I started seeing messy updos everywhere around March. Not the precise ballerina bun, not the “I gave up” knot, but something in between. A structured silhouette with soft pieces falling out. It felt like a real hairstyle again.
This roundup has 19 versions of the Messy Updo, from low-bun quick ones to braided affairs that take ten minutes. Some need thick hair, some work on my fine strands that go flat by 4pm. There are options for every texture and every occasion, from a humid wedding to a Tuesday Zoom.
Ash Blonde High Textured Messy Bun
A high messy bun on fine hair is a gamble; on medium density wavy hair it’s a sure thing. The ash blonde base with subtle highlights gives the loose loops depth, so the bun doesn’t look flat. Waves grip pins better than straight strands, which means this textured bun stays put through a full workday. Upkeep is minimal: a trim every eight weeks keeps the layers from getting too heavy and pulling the bun down. If your hair is wavy and medium density, this is the messy updo that actually works without constant adjustment.
Blonde Low Messy Bun
Ever tried to make a low messy bun look intentional without looking like you just rolled out of bed? I spent a whole Saturday perfecting this, and the trick was not overthinking it. Gather hair into a low pony, twist loosely, wrap into a bun, and pin. Pull out a few face-framing pieces. That’s it. The blonde highlights add dimension, so the bun reads as effortlessly undone rather than messy. This is a DIY win: no salon required, just five minutes and three pins.
Dark Brown Wavy Messy Bun
I’ll admit, my first attempt at a wavy messy bun looked like I’d been caught in a windstorm. Thick hair wants to be big, so you have to deliberately pull pieces to keep it from looking like a nest. The key is not to over-twist; thick hair grips pins better than fine hair, so you need fewer pins.
The styling steps are simple: twist sections loosely, pin at the nape, leave out face-framing strands. This wavy messy bun holds for two days if you sleep with a scrunchie. By day two, the bun has settled into a softer shape, but the waves still hold. The dark brown colour hides any frizz, so it gets better with a little texture. It’s not perfect, but it’s presentable, which is more than most buns can claim after 48 hours. This style works best on second-day hair when the waves have relaxed a bit, giving it that lived-in texture.
Voluminous Blonde Balayage High Updo
This is the updo that makes you look like you tried, even if you didn’t. The blonde balayage updo relies on colour dimension: the lighter pieces catch light, creating the illusion of more volume. Technically, you tease the crown, twist the length into a high bun, and let a few strands fall. The voluminous updo holds because the thick wavy texture locks the pins in place.
Season-wise, this works for summer weddings or holiday parties. The balayage catches candlelight, and the height keeps hair off your neck. It’s a salon-level look, but with practice, you can fake it at home.
Wet Look Dark Brown Messy Updo
A wet look messy updo walks a fine line between editorial and ‘I ran out of dry shampoo’. The dark brown colour and textured tendrils give it an edge, but the honest downside is longevity. If your hair is wavy, the wet look dries within an hour and starts to frizz. You need a strong gel that won’t flake, and even then, it’s a look for a night out, not a full day. The textured tendrils soften the sleekness, but be prepared to refresh with water if it goes flat.
Dark Brown Curly Top Knot With Wispy Bangs
I have a soft spot for a curly top knot with bangs that actually stays put. This dark brown, mid-back length style uses the natural volume of thick, curly texture to create a voluminous top knot, with wispy bangs softening the front. It flatters anyone with natural curl or wave; those with fine, straight hair may find the hold lacking without significant product. The middle part and front view show how the bangs frame the face without overwhelming it.
Styling is straightforward: gather curls into a high ponytail, twist into a loose bun, and pull out the bangs and a few face-framing strands. The hold relies on the hair’s own texture plus a flexible spray. Upkeep is minimal — the bun will naturally loosen through the day, which only adds to the undone feel. A quick re-twist and a mist of water brings it back to shape. For those with thicker curls, this style can last through a full day without redoing.
Pink Base Wavy Fine Top Knot
This pink hair updo with blonde highlights catches the light in a way that screams spring. The wavy top knot, styled on fine hair at mid-back length, uses the fine texture to keep the bun airy and the pink hue visible. A light hold spray keeps the wavy pieces in place without weighing them down. It’s the messy updo for brunches and garden parties, the colour making it feel seasonal. Best grow-out in this roundup.
Black Coily Thick High Bun
I’ll admit it: I used to avoid high buns on my coily hair, thinking they’d never hold. But this black coily thick high bun changed my mind. At mid-back length, the thick texture means the bun has real volume without teasing. Styling is DIY-friendly: apply a moisturizing product to define coils, then twist into a high bun, securing loosely. The hold comes from the hair’s natural grip, and pulling out a few tendrils softens the look. It’s a coily hair updo that embraces natural frizz rather than fighting it. The thick texture makes it last all day.
Platinum Blonde Curly Updo with Loose Strands
The biggest mistake with this platinum blonde updo is pulling too many loose strands. At mid-back length, the thick, curly texture already has volume, so adding too many face-framing pieces makes the style look messy rather than intentional. The platinum blonde colour shows every stray piece, so the loose strands need to be placed with purpose. The honest downside: without careful selection, the loose strands read as flyaways, ruining the polished effect.
To dodge this, focus on a few key strands around the face and let the rest of the voluminous curls sit in the bun. Use a strong-hold spray on the loose strands to keep them defined and separate from the bun. The hold of the overall updo comes from pinning the curls securely, leaving only the chosen strands free. This way, the messy updo reads as deliberate, not accidental. It’s a salon-level look that requires patience, but the result is worth it.
Platinum Blonde Curly Thick Updo
Why settle for a simple messy bun when you can have this thick curly updo? At mid-back length, the platinum blonde curls are twisted into intricate twists that create a structured yet voluminous shape. Unlike a quick bun that collapses by noon, this style holds its form through the evening. The thick curly texture allows for manipulation into defined curls and twists, something finer hair can’t achieve. This is a salon-level look that takes time, but the result is a messy updo that looks intentional and elegant. This one wins over the simple bun every time.
Dark Brown Side Part Updo with Tendrils
The side part does the heavy lifting here. This messy updo with tendrils starts with a deep side part that shifts the volume to one side, creating asymmetry that keeps the look from feeling flat. The wavy, thick mid-back length is piled loosely, and the side-swept bangs blend into the tendrils that frame the face. The dark brown base with auburn undertones catches light differently depending on the part, which adds dimension. It holds its shape through a full day, but the tendrils need a quick re-twist by evening.
To keep the side-swept bangs from separating, ask your stylist for a cut that leaves weight at the ends and a soft face-framing layer that lands at the cheekbone. The upkeep is minimal: a trim every eight weeks to keep the bangs from drifting into your eyes, and a dry shampoo refresh on day two. The tendrils will stay put if you set them with a light texture spray before you pin them.
Blonde Textured Updo with Falling Pieces
I admit, I thought this was a quick twist-and-go style. But this textured updo with falling pieces requires more intention than it lets on. The wavy, thick mid-back length is twisted into a loose bun, and the falling pieces around the nape and face are placed, not accidental. The blonde highlights add dimension, but getting that balance of hold and looseness is where the salon skill comes in. You can try it at home, but expect a few tries before the pieces land where you want them. This is one of those styles that looks easy but benefits from a professional hand.
Dark Brown Loose Voluminous Bun
My first thought: that bun is doing a lot of work. This voluminous messy bun flatters wavy texture best because the waves add natural grip and volume. The dark brown colour gives it depth, and the loose bun sits at the nape, which works for round and oval face shapes. The mid-back length is ideal for this bun because there’s enough hair to create volume without it feeling heavy. The downside is the salon-leaning difficulty: teasing the crown without it looking stiff takes practice, and fine hair might not hold the volume past lunch. If your hair is fine, skip the heavy teasing and use a texture spray instead.
Medium Brown Highlights Loose Textured Updo
This is the technique that makes a messy updo look deliberate. You start with medium brown hair that has subtle blonde highlights, mid-back length, wavy and thick. Gather it loosely, twist the whole mass, then pin it in place without tightening. The secret is the loose textured updo: you pull out strands around the face and at the nape, leaving those flyaways to do the work. The colour shows in the wisps, the texture holds the shape because wavy hair grips itself. No bangs, no middle part fuss, just a twist and a few pins. It takes under five minutes and looks like you tried.
Mid-Back Dark Brown Braided Messy Updo
How do you keep braids from unraveling in a messy updo? You don’t fight the unraveling, you work with it. This is a messy updo with braids on dark brown hair with blonde highlights, mid-back, wavy and thick. You create a few small woven braids, then incorporate them into a loose bun, pulling out face-framing tendrils. The braids add texture and hold, but they also need upkeep: small braids can loosen by hour four, so a flexible hold spray helps. This style works for evening events or a second-day refresh when your waves have softened. It requires some braiding skill, but the result is intricate without being precious.
The reality of maintaining braids within a messy updo is that you will touch them. The woven braids stay intact if you pin them at the base, but the ends will escape. That is the point. For a summer wedding or a dinner out, it holds through dessert. For a full workday, expect to re-pin one or two strands by midafternoon. The blonde highlights catch the light, so the escaping pieces read as intentional. It is not a set-it-and-forget-it style, but it is worth the five-minute touch-up.
Ash Blonde Wavy Thick Updo
There is something about an ash blonde updo that looks like it should stay put. But those textured strands? They have a mind of their own. This is mid-back, wavy, thick hair twisted into a loose pile, and the colour is ash blonde with highlights that catch the light. The styling is deliberately undone, which is the whole point. The hold, however, is a negotiation. By hour three, you are tucking pieces back in. Does it actually hold? Only if you accept that re-pinning is part of the look.
Dark Brown Balayage Piled-Up Updo
I tried this at home once. It did not go well. The dark brown balayage updo requires layers and a certain thickness that my wavy, mid-back hair has, but the piled-up updo technique is deceptive. You think you can just twist and pin. The lighter brown balayage pieces are what give it that textured, lived-in look, but they also reveal every misplaced pin. By the time I was done, it looked like a bird had nested in my hair. This is a salon job, plain and simple. The hold is only as good as the person building it. My attempt lasted twenty minutes. A professional can make it last an evening.
Blonde Textured Bun with Loose Strands
The biggest mistake with this look is pulling too many strands out. That blonde textured bun with loose strands is meant to look casual, not like you forgot to finish. The mid-back length, wavy texture and blonde highlights all work together, but the loose strands need to be placed, not grabbed. Pull out three or four, not ten. The blonde highlights catch the light on those loose strands, so every one counts. Pull too many and it reads as messy, not messy updo.
The fix is simple. After you pin the bun, choose one piece at the front and one at the nape. Gently tug them free. Then stop. The hold comes from the bun itself, not from the strands. A texture spray helps, but the real hold is in the pinning. If you pull too many, the whole thing collapses. You end up with a sad ponytail by dinner.
Long Blonde Braided Updo with Dark Roots
This is not for everyone, and that is fine. The long messy updo with a textured braid detail works best when your colour has contrast. The dark roots against the blonde highlights create depth that makes the braid pop. If your hair is all one shade, the braid disappears. The length needs to be at least mid-back to wrap properly, and the texture should be wavy or thick to hold the braid shape. The hold is solid because the braid anchors everything. Upkeep means keeping those roots intentional, not accidental. If you are growing out colour, this is a good way to hide the line. If your roots are a flat dark, skip it.
Final Thoughts
- Refresh with dry shampoo at the roots.
- Use bobby pins that match your hair color.
- Don’t pull too tight or it loses the messiness.
- Sleep on a silk pillowcase to preserve the shape.
After writing all of these, I still think the messy updo is the most forgiving style for grow-out and second-day hair. The ones with a bit of texture spray and a few loose strands look more intentional than the perfectly smooth ones. I’m booking the dark brown side part updo with tendrils next.
