Zendaya's Teeny Slicked-Back Baby Bun Made Us Squeal with Joy

Nobody does a snatched hairstyle like Z.

zendaya in a yellow shirt
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Everybody sit down, my show is on. Zendaya popped up in Los Angeles on April 14, at the School of Style, looking just as chic and polished as she always does to give us a masterclass in relaxed West Coast style. She traded her red carpet heels for a pair of comfy square toe red ballet flats, her haute couture gown for a cozy Guest in Residence oatmeal sweater (Gigi Hadid's knitwear line) and matching pants, looking every bit the poster child for the rich-girl-meets-quiet-luxury trend, but her hair and makeup remained just as glamorous as ever. Zendaya's slicked-back baby bun, soft smokey eyeshadow, and ultra glossy skin looked so stunning as she preened for the camera, saying "Hello, it's Zendaya, and today I got styled... at the School of Style."

The actress has proved that she can rock pretty much any beauty look under the sun, but I'm always partial to her hairstyles that keep her face (and flawless bone structure) front and center. Yes, her signature lob haircut is eternally fabulous, but there is something so timeless and effortless about sweeping your hair back into a bun. Plus, having shorter hair means the style is très petite and oh-so-cute, but even if you have longer hair, the bun will remain a fool-proof updo. Zendaya's featured a bit of a Y2K-flip at the end, with a little bit of hair escaping the bun to keep the look from feeling too formal.

Not only was Zendaya on hand to reaffirm her status as a fashion and beauty icon, she was also supporting her longtime stylist Law Roach, who is a mentor for the School of Style, an educational training organization that provides fashion courses and career development. We love a socially-conscious queen!

With summer on the horizon and the heat index primed to make us reconsider everything we thought we knew about long haircuts (unless, of course, you're already in LA and the weather is temperate year-round), there's never been a better time to perfect your snatched bun routine. And, as Z has proved yet again, it's so easy to wear the look and look ridiculously stylish, even if you've embraced the short hair trend for spring.

Keep scrolling for your snatched bun essentials to DIY the look at home.

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Hannah Baxter
Beauty Director

Hannah Baxter is the Beauty Director at Marie Claire. She has previously held roles at The Zoe Report, Coveteur, and Bust Magazine, covering beauty, wellness, fashion, and lifestyle. Her writing has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Allure, The Cut, Elle, InStyle, Glamour, Air Mail, Vogue, Architectural Digest, Byrdie, Nylon and more. She is also the founder of Anxiety Beer, a bi-monthly newsletter about the intersection of culture and mental health. In her spare time you can catch her reading too many overdue library books, thrifting, or hanging with her hairless cat, Norman. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok @hannahbaxward.