Braided chignons are timeless, but also chic, and this year they’re making a major comeback.

When it comes to hairdos that never go out of style, no list is complete without a mention of the chignon. The French name may sound fancy, but it just refers to a bun that’s loosely knotted or wrapped. Although many braided chignons are of the stiff matrimonial variety, we love that the style can work for all occasions—weddings, sure, but also grocery trips and late brunches.

Not a fan of spending hours in the bathroom styling your hair but want to create something that extra bit special this season?

Allow us to present to you the braided chignons in 3 simple steps.

Braid your lengths

Decide where you want your chignon to sit. Choose from the nape of the neck, on top of the head or even to one side, then create a ponytail there. Next, braid your lengths, without pulling too tightly on the scalp. Your braid should look fairly neat at this stage, and not be too loose, otherwise your plait effect will not be visible once secured into position. To fix your braid into place, secure at the base and the ends with a fine hair elastic, similar to your hair color, to create a barely-there result.

Wrap your braid around itself

Start twisting your braid whichever way you want around the base of the ponytail. You can keep this flat or alternate the effect for more volume. Leave some space for teasing later and try to tuck your ends away neatly to disguise your hair ties. To secure your braided chignon into place, whether you’ve opted for a round, oval, asymmetric or long version, take some bobby pins or fine hair clips and start pinning until you feel that your bun is firmly secured.

Choose between neat or messy

After securing your chignon, you can now add the finishing touches to perfect the look. Depending on your individual preferences, you can choose to keep your overall style very neat and minimize the amount of flyaway escaping your chignon by using a strong hold hairspray. On the other hand, you may prefer to opt for a more bohemian-chic finish by relaxing your chignon and teasing certain sections for a more disheveled look.

From vintage curls to messy voluminous buns, there are so many braided chignons options. Let’s take a look!

braided chignons

Basic Wrapped Chignons

For a wedding, bridal shower, or upscale birthday party, give the wrapped chignon a shot. Divide your hair into three sections, creating the bun with the middle hair. Once that’s finished, wrap each of the side strands over and around the bun, successfully hiding the hairband from sight. 

The Classic Braided Chignons

If you’re a long-maned lady who doesn’t always know how to deal with all that hair, the braided chignon is your new go-to for nights out and dinner dates. Start with two loosely braid ponytails secured with clear elastics, wrapping the two around each other before pinning into a bun. Just be sure to hide any loose ends from sight!

Fishtail Braided Chignons

Here’s another look for ladies who have too much hair to simply tuck up into a bun. Try the fishtail braided chignon, creating the braid at the nape of the neck before fastening it with a no-show hairband. Then, wrap the braid into a bun shape and pin it securely.

Crown Braided Chignons

Once more, you’ll be following our basic chignon tutorial to make your bun. To begin, however, you’ll make a deep part and French braid away from it along the hairline. At the ear, transition into a traditional braid. Once you’ve finished the plait, braid your strand on the other side. Wrap these braids around the base of your bun.

Braided Twist Chignons

We’re huge fans of hairstyles that only look complicated—pulling dozens of bobby pins out of your hair after a major event is so 1982. For an outdoor wedding or casually glam event, try this updo trick: Create a middle or side part, then fishtail braid your hair from the nape of the neck to the ends. After wrapping an elastic around the braid, pancake it.

Knotted Chignons

Here’s another incredibly simple style for a night out, a casual wedding, or a dinner with friends, one that works particularly well on ladies with straight, sleek hair that doesn’t hold curls well. Instead of fighting your natural texture, smooth your hair into a low ponytail. After securing your tail, divide it into two sections and use them to make a simple knot. Then, make a second knot—assuming you have enough length to do so. Tucking in the ends of your ponytail, create a bun shape and pin your hair in place. Feel free to fluff your knots for an extra casual vibe.