A bun is often thought of as being a casual style without much thought behind it, but in fact, it’s much more than that. There are plenty of ways to turn a simple bun into a lovely style, and most of them are very easy to accomplish. Buns are also great during the summer months because they make it easy to wear long hair without becoming overheated. With these styles, you’ll be ready to face the summer with a number of lovely styles.

sutichak – stock.adobe.com

1. Braided Bun

The braided bun is a tried-and-true method of making a casual bun into something much more elegant. All you have to do is take your hair, braid it, and then curl it into a bun. You can adapt this look in a number of ways: make the braid super loose for a slightly messier braid, change the location of the bun, or add some additional styling to make it unique.

2. Pigtail Buns

Whether you’re going for the Star Wars look or you’re invoking more of a cowgirl style, pigtail buns are a nice way to dress up buns while still making them easy to wear. Create two ponytails where you want to put your buns; the top of the head is a very girly look while leaving them to the bottom is more of a Southern style. Then, twist it into a bun as normal.

3. Messy Bun

This is a staple among people with very little time to do their hair in the morning. The style has to look messy but still planned. The trick to the messy bun is to use hair that you haven’t washed in a day or two and gently tease your ponytail with a fine-toothed comb before twisting it into a bun. Use hairspray to deal with flyaways.

4. Sock Bun

The name of the sock bun came about because you actually do put a sock in your hair. Essentially, take a sock, cut off the toe end, and then roll it up into a doughnut shape. Pull your hair into a high ponytail, and then slip the doughnut in about halfway up. Start to curl your hair around it until it reaches your scalp, and then pin it in place. You’ll get a beautifully poofy bun that’s smooth and simple.

5. Half-up Bun

This one is easy, and it alleviates some of the volume that many people have to deal with during the summer months. Gather between one-third and one-half of your hair, depending upon how much volume you’re looking for, by pulling your thumbs around the crown of your head. Take that hair and put it into a bun like normal. It’s an elegant look that’s easy to pull off and perfect for the summer months.

6. Reverse Braided Bun

The reverse braided bun is a style that’s much more suited to people with an expert eye for hairstyles, but once you learn how to do it, you can actually put one up in just a few minutes. Essentially, you need to bend over and pull your hair over the front of your head, and then French braid it up the back. Once you’ve French braided about halfway up, put everything in a ponytail and secure it into a bun as normal. It’s extremely complicated-looking, but it’s actually very simple once you’ve figured it out.

7. Double Stacked Buns

This is a much more elegant style that’ll be just as acceptable at the bar as it will be at a dinner party. Pull your hair into a half-up bun, adding a bit more hair than usual, and pin it tightly to make sure it stays. Then, gather the rest of your hair into another bun underneath the top one. You can pair this with other styling techniques to make it even more dinner party-worthy.

Buns are an incredibly versatile hairstyle, and especially with the summer months coming up, you’ll want to start learning how to pull off a number of different types. If you’re a natural when it comes to styling hair and you find yourself loving the minutes you put into your own, you may want to look into the cosmetology program at Ogle School. Put your hair expertise to work and find a career in something you love by going through the cosmetology program.