Sofia Richie Grainge Put an Intriguing Twist on Her Signature Hairstyle

It's halfway between a bun and a ponytail.

Sofia Richie in front of a step and repeat
(Image credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Warner Music))

Soon-to-be mom Sofia Richie Grainge has been one of the most talked-about It Girls in Hollywood for some time now. The daughter of award-winning musician Lionel Richie and a regular on the Hollywood scene, she made headlines for her stunning hair and makeup during her highly publicized wedding in April 2023. Since then, her look has been lauded and replicated time and again, and arguably launched the 'clean girl beauty aesthetic' that took over social media for the better part of a year. The look, which is Richie Grainge's signature, consists of a low, slicked back bun with a middle part, along with pared-down makeup that accentuates one's natural features.

Signatures are made to be reinvented. Last night, at Warner Music Group's Pre-Grammy Party in Hollywood, Richie Grainge mostly stuck to her look—but added an unexpected twist. At first glance, her hairstyle appears to be her go-to low bun. In reality, it's a subtle cross between that and a ponytail. The hair gathered at the back of her head is even wrapped up like a traditional bun, but it's as though she let a few extra strands hang down the back of her neck. The result is a hybrid silhouette that shows off the length of Richie Grainge's shiny hair.

Sofia Richie

Sofia Richie Grainge put a twist on her usual clean low bun at a recent event.

(Image credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Warner Music))

Sofia Richie

A closer look at Sofia Richie Grainge's hybrid hairstyle.

(Image credit: Michael Tullberg/FilmMagic)

Richie Grainge's hairstyle also showed off her unconventional highlights. While a number of celebrities have lightened their hair this winter, from Lucy Hale to Rihanna to Selena Gomez, Richie Grainge's look embraces the contrast between light and dark. The style is reminiscent of the highlight trends of the early 2000s, leaning into stark contrasts rather than indulging in a more subtle blend, such as with balayage.

Considering the extent to which Richie Grainge has inspired trends in the past, there's a strong chance every aspect of her look last night—from the ponytail-bun to the visible highlights—takes over mood boards this spring.

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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