The Evolution of the Bun

Over the years, the world has fallen in love with various hair trends, such as bangs, ombre, and brightly colored hair. However, through time, buns have stuck around. Buns are great because they can be worn with basically any outfit for any occasion, which is probably they’re widely loved. They’re easy to do and almost anyone can wear them—ballerinas, businesswomen, students—you just have to have enough hair. One of the most popular forms of the bun is the messy bun. One step beyond the ponytail, messy buns are perfect for when you just need to get your hair out of your face. They’re synonymous with lazy days. The messy bun has evolved into a form of art, considering how difficult it is to achieve the “perfect” messy bun. The actual bun can’t be too small, but it can’t be too big either. It should sit at an appropriate position on your head, not too high, but not terribly saggy. Flyaways are okay, but there can’t be too many or else it’ll look like your bun is falling out.

The concept of the top knot is similar, but not exactly the same. Both buns have the lazy intentions behind them, but top knots are more polished. The actual bun is usually smaller, sitting at the absolute highest point of the head, and there are usually little to no flyaways. Top knots were popularized by the off-duty model, like Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne, and it soon made its appearance on runways and red carpets.

Probably the most elegant bun is the sock bun. Inspired by the ballerina bun, the sock bun also sits towards the top of the head and is polished. It gets its name from the fact that it’s usually made with a sock. Once the sock bun was popularized a few years ago, retailers started making hair donuts, which are basically socks made of lightweight mesh that grabs the hair and keeps it in place. They also come in a variety of colors to match hair colors, making these types of buns even easier since you don’t have to worry about a sock showing through your hair.

A popular bun trend, especially around Emerson, is the half-up-half-down style with a bun instead of a ponytail. It’s a fun spin on the half-up-half-down style; classic, but cute. It’s almost like the man bun, which took over the world last year.

Men who wore buns were considered super sexy. Instagram turned buns into a sort of sex symbol. Accounts like @dailymanbun posted pictures of sexy men with man buns every day. Men began growing their hair out just to tie their hair up. As 2015 ended, the trend started to fade as well.

Then, there’s the the double bun. Popularized by Miley Cyrus, the double bun is a style in which two slightly messy buns are placed where high pigtails should be. Other celebrities popularized the look shortly after, like Katy Perry and Gwen Stefani. It’s also a pretty popular hairstyle around Emerson. Some variations are messier, while others are braided. Some women wear their buns very tiny, like Miley’s, but others wear them thicker, like Princess Leia of Star Wars.

Another Star Wars lady popularized the bun in The Force Awakens. Badass female role model Rey made her appearance with not one, not two, but three buns trailing down the back of her head. Though it may not become a trend, it’s interesting to see a character that takes everything to the next level: her confidence, skill, and even her hair.

But whether you’re a college student in 2016, or a pilot in a galaxy far far away, it’s always possible to rock a timeless, versatile bun. Who knows what kinds of buns will start trending in 2016?

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