There are many common traits successful women share, one of them being a tried-and-true, no fuss uniform that inherently says, “I’m here to get shit done.” Like a power suit, striking red lip, or versatile bag, these style ingredients make getting ready both effortless and chic, while carving out more time for things like, say, running an empire.
As minimalist wardrobes in the workplace continue to catch on like wildfire, it’s no surprise that CEOs and multihyphenate celebs alike are frequently opting for one, does-it-all style: the girl boss bun.
It's sleek, timeless, and universally appropriate. Plus, it immediately elevates every outfit and takes less than two minutes to do. (Even on dirty hair!) That's right, we're talking about a sharply-parted, low, shiny bun. The look emphasises your features, making cheekbones look sharp enough to fire or hire — and it frames a jaw bone that's scheduled to defy.
Ready yourself to get down to business with the precise part and slicked down sides that's making its way to the head of a conference table near you...
Emily Weiss
The Glossier creating, Into The Gloss founding girl boss loves this hairstyle. In fact, it's become her trademark at events and on social media. We'd guess running two wildly successful companies has a little something to do with the pared-down look.
Tip: Kirby grips are a girl boss' best friend. Tuck away shorter, layered pieces with clips and pins near the nape of the neck.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
Jen Atkin
Atkin's resume seems to be never ending: hairstylist to some of Hollywood's biggest names, founder of Ouai Hair Care, the woman leading hair site Mane Addicts, and more.
Her signature style was no accident. "[Post-cleansing], on my 45-minute commute to Calabasas [to style the Kardashians], I’ll put my wet hair in a middle-parted, low ponytail," she says."If I'm going out with clients, I finish them and then I'm exhausted and just don't care. It's usually a centre-parted bun or natural and down."
There's more: She's also turned some of her famous clients onto the look...
Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images.
Kourtney Kardashian
The oldest Kardashian is a mogul, to say the least — and we'd guess that this hairstyle was heavily influenced by Atkin. The key to the boss girl bun is an extremely straight and clean part, like you see here. Use a comb to create a side or middle part to achieve the look.
Photo: Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/ Getty Images.
Chrissy Teigen
Another of Atkin's clients that sports the look is Teigen, a multihyphenate herself. (Think: author/model/actress/host/etc.) Achieve a similar level of shine by coating hands with a glossing serum before pulling hair back.
Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic.
Jenna Lyons
Lyons is a powerhouse in both the business and fashion worlds — she's the creative director and president of J.Crew. Rarely seen without her signature glasses and slicked back girl bun, she's as chic as she is cool.
Photo: Getty Images.
Ogo Offodile
While a sharp part is important to score the polished look, don't feel obliged to keep it in the centre. Here, Nigerian tech professional turned fashion entrepreneur Ogo Offodile shows us that you can add even more interest to the style by opting for a side part.
Photo: Getty Images.
Carol Lim
As creative director of Kenzo, Lim is on the forefront of what's cool. At the 2016 Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York she shows us that sleek trumps fussy.
Her shiny look is surly the work of clever product layering. Translation: Don’t be afraid of using copious amounts of hairspray! Did we mention gel? Yeah, you’ll need that, too.
Photo: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic.
Naomi Campbell
We all know that Naomi Campbell, one of the original Supers, is a badass professional woman. To wit: Her career has spanned across four decades. Admittedly, she skews more glam on the red carpet, but she does break out the girl boss bun on occasion.
Photo: CJ Rivera/FilmMagic.
Ashley Benson
Next gen Hollywood is taking note, too. Benson proves that a boss bun and a boss blazer is all you need to look like, well, a boss. But she's not the only one...
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
Chanel Iman
The model is also in on the look, here opting for an off-center part and high-shine finish.
Photo: Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan/ Getty Images.
Hailey Baldwin
Another in-demand model is convinced by the powers of the bun: Baldwin has also recently been seen wearing the style.
Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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