17 Trendy Bun 2027 with Curls for Special Occasions

Curly hair gives a bun instant texture and volume, making it one of the most practical updos for natural waves and coils. The current shift leans toward soft, face-framing layers and lived-in color that keep the style looking fresh rather than stiff.

This collection of 17 Trendy Bun with Curls ideas ranges from polished, sculpted versions to loose, DIY-friendly options. It covers different hair densities, lengths, and color techniques so you can find a bun that actually stays put and suits your routine. Whether your struggle is hair that falls flat or a visible grow-out line, there is a curly bun here that solves it.

01Dark Brown Curly Updo with Sculpted Tendrils

This updo works because it treats each curl as a building block rather than a happy accident. The dark brown base lets the sculpted tendrils read as framing, not afterthoughts. It suits naturally thick, curly hair at least medium in length that can hold its own shape without being pinned into submission. Ask your stylist for: dark brown curly bun with sculpted side tendrils. A strong hold hairspray keeps those face framing pieces exactly where you put them, so the structure stays crisp through dinner without turning fuzzy.

02Medium Brown Loose Bun with Soft Highlights

A bun looks soft instead of stiff and polished instead of fussy when it starts with layers. The medium brown base with subtle highlights gives the waves dimension, and the loose construction keeps it from reading as formal. It works best on wavy hair of medium length that can handle a middle part without falling flat. Ask your stylist for: loose bun with soft waves and face-framing tendrils. A quick pass with a curling wand on any stray pieces restores the shape, and slight tousling is the point, not a flaw.

03Thick Blonde Messy Bun with Face Framing

A messy bun on thick hair is not the same as a messy bun on fine hair. This one sits high and relies on the natural volume of wavy, thick blonde hair with highlights to create that intricate, layered look rather than a sad knot. It needs collarbone-length layers at minimum so the face-framing strands have enough weight to drape instead of poke. Ask your stylist for: intricate messy high bun with face-framing waves. A texturizing spray before you start gives the grip that keeps everything where it belongs.

04Blonde Bun with Integrated Braids

Braids woven into a curly bun add structural contrast, but they also add time. This style starts with a side part and builds the braids into the bun from the crown, leaving loose curls to cascade below. It requires mid-back-length naturally curly hair so the braids have enough length to integrate smoothly. Ask your stylist for: curly blonde bun with integrated braids and loose curls. Braiding curly hair while damp gives a defined texture, but damp braids take hours to dry fully, so plan this for a day when you are not in a hurry.

The braids themselves need trimming every six to eight weeks to keep the ends from looking frayed against the curls. Skip this if you prefer a quick updo, because the braiding alone adds about twenty minutes to styling time.

05Polished Dark Curly Bun

A polished curly bun is not the same as a sleek straight bun. The dark brown curls here are arranged into a structured shape rather than smoothed flat, which means the definition comes from the curl pattern itself. It suits medium-length naturally curly hair that can hold a middle part and needs soft face-framing tendrils to keep it from looking severe. Ask your stylist for: polished dark curly bun with sculpted face tendrils. Doing this at home is possible, but the truly sleek finish benefits from a salon blow-dry that sets the curl direction before pinning.

06Voluminous Blonde Messy Bun

Need a hairstyle that says “I have plans” without looking like you spent an hour on it? This voluminous messy bun hits that mark. Built on thick, wavy blonde hair with highlights, the high bun relies on layers to create the soft, cascading shape around the face. A middle part keeps the front grounded while the back adds volume. Ask your stylist for a voluminous messy high bun with cascading waves. This is a solid choice for an autumn daytime event: it clears the neck while the loose strands add texture. The bun holds well for a few hours with a quick dry shampoo refresh between washes.

07High Volume Dark Curly Bun

A high bun on dense, dark curly hair is a design choice that demands real volume, and real product. The silhouette relies on tightly coiled curls that stack into a full, rounded shape, with loose tendrils breaking the edge. Ask your stylist for a high volume dark curly bun with soft face tendrils. The honest trade-off: achieving this height on long curly hair requires significant teasing and a strong-hold mousse applied to damp hair before drying. A generous amount of bobby pins is required to keep the structure upright.

This is a look for a photoshoot or a statement occasion, not a casual Tuesday. The density and curl pattern do the work, but the styling time is longer than it looks.

08Black Curly Bun with Wispy Baby Hairs

This high bun on dense, defined black curls works because the wispy pieces around the forehead and temples are deliberately styled, not left to do their own thing. Ask your stylist for a high bun with defined curls and wispy baby hairs. A fine-tooth comb and a light layer of hairspray give them a soft, polished edge. Trim those baby hairs every four to six weeks so they stay delicate. The springy curl pattern and dense texture are what give the bun its shape and hold.

09Dark Brown Wavy Updo with Soft Tendrils

The result is a bun that reads as relaxed, not sloppy. Ask your stylist for a soft dark brown wavy bun with face-framing curls. The styling steps are straightforward: a shine serum on the tendrils for gloss, then a few bobby pins placed at angles to keep the body of the bun secure. This works best on medium-density hair at collarbone length or longer. A middle part keeps the front balanced while the bun does the work in back.

10Blonde Twisted Updo with Loose Waves

An intricate twisted bun reads as formal, but the real test is whether the hair can hold the structure. Thick, wavy blonde hair with lighter highlights provides the natural grip and volume this design needs. Ask your stylist for an intricate twisted blonde bun with loose waves. This is a salon-level style, best suited for collarbone-length or longer hair that has some wave to it, straight, fine hair will slip out of the twists. A light texture spray on the finished bun adds longevity without stiffness. The loose waves around the face soften the overall shape.

11Intricate Blonde Bun with Curtain Bangs

This bun requires precise sectioning and pinning at the nape, with voluminous loose curls left out to cascade down the back. Thick, curly hair of mid-back length with curtain bangs is the ideal starting point.

Ask your stylist for: intricate blonde bun with voluminous curls and curtain bangs. This is a salon project, not a DIY endeavor. The curtain bangs need trimming every four to six weeks to keep their shape and length, and the bun itself benefits from a fresh set of curls each time.

12Dark Brown Messy Bun with Curls and Highlights

A messy bun that looks this good is rarely as effortless as it appears. The loose curls and waves are deliberately placed, and the subtle lighter highlights add dimension that keeps the texture from reading as flat. On shoulder-length or longer wavy hair of medium density, this style holds reasonably well for a few hours, but expect to gently pull out strands and refresh with dry shampoo to maintain that lived-in volume. Ask your stylist for: messy dark brown bun with loose curls.

13Wavy Blonde Balayage Messy Bun

The lived-in feel of this low bun comes from the balayage color and the loose strands left at the nape. For a DIY version, start with collarbone-length wavy hair and apply a texturizing spray before gathering it loosely at the nape.

Pull out a few face-framing pieces and let the ends fall naturally. Ask your colorist for: wavy blonde balayage with loose nape strands. The bun itself is quick to tie, though the balayage placement is best left to a professional for that soft, graduated blend.

14Textured Blonde Messy Bun with Loose Curls

It is not a sleek updo, and it is not trying to be. This textured messy bun with loose curls is built for casual summer outings, where keeping hair off your neck matters more than perfect polish. On shoulder-length wavy hair with subtle highlights, the undone shape looks carefully styled. Ask your stylist for: textured messy blonde bun with loose curls. Gently pull apart the bun to increase volume, and plan on trimming any loose layers every six weeks.

15Blonde Updo with Textured Wave Volume

This messy updo piles voluminous, textured waves into a bun at the nape, with loose tendrils softening the face. On collarbone-length wavy hair with lighter highlights, achieving that undone volume often requires a texturizing spray and careful backcombing. Ask your stylist for: messy blonde updo with textured waves and face tendrils. The honest drawback is that fine hair may struggle to hold the volume without additional products, and the shape can deflate faster than expected.

16Voluminous Dark Brown Low Bun

This is not the tight, polished ballerina bun you wore to recitals as a kid. Instead, a voluminous low bun with soft waves and face-framing pieces sits at the nape, with a side part creating an asymmetric, elegant silhouette. It works best for fine to medium wavy hair that reaches at least collarbone length, where the texture can add the illusion of fullness without needing a lot of bulk. Ask your stylist for: voluminous dark brown low bun with soft waves. Create the side part first, then use a texturizing spray on the lengths before twisting them into the bun for added grip and volume.

17Messy Dark Brown Curly Bun with Loose Tendrils

A messy curly bun with loose tendrils looks like you woke up and just twisted your hair up. The reality is that the specific placement of those escaping curls, and the way they frame the nape from a back view, takes a practiced hand. This dark brown version with subtle highlights works best on naturally curly hair long enough to gather into a bun, and the undone texture is deliberate.

You can absolutely attempt this at home, but the precise spacing of the tendrils and the overall balance often benefit from a stylist’s eye. Ask your stylist for: messy dark brown curly bun with loose tendrils. A light hairspray on a fingertip, dabbed onto the stray pieces, keeps them where you want them without stiffening the bun.

18Final Thoughts

For a polished finish, go with a tightly coiled bun and sculpted tendrils. For a relaxed look, let the curls fall loose and keep the bun slightly messy. The right bun is the one that holds well and feels like you.

• Refresh curls with a light mist of water and curl enhancer before styling.
• Use a silk scrunchie or hair tie to avoid breakage when securing the bun.
• Apply a smoothing serum to flyaways for a polished finish, or leave them for a softer look.
• Deep condition weekly to maintain moisture and elasticity in curly hair.

Embrace your curls with a beautiful bun that speaks to your style.