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5 Celebs Who Have Mastered The Art Of The Slicked Back Bun

While casually cool variations of the messy bun ruled the 2010s, the 2020s have been dominated by the slicked-back updo. The style, which typically features a middle part and uses product for a tight, almost wet look, has become a staple of the controversial clean girl aesthetic, a fashion and lifestyle fad that has been most associated with celebs like Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid. The aesthetic has been rightfully criticized for its repackaging of beauty elements worn by women of color for decades, with the slicked-back bun, in particular, being a point of contention.

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"When white women re-discover something, it becomes a trend," celebrity hairstylist Sabrina Rowe Holdsworth told Nylon. "[The "clean girl" look] has been around forever, so my only request is for people to stop saying it's new and give the credit to Black and Brown women who it's completely inspired and created by." 

Whether you're embracing the slicked-back bun for the first time or have been wearing it your whole life, this sleek hairstyle doesn't seem like it will be waning in popularity anytime soon. Here are just a few of the celebs who have gone all-in on the look. 

Hailey Bieber

Heavily associated with the clean girl aesthetic, fashion icon Hailey Bieber is one of the most emulated celebrities when it comes to the slicked-back bun. You can catch the model wearing the hairstyle on Instagram, but she's also sported iterations at high-profile events like the 2022 Met Gala and the grand reopening of Tiffany's New York City store in 2023. With her high cheekbones and glowy skin, it's no wonder that Bieber so effortlessly pulls off the look.

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Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is another star who has long been rocking the slicked-back bun. You can catch the Rare Beauty founder wearing the stylish look all over her Instagram, although she usually opts out of a middle part for a completely slicked back look. In fact, Gomez took to TikTok back in 2022 to share her morning routine, revealing that she uses Unite Beauty's 7 Seconds Detangler on her damp hair before adding Unite Smooth and Shine Styling Cream to give her updo a truly sleek appearance.

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Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz's fashion has always had an effortless minimalism and casual coolness that works seamlessly with the simplicity of the slicked-back bun. So it's unsurprising that the actor has been spotted rocking renditions of this style on the street and at star-studded events. We're a big fan of the look that Kravitz sported at the London premiere of her 2024 movie "Blink Twice," with the celeb going for an extra twisty look with her bun. Of course, no matter where she's going, she always kills the sleek and chic look.

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Ariana Grande

Throughout the "Wicked" press tour, Ariana Grande has been seriously channeling Glinda in her method dressing wardrobe, with many of her outfits taking on a balletcore vibe. The "We Can't Be Friends" singer has mastered the slicked-back ballerina bun, typically sporting a side part for the sleek look — as seen in behind-the-scenes video from her October appearance on "Saturday Night Live," where the actor showed off some of the products from R.E.M. Beauty's "Wicked" collection. While the high pony was once the go-to hairstyle for Grande, it seems that the sleek ballerina bun will be around for a while.

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Simone Ashley

While Simone Ashley often sports her natural curls, a voluminous look that we're in love with, the "Bridgerton" actor has also stunned in slicked-back updos. Not only did she sport a side-parted version of the look on the cover of Glamour's digital UK issue back in 2022, but she rocked the sleek middle part at a 2022 pre-Oscars party and 2023 Cannes Film Festival event. Personally, we're obsessed with the entire Valentino ensemble that Ashley shared on Instagram, with the slicked-back bun really completing the stylish look.

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