Hair How-To: The Braided Top Bun
April 27, 2011 Tags: bun, Hair, Hairstyle, how to, up dos
Category: Hair & Makeup, Tips & How to No Comments 
We’ve written about some of the offshoots of the braid craze that’s taken over tresses recently, but we haven’t mentioned its versatility. What we’ve noticed is that adding a braided portion to pretty much any ‘do we try–whether it be a messy side ponytail, a pinned updo or a bun–adds an original and youthful touch to the entire look.
As such, we couldn’t help but brainstorm some ways to incorporate the braid into recent hairstyle trends we’ve witnessed. The first that came to mind was the “top bun”–neat and tall, right on the top of the skull–that we’ve been witnessing all over women’s street style. Who knew that adding a braid to the top bun would be so easy and effortlessly elegant? Here we’ve provided step-by-step instructions to get you from trendy to trend-setter in under five minutes.
This photographic tutorial helps illustrate the step-by-step process of the braided high bun. Source: A Cup of Jo
- Depending on the aesthetic you’re going for with the braided top bun, you can start the styling differently. If a casual, springtime look is what you have in mind, try a side part, whereas formal occasions might be served better by combing your hair back smoothly. Feel free to experiment with the beginning of the process, but whatever you choose, finish by gathering your hair into a high ponytail. And we mean high–as close as you can get to the top of your head.
- Braid the ponytail down to its end. It’s important to keep the braid loose if you want to avoid the tight ballerina bun look–personally, we prefer the casual, summery look of imperfection with this style, but how tight you wear it is up to you! When you’re done braiding, tie up the end with a rubber band.
- Circle the braid on top of your head. Again, tightness and its resulting look is highly variable here; wrapping it loose and open in the center is less high-maintenance than the tightly-wound bun. When you’ve achieved the look you want, tuck the end of the braid under your circled bun to conceal it.
- Pin your wrapped braid in place using whatever you’d like–but we say the subtler, the better!
A model at New York Fashion Week sports a top bun braided with a long black satin rope. Source: Modern Salon
And voila! We’ve provided the basics, but we’d love to hear about your variations. Drop the Xaxii Creative Team a line with your favorite takes on the trend.
