Consider a messy bun one of life’s great ironies: When it comes to beauty, the most undone looks usually require the most effort. In our quest to master the perfect I-woke-up-like-this messy bun, we’ve ended up with looks that are too messy and deflated, too ballerina-tight, or just wrong all together. After lots of trial and error, we finally found a fool-proof way to nail the messy bun hairstyle. The secret? Second-day hair (or third, or even fourth). Think of it this way: A tousled, messy bun is to dirty hair what glitter is to a night out — absolutely essential if you want to do it right.  “The messy bun is playful and timelessly chic,” says Jill Engelsen, a New York City-based hairstylist and L’Oréal Professionnel National Academy Artist. “Most importantly, you feel like you’re you when you wear a messy bun — you don’t feel like you’re trying to be something you’re not.” Read on to learn how you can get the classic look in just three simple steps, plus three ways to switch up your messy bun.How to Do a Messy Bun
