Ever notice how the prettiest seventies buns look like they took five seconds and a hair tie? They did not. That soft, undone shape is a small con, built on a little teasing and a few well-hidden pins, and once you know the moves it really does take five minutes.
The seventies understood the loose, undone bun better than any decade since. Here are fifteen takes on it, from a carefree knot to a soft bouffant chignon, and for each one you get the move that builds it plus a candid take on the hair it flatters.
Before You Twist It Up
- The seventies bun runs on texture more than polish. A little teasing or texture spray gives the grip and volume that make the loose shape hold.
- Leaving pieces out is the whole point. Soft tendrils at the temples and nape are what separate a retro bun from a tight modern one.
- It works on every hair type, from fine to coily, as long as you match the prep and the products to your texture.
A Carefree 70s Messy Bun
This is the bun that started it all: a loose knot gathered low or mid-back, twisted once, and pinned with a few pieces left to fall. The looseness is deliberate. It is exactly what gives the seventies bun its relaxed, off-duty feeling, the sense that you have somewhere better to be than fussing with your hair.
Start on second-day hair, since a little natural oil gives grip that fresh-washed hair lacks. Gather the hair without a brush, twist it loosely, wrap it into a knot, and secure with two or three bobby pins tucked underneath. Pull a few strands free at the front and tug the bun gently to loosen it. The whole thing should look like a happy accident you stumbled into on the way out the door, which is exactly the illusion the seventies bun is built to sell.
The Voluminous 70s Messy Bun
Where the carefree bun is soft and low, the voluminous version sits bigger and higher, with real height built in for that disco-era drama. It is the bun for a night out. All volume and movement.
Volume starts at the roots. Tease the crown lightly before you gather anything, then build the bun loosely so it keeps its full size as you pin. If your hair is fine, a foam donut or a few hidden pieces of padding give the shape something to wrap around. Mist with a flexible hairspray to hold the height without turning it crunchy.
This one loves medium to thick hair that holds volume naturally, though fine hair can absolutely fake it with teasing and a hidden form. The bigger the bun, the more the seventies energy comes through, so do not be shy with the height.
👍Why the 70s bun works
- +Five-minute styling once you know the moves
- +Flatters every hair type and length
- +Looks better on second-day hair, so it saves a wash
👎What to keep in mind
- –Fine hair needs teasing or padding for volume
- –Too-tight pinning kills the loose retro shape
- –Heavy teasing tangles, so a gentle hand matters
Timeless Elegance in Simplicity
Not every seventies bun was big and wild. The decade also loved a clean, simple low knot that felt grown-up and quietly polished, the kind you could wear to dinner or the office.
- Smooth the hair back with a little serum, leaving the front soft and a little undone.
- Twist into a low knot at the nape and pin it secure, keeping the shape compact.
- Leave the barest wisps at the ears so it stays seventies and never severe. For more, see these low messy bun ideas.
Textured Bangs to Enhance 70s Updos
Bangs and a bun are a match made in seventies heaven. A soft, textured fringe or a curtain bang frames the face while the hair is swept up, so the updo keeps a soft frame around the hairline.
If you already have bangs, just style them soft and piecey to match the relaxed bun, breaking up any blunt line with a little texture spray. If you are thinking of cutting them, a curtain bang is the most seventies choice and the most forgiving to grow out. A trim runs about $20 to $40 at most salons and refreshes the whole look between cuts.
Curtain bangs flatter most face shapes because you can part them to suit you. For more on the cut, see these curtain bangs ideas.
Heads-Up
Go easy on the teasing and the elastics. Backcombing hard and yanking out a tight hair tie are the two fastest ways to break strands at the crown and stress your edges. A gentle backcomb and a soft, satin-lined tie protect your hair while you build the look.
A Defined Bouffant Bun
The bouffant bun marries seventies volume with a defined, lifted crown for a more dressed-up look. The top has real height and shape while the bun anchors it all at the back.
- Tease the crown thoroughly and smooth the surface over so the lift looks clean.
- Gather everything into a bun at the back, keeping the bouffant height intact up top.
- Lock the crown with hairspray and tuck a few pins to hold the lift through a long evening.
Elegance With Curtain Bangs
Pairing a soft bun with curtain bangs is the most flattering seventies combination I build for clients, and one they ask me about constantly. The curtains sweep open around the face like a frame while the bun keeps everything off your neck, so you get softness and structure at once.
The two pieces work together because the bangs soften the pulled-back shape.
- Sweep the curtain bangs apart from a center or slightly off-center part.
- Build a loose bun behind them, leaving a little length at the temples to blend.
- Add a bend to the bangs with a round brush or flat iron so they curve away from the face.
A couple of bun terms worth knowing:
📖Chignon
A low, rolled knot tucked at the nape, the most refined of the seventies buns.
📖Bouffant
A teased, lifted crown that adds height above the bun for a dressier shape.
Subtle Teasing for Volume
Teasing is the quiet move hiding under almost every bun on this list, and a little goes a long way. Done right, it builds soft volume and grip; done heavy, it tangles and damages, so the technique matters.
Teasing Without the Damage
Take small sections at the crown, hold them up, and gently backcomb only the underside with a few short strokes near the root. Smooth the top layer over the teased base so no one sees the work. The faces I style for events almost always need just a touch at the crown to lift a flat bun, never a whole head of it. Be gentle on the way out too, and detangle from the ends up.
Teasing helps fine and medium hair most, since it adds the body they lack. Coarser or coily hair often has plenty of volume already and needs only the lightest lift, if any.
Braids to Enhance Messy Buns
Working a braid into a messy bun adds detail and a little boho seventies flavor without much extra effort. The braid gives the eye something to follow and helps hold the loose shape in place.
- Braid a small section at the side or across the crown before gathering the bun.
- Wrap the braid into or around the knot so it peeks through the loose pieces.
- Pull the braid slightly to soften it so it matches the undone bun. See more braided bun ideas.
The whole point of a seventies bun is that it should never look finished. Twist it fast, pin it light, and let it look like you just happened to look this good.
70s-Inspired Messy Bun Accessories
The seventies loved to dress a bun up with the right accessory, and the trend is back in full force. Personality, instantly. A scarf, a few gold pins, or a fabric headband instantly shifts a plain knot into something with real personality.
- Tie a printed silk scarf around the base of the bun and let the ends trail.
- Slide decorative gold pins into the knot for a little shine.
- Wrap a wide fabric headband across the crown for the boho seventies look.
A Classic Chignon Bun
The chignon is the most refined bun of the era, a low, rolled knot at the nape that reads polished but stays soft in the seventies spirit. Clients ask me for this one whenever they want retro that still works for a wedding.
- Sweep everything into a low tail at the nape, then fold it under into a tucked knot.
- Pin the roll securely along its length, hiding the pins inside the shape.
- Loosen a few face-framing pieces so the chignon stays soft and never stiff.
Carefree Curls to Enhance Messy Buns
If you have natural curls or waves, the seventies bun was practically made for you. Leaving curly pieces loose around a soft knot gives that romantic, undone shape with almost no effort, since your texture does the styling.
Gather your curls loosely into a bun without brushing them out, which would lose the definition. Let a few spirals fall at the temples and nape, and wake them up with a misting of water and a dab of curl cream if they have fallen flat. The bun holds better on curls because the texture grips itself, so you often need fewer pins than straight hair does.
This works beautifully on every curl pattern, from soft waves through tight coils. For coily and 4c hair, keep the gather gentle and the edges protected so nothing pulls; a satin-lined scrunchie is kinder than an elastic. For more, see these curly bun ideas.
An Elegant 70s Bun Style
For a more elegant take, the seventies bun cleans up beautifully into something you can wear to a formal event without losing its soft character. The shape stays loose, but the finish gets a little more considered.
The difference lives in the smoothing and the placement, with the shape still left loose.
- Polish the sides with a natural-bristle brush and a few drops of serum for a clean surface.
- Set the bun a touch higher and rounder for a dressier silhouette.
- Mist a shine spray over the finished look so it catches the light at an event.
Face-Framing Layers for a Soft Finish
Face-framing layers are the unsung hero of a great seventies updo. A few shorter pieces around the face give the bun softness and movement that a one-length cut cannot, and they fall naturally when you sweep the rest up.
If you are booking a cut, this is worth asking your stylist about directly.
- Ask for soft, face-framing layers that start around the cheekbone or jaw.
- Keep them long enough to tuck back if you want them out of the way.
- Style the loose pieces with a light bend so they curve around the face.
70s Messy Bun Maintenance
A messy bun is low-effort to make, but a little upkeep keeps it from sliding into actually-messy by mid-afternoon. The goal is to refresh the shape without redoing the whole thing.
Most of the work is done before you even build it.
- Prep with texture spray or dry shampoo so the bun has grip from the start.
- Carry two spare bobby pins to re-tuck any pieces that slip during the day.
- Smooth flyaways with a little balm on your fingertips, no need to re-wet the hair.
Retro-Inspired Messy Bun Styles
Once you have the basics, the seventies bun becomes a playground. You can wear it high or low, sleek or wild, with bangs or accessories, and each small change shifts the whole mood of the look.
Mixing and Matching the Elements
Mix the elements to suit your day. A low knot with curtain bangs reads soft and romantic, while a high voluminous bun with a scarf goes full disco. The beauty of the retro bun is how forgiving it is, so experiment in front of the mirror until the shape feels like you. There is no single right version, which is the whole seventies spirit.
Whatever combination you land on, keep it loose. Leave a few pieces free. That softness is the through-line that ties every retro bun together, no matter the height or finish.
How to Ask Your Stylist
If you want help nailing the seventies bun, a good consultation makes all the difference, and the trick is to bring the shape, not just the word. Save two or three photos of the exact buns you love, and point out what draws you in: the height, the looseness, the face-framing pieces, the curtain bangs.
Telling a stylist you want it to look loose and undone is far more useful than asking for an elegant bun, because undone is a specific, teachable shape and elegant means something different to everyone.
It is also worth being honest about your hair and your routine. Tell your stylist your texture, how much time you really give your hair each morning, and whether you want a cut, like curtain bangs or face-framing layers, that supports the look long term.
If you are after the bangs, ask how they will grow out and how often they need a trim, usually every few weeks, so there are no surprises. A stylist who knows your real life can set you up with a bun you can recreate at home, which is the whole point.
Loose, Soft, and Entirely Yours
The seventies messy bun endures because it asks so little and gives so much. A few minutes, a little texture, and a handful of pins buy you a shape that looks like you tried and feels like you did not. Whether you go low and soft or high and full, the through-line is always the same: keep it loose, leave some pieces free, and let it move.
So choose whichever version suits your hair and your day, and try it tomorrow morning before you reach for anything more complicated. The beauty of this look is that it gets better the less perfect it is, which makes it just about the most forgiving style you can learn.
