures. The mid-back length gives enough heft for the braid to show, and the loose curls around the face keep it from feeling heavy.
Textured Low Messy Bun with Highlights
This textured messy bun actually stays put through a workday. The brown base with blonde highlights catches light in a way that makes the low bun look dimensional, even from the back. The wavy thick texture gives it volume without teasing, and the loose strands framing the face keep it from feeling severe. It’s a salon-leaning color job, but the middle part and no bangs make it low-maintenance.
The reality: the blonde highlights mean you’ll want a toning shampoo every few washes to keep them from going brassy. And the low bun, while secure, can feel heavy by evening if your hair is thick. But the hold is solid — I’ve worn it from morning meetings to dinner without a repin.
Voluminous Messy Bun with Face-Framing
I was skeptical about teasing my crown. Then I saw the volume. The trick is backcombing the roots at the crown before gathering into a voluminous messy bun. The ash blonde with highlights adds depth, so the teased section doesn’t look flat. Face-framing tendrils soften the collarbone-length layers, and the middle part keeps it balanced. Honest downside: the teased area can snag when you brush it out at night, so use a wide-tooth comb. But for a front-facing look that reads full and intentional, this technique works.
Textured Low Bun from Back
I used to think a messy bun meant just twisting and pinning. Not this one. This low textured bun requires actual layering and a wavy thick texture to look undone rather than sloppy. The dark brown color from the back shows off the layers, and the middle part keeps it symmetrical. It holds well because the layers grip each other, but the upkeep means trimming every eight weeks to keep the shape. If you have blunt-cut hair, it won’t look the same. The soft undone appearance comes from the waves, not from pulling pieces out.
Voluminous Textured Bun
The sleek bun is a lie. This voluminous textured bun actually stays. Built from long layers and a middle part, dark brown with subtle highlights, the wavy thick texture gives real body. Teasing at the crown and backcombing sections before twisting creates that textured volume. Secure with pins and hairspray. Takes about 20 minutes. It’s not a five-minute throw-together; it’s a deliberate look that reads as intentional but not overdone. For a night out or a day when you need your hair to hold, this beats a sleek bun every time.
Blonde Messy Bun with Face-Framing Pieces
The side part catches the light, and the face-framing pieces soften everything. This blonde messy bun works best on collarbone-length hair with layers, wavy texture, medium density. The blonde with highlights adds dimension, so the bun doesn’t read flat. The face-framing pieces suit round or square faces, breaking up the width. Side part adds asymmetry, which balances a longer face.
Honest downside: the blonde can look brassy if not toned regularly. And the face-framing pieces need a trim every six weeks to stay wispy. If your hair is fine, the bun might look too small. Skip if you want a polished look.
Textured Updo Bun with Loose Tendrils
The loose tendrils are the first thing to fall. But that’s the point. This textured updo bun relies on wavy, thick hair and a middle part. The dark blonde with highlights gives depth. To maintain the loose tendrils through the week, a texture spray and a few bobby pins are non-negotiable. The bun itself holds well for two days if you sleep with a silk scarf. By day three, re-pin the tendrils and it looks fresh. The upkeep is minimal: just refresh the waves with water and product.
Voluminous Messy Bun from Side
I’ll confess: I used to think a messy bun from the side always looked flat. Then I saw this one. Dark brown with subtle highlights, mid-back length, wavy and thick — the kind of hair that actually holds shape. The trick: gather high, twist loosely, pin without pulling tight. Pull out strands around the face, tease the crown for volume. Takes fifteen minutes. Perfect for a fall wedding where you want hair up but not stiff.
The side view sells it. The middle part keeps the front clean; the back stays full and loose. Layers create texture without a curling iron. This technique leans salon because the layers need to be cut right to hold that volume. But once they are, it’s a reliable updo that doesn’t deflate by dinner.
High Messy Bun with Wispy Strands
I’ll give you the verdict: this is the messy bun that actually looks intentional when you do it yourself. The high messy bun wisps are the key — fine, wispy strands pulled out around the face and crown. With shoulder-length, wavy, medium-density hair in ash blonde with darker roots, it takes about five minutes. Gather high, twist loosely, secure, then pull out those wisps. The honest downside: if your hair is very fine, the wisps can look stringy rather than soft. But for medium density, this is a reliable, quick updo.
Collarbone Low Messy Bun with Texture
I twisted my hair into a low bun without looking in the mirror. That is the entire point of this collarbone-length ash blonde style, wavy and medium density, pulled back with a middle part and no bangs. The low messy bun texture comes from the layers, not from effort.
The loose textured bun held all day, which surprised me. I expected it to droop by lunch, but the layers gave it enough grip. It took maybe three minutes, and I did not need a second mirror. That is the kind of low maintenance I can get behind. I have worn it through a windy commute and it stayed, which is more than I can say for other buns. By evening it looked even better, slightly undone in a way that felt intentional without trying. The ash blonde colour did not show roots for weeks, which is a bonus I did not plan for.
Casual Messy Bun with Loose Tendrils
Who does this messy bun loose tendrils style actually flatter? If you have wavy, medium-density hair at collarbone length, it works. The medium brown colour keeps it low-key, and the loose tendrils soften the face without trying. The side view shows how they frame the jaw, which works for oval and heart shapes. Best for a daytime event where you want to look put together but not polished. The salon-leaning difficulty means you might need a few practice runs to get the tendrils right, but once you do, it is worth it.
Loose Textured Blonde Bun
This loose textured bun is the most reliable style in my rotation. Shoulder-length blonde hair, wavy and medium density, pulled into a messy bun with a middle part and no bangs. It holds up across a week because the layers give it grip without needing pins everywhere. I have worn it through a windy commute and it stayed, which is more than I can say for other buns. The honest downside: by day three it starts to look more messy than intentional, but that is when I wear a scarf or just re-pin the front pieces. The blonde colour shows roots at week five, but the texture hides them well. The back view shows a soft, rounded shape that does not look like a ballerina bun. For a diy style that takes five minutes and requires a trim every eight weeks, it earns its place.
Intricate Braided Low Bun
I saw this braided low bun and immediately knew I could not do it at home. The intricate braiding requires sections, tension, and a steady hand. Ash blonde with highlights, collarbone length, wavy thick texture — none of that makes it easier. The braid is woven into the bun, not wrapped around it. It starts at the nape and is incorporated into the bun, which requires pinning at exact angles. This is a salon job, full stop. If you try it yourself, expect unraveling within an hour.
Textured Twists Low Bun
I will confess: I was skeptical about this low bun textured twists style. Light blonde with dimensional lowlights, shoulder-length, wavy thick hair — it looks voluminous in the photo, but twists have a habit of unraveling. For an evening event, you need a stylist. The twists are created in sections before being pinned into the bun, and the tension has to be just right. Too loose and they fall apart by the first dance. Too tight and they look like rope. This is a salon job if you want it to last past the cocktail hour. It works for weddings, galas, or any event where you want your hair to stay put. The textured twists add dimension that a plain bun lacks, but only if they hold.
Collarbone Loose Textured Ash Blonde Bun
This is the messy bun you actually have time for. The ash blonde messy bun with wavy collarbone-length layers gathers into a low, loose textured bun that looks intentional without a single bobby pin in the right place. Compared to the braided versions that take twenty minutes, this one takes five. The downside? Those wispy pieces will drift south by lunch. But that undone shift is exactly what makes it work.
Voluminous Messy Bun with Curtain Bangs
The messy bun curtain bangs combination works best on one specific face shape: the one that needs width at the cheekbones and height at the crown. The dark brown, wavy thick hair at collarbone length gives the bun enough weight to stay full, while the curtain bangs frame without hiding.
Wear it to a dinner where you want to look done but not overdone. Upkeep means a bang trim every three weeks and a texture spray to keep the bun from deflating by evening. If your hair is fine or your face is long, skip this one: the volume will pull everything downward.
Final Thoughts
After writing all 22, I still think the messy bun is the most honest hairstyle. It’s not about perfection, it’s about which pieces you let fall. I’m booking the low romantic version next week because it held all day without a single pin adjustment.
