Ciara's Hairstylist Explains How He Created Her Perfectly Messy Bun

It's not as elusive as you think.

Ciara Wilson
(Image credit: Getty Images)

This weekend, Ciara celebrated Superbowl LVIII in style. It's no wonder the singer pulled out all the stops: Her husband, Russell Wilson, is currently playing quarterback for the Denver Broncos. When Ciara posted a sweet, stylish photo of the two celebrating Super Bowl Sunday, it wasn't the celebration that earned attention; all eyes were instead on Ciara's chic blonde bun with strands of wavy hair framing her face.

The look epitomizes the potential of the messy bun, showing off her multi-toned balayage and her length while also pulling the majority of her hair out of her face. An exposed middle part also lent Ciara the appearance of nonchalant ease, as though she'd just pulled her hair up in a quick, easy updo. The move is a stark contrast from the meticulous slicked back buns that have monopolized street style mood boards in recent months.

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"I wanted to highlight Ciara’s beauty, so I wanted to keep her hair up with some face framing strands around her face," Dimitris Giannetos, the celebrity hairstylist responsible for the Ciara's perfectly messy bun, tells Marie Claire. He calls the style "the modern version of Pretty Woman," referencing Julia Roberts' memorable beauty from the 1990 film.

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Ciara's style is enough to put anyone in the mood for a new updo hairstyle, especially one paired with maximalist fashion like the singer's layers of shiny silver necklaces and her oversized tee.

To get the look, simply pull your hair back, just below the crown of your head, and wrap it in a loose bun, taking care to retain your part. (To achieve the volume that Ciara has on both sides, make sure that your hair isn't pulled back too tight.) Then, pull a few strands out of the bun, allowing them to frame your face on either side.

While the look conveys nonchalance, it takes some extra product to achieve peak volume. Giannetos recommends using NEXXUS Prep and Protect Heat Defense Spray, which he credits massively with "help[ing] me create this voluminous updo."

Shop every product needed for Ciara's Pretty Woman updo ahead.

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Gabrielle Ulubay
Beauty Writer

Gabrielle Ulubay is a Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. She has also written about sexual wellness, politics, culture, and fashion at Marie Claire and at publications including The New York Times, HuffPost Personal, Bustle, Alma, Muskrat Magazine, O'Bheal, and elsewhere. Her personal essay in The New York Times' Modern Love column kickstarted her professional writing career in 2018, and that piece has since been printed in the 2019 revised edition of the Modern Love book. Having studied history, international relations, and film, she has made films on politics and gender equity in addition to writing about cinema for Film Ireland, University College Cork, and on her personal blog, gabrielleulubay.medium.com. Before working with Marie Claire, Gabrielle worked in local government, higher education, and sales, and has resided in four countries and counting. She has worked extensively in the e-commerce and sales spaces since 2020, and spent two years at Drizly, where she developed an expertise in finding the best, highest quality goods and experiences money can buy.

Deeply political, she believes that skincare, haircare, and sexual wellness are central tenets to one's overall health and fights for them to be taken seriously, especially for people of color. She also loves studying makeup as a means of artistic expression, drawing on her experience as an artist in her analysis of beauty trends. She's based in New York City, where she can be found watching movies or running her art business when she isn't writing. Find her on Twitter at @GabrielleUlubay or on Instagram at @gabrielle.ulubay, or follow her art at @suburban.graffiti.art