Curly hair and buns have a complicated history. Too often the advice out there is written for straight hair and just doesn’t translate, curls need their own rules.
The good news is that curly bun hairstyles are having a real moment, and they look better than the tight, slicked-back buns of the past.
These days it’s all about texture, volume, and letting your curls show instead of fighting them. Below are twelve curly bun looks, each with a different vibe, from loose and undone to polished enough for a wedding.
Curly Bun Hairstyles Inspo
Low Side Bun With Loose Face-Framing Curls
This bun sits low near the nape, twisted rather than tightly wound, so individual curls still poke out around the edges instead of disappearing into the style.
A few soft strands are left loose around the face, and a pearl drop earring peeks through the curls near the ear. This kind of relaxed low bun is a great option when you want your hair to look done but not fussed over, it works for brunch just as easily as it works for a date.
High Bun With Curly Bangs Left Down
Here the bulk of the hair is piled high on top of the head, while a curtain of curly fringe and face-framing pieces are left completely down. The result is playful and a little bit messy in the best way, with curls cascading past the jaw on both sides.
This style works especially well if your curls shrink up a lot when dry, since the volume on top balances out the shorter pieces framing your face.
Messy Top Knot With a Scrunchie
Sometimes the simplest option is the right one. This look uses a plain fabric scrunchie to hold a high, loosely gathered bun in place, with curls spilling out in every direction rather than being smoothed down.
It’s not trying to look neat, and that’s exactly the point. If you’re getting ready in a rush or just want a comfortable everyday style, a scrunchie bun like this protects your curls from breakage way better than a tight elastic would.
Elegant Low Bun With a Pearl Hair Vine
This is a bridal-leaning style, with a delicate pearl and crystal hair vine woven directly into the side of a low, textured bun.
The curls throughout the updo keep their shape instead of being brushed into smooth waves, so the whole thing still looks like real curly hair rather than a curled-to-look-straight style. A few loose curls trail down near the neck, softening the formality of the accessory.
Tall Curly Bun With a Floral Hairpin
This bun is set higher and fuller than the pearl vine look, with a small floral and pearl hairpin placed just off-center. The height here does a lot of work, it makes the curls look even bigger and more dramatic from the side profile.
This is a good pick for anyone who wants their curly hair to be the main feature of a formal outfit rather than something tucked away.
Curly Space Buns
Two buns instead of one changes the whole feel of a look, and these space buns keep things fun and a little youthful. The curls are left loose and full around each bun rather than smoothed flat, so the shape stays soft instead of severe.
Space buns work particularly well on curly hair because the natural volume fills out the shape without needing any extra teasing or backcombing.
High Bun With a Floral Headband
Adding a headband to a curly bun is an easy way to change the whole mood of the style without touching the bun itself. Here a soft, knotted floral headband sits just above the hairline, keeping shorter curls and flyaways out of the face while the rest piles into a full bun on top.
This combination is a nice everyday option if you like a bit of styling detail but don’t want anything that takes a long time to put together.
Loose Low Bun With Face-Framing Ringlets
This bun sits at the back of the head, kept soft and a little undone with visible curl texture throughout rather than being smoothed into a sleek shape. Longer ringlets are left out to frame the face and trail down toward the collarbone.
It’s a good middle ground between a fully polished updo and something more casual, useful for occasions where you want to look put-together without looking overly styled.
Textured High Bun With Freckled, Natural Makeup
This bun keeps a lot of volume and texture through the crown, with visible individual curls rather than one uniform shape. What makes this one stand out is how natural the whole styling feels, from the loose curls framing the face to the soft, dewy makeup underneath.
It’s proof that a curly bun doesn’t need to be perfectly smoothed to look finished, some visible frizz and flyaways actually add to the style instead of taking away from it.
Sleek Low Bun for Evening Wear
This look pulls the hair back more smoothly at the crown before letting the curls take over in a rounded bun at the back. Gold hoop earrings and a black puff-sleeve top give it an evening feel, and the curls in the bun itself stay defined rather than fuzzy.
This style shows how you can dress a curly bun up simply by controlling the front sections more while letting the bun itself stay full and textured.
Piecey High Bun With Loose Front Curls
This bun keeps a slightly undone, piecey look on top, with a few longer curls framing the face and one section left hanging loose near the ear. It has a lived-in quality that feels less styled and more like your hair naturally settled into place.
This is an easy option for the days when you don’t want to spend much time in front of the mirror but still want your curls to look intentional.
High Bun With a Fitted Tank Top Look
The last style keeps the bun high and rounded with soft curls loosely framing the face and trailing down the back. What stands out here is how the length of the loose curls balances the height of the bun, keeping the whole look from feeling top-heavy.
Paired with simple hoop earrings and a fitted tank top, it reads as an easy going-out style that doesn’t require much more than gathering the hair up and letting the curls do their thing.
How to Keep Curly Buns From Getting Frizzy or Falling Flat
Curly hair behaves differently than straight hair once it’s pulled up, so a few small adjustments make a big difference in how long your bun actually holds up.
Start with damp, not dry, hair when you can. Curls that are gathered while slightly damp and left to air dry in the bun tend to hold their shape better than curls that are fully dry and then pulled back, since dry curls are more prone to frizzing when you handle them.
Skip the tight hair elastics. Thin rubber bands snag on curls and cause breakage over time. A soft scrunchie, like the one in image three, or a spiral hair tie designed for curls, is much gentler and won’t leave a dent when you take it out.
Use your fingers instead of a brush when gathering the hair. Brushing dry curls breaks up the curl pattern and creates frizz, while finger-gathering keeps the curl clumps intact so your bun still looks curly instead of fuzzy.
If you want extra hold for a special occasion, like the pearl vine or floral pin looks above, a light-hold gel applied before you put the bun up will help keep flyaways in check without making the curls feel crunchy or stiff once it dries.
Finally, protect your curls at night. Sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase, or loosely re-pinning your bun before bed, helps you get a second or even third day out of the style without needing to redo the whole thing.
Final Thoughts
Curly bun hairstyles give you a lot of room to play, whether you want something quick and undone or a fuller updo with hair accessories for a formal event.
The key is working with your curl pattern instead of against it, using gentle hair ties, and letting some pieces stay loose instead of forcing every curl into place. Try one of these looks next time you’re getting ready and see which shape feels most like you.