By: Morgan Topol

Long gone are my high school days, where I’d fix my hair into the ugliest, most practical bun in existence, and fittingly pair it with whatever pilling sweatshirt I decided to throw onto my sleep-deprived, caffeine-addled body at 6:30 in the morning. Cute, right?

Anyway, top knots are a wealth of potential. They’re versatile, giving you the freedom to style them in so many different ways. For winter days, I often wear quick, casual top knots with oversized knitted sweaters, and this is especially true if there’s a turtleneck I can highlight.

That being said, my favorite way to wear a top knot is in a different form – slicked back, with minimal flyaways, into a textured bun that is both high and voluminous enough to create the desired silhouette. Here’s a version from an event I recently attended:

Here’s some of my best tips for styling a top knot similar to the one above. There’s no “right” way to do this, so feel free to take, or not take, any of my suggestions.

If your hair is straight, curl it to achieve volume.

Volume is a necessity. If your hair is straight and fine, you may have to create that volume yourself, either with a curling iron or a no-heat alternative. When curling, start a few inches from the root.

If you’re trying to recreate what you see in my reference photo, my natural hair type is somewhere between 2c and 3a, so try to achieve waves and curls that are around these sizes.

Put your hair in a high ponytail, and slick back flyaways.

If you’re going for something more modern relative to the classic “ballerina” silhouette, the higher the better. However, don’t let that keep you from doing whatever you want. It’s your hair, right? Consider using two ponytails for extra hold.

After you’ve achieved a tight ponytail, slick back any flyaways with a hairspray or hair gel of your choice. My favorite product to use for this is Aussie’s Instant Freeze Gel because it’s easy to find, cruelty-free and dependable.

Create the top knot and add some bobby pins.

Take the ponytail and twist it semi-tightly at the base, wrapping it around the ponytail and twisting it less and less tightly as you continue to form the top knot. This will help you get a looser, fuller effect. Once you’re happy with the shape, tie it off with a third ponytail.

To further ensure your top knot lasts the entire event, add bobby pins wherever necessary. I’d recommend putting bobby pins around the base of the top knot, being sure to hide them within your hair. Once everything is secure, lightly dust your bun with hairspray or hair gel to help maintain the shape.

Pair your top knot with a fitting outfit.

Personally, I only wear top knots when I feel they suit the outfit I’m accompanying them with. In the reference photo, you’ll see that the dress I’m wearing is off-shoulder, has an exposed collarbone, and also has romantic, puffy sleeves. To me at least, wearing a top knot made logical sense, as the shape of the bun mimicked the shape of the sleeves.

The colors I wear also influence how I style myself. In the reference photo, you’ll see the dress I’m wearing is a bold red. It grabs attention, and so do carefully-crafted top knots. Their dramatic shape, texture and volume of the updo cohesively complements the eye-catching color of the dress, creating a striking overall look.

I also matched this hairstyle with a vivid lip color for the same reason. I chose to keep my jewelry minimal, but top knots are also a great opportunity to show off a necklace or favorite pair of earrings, so be sure to take advantage of this if you like to accessorize.

And with that, you’re done! Go show off your creation to the world.