Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Beauty
    2. Hair

    Heatwave Hair: 5 Ways To Rock The ONLY Hairstyle For This Weather

    The top knot is (quite literally) the coolest updo right now and anyone with a good few inches can master it.

    By Jessica Lacey
    Published 22 July 2014 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    topknot
    topknot
    (Image credit: Rex Features)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    The top knot is (quite literally) the coolest updo right now and anyone with a good few inches can master it.

    For anyone with hair that's shoulder-length or longer, this uncharacteristic heatwave is red-necked nightmare. At this rate there's no way any of us are wearing our hair down until September. 

    Thank the styling gods for the humble top knot. So quick, so easy, so cool but so hot right now. What's more, it can have so many personalities. From surfer girl to street kid, the top knot reigns supreme. 

    Check out the celebs who wear it best...

    Kate Hudson

    You may like
    • Does your ponytail give you a headache? If Your Ponytail Gives You a Headache—Your Hair Is Trying to Tell You Something
    • @cristinachenii wears headscarf white dress Not Shoes or Bags—It's This One Small Accessory All of the Coolest People Are Using to Perfect Their Outfits
    • Luke Hersheson My Life In Hair I Spoke to the Super Stylist Behind Victoria Beckham's Iconic Bob—Here Are His Thoughts on Great Hair

    Oh yeah, she'll pair a messy top knot with Armani Prive, why not? Flyaways encouraged and no mirror needed. 

    Cara Delevingne

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    Plaits + bun should = ballet but Cara somehow turns it rude girl. A great way to expose those multiple piercings and cheeky ear tats too. 

    Hilary Duff

    Turns out top knots can also be classy. Love this matte textured, haystack version paired with a chic black outfit and tomato lip.

    What to read next
    • The Rachel Hair on Gigi Hadid, created by hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos  Gigi Hadid Brought Back the 'Rachel' Haircut—So I Tried It Too, and My Hair Has Never Looked So Full
    • Heatwave Denim Listing Instead of Light Washes, Celebrities and Fashion Experts Are Wearing a Different Denim Shade This Summer
    • The long hair trend and the post-bob era I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending

    Vanessa Hudgens

    A great way to show off ombre hair and emphasise the contrast from roots to ends. The pulled-out and tonged front sections look super sultry and is a clever solution for shorter sections.

    Jennifer Lopez

    No way we could leave out the queen of the top knot. Super slicked back and tightly twisted for an extra high, sculpted affair, which looks amazing with statement earrings of which she is so fond.

    Jessica Lacey
    Social Links Navigation
    Read more
    Does your ponytail give you a headache?
    Hair If Your Ponytail Gives You a Headache—Your Hair Is Trying to Tell You Something
    @cristinachenii wears headscarf white dress
    Fashion Not Shoes or Bags—It's This One Small Accessory All of the Coolest People Are Using to Perfect Their Outfits
     
     
    Luke Hersheson My Life In Hair
    Hair I Spoke to the Super Stylist Behind Victoria Beckham's Iconic Bob—Here Are His Thoughts on Great Hair
    The Rachel Hair on Gigi Hadid, created by hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos
    Hair Gigi Hadid Brought Back the 'Rachel' Haircut—So I Tried It Too, and My Hair Has Never Looked So Full
     
     
    Latest in Hair
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
    selection of the best pre-shampoo treatments tested by Marie Claire UK
    Hair If Your Hair Still Feels Lacklustre No Matter What You Try, a Pre-Shampoo Treatment Could Be What’s Missing
     
     
    best hair repair masks tested by Marie Claire UK
    Hair My Hair Is Dry and Lacklustre After Summer—Of All the Repair Masks I’ve Tried, These Are the Ones I Recommend
    Scalp SPF
    Hair So You Think You Know All About SPF—But Beauty Experts Say This "Forgotten" Part Of Your Body Needs Attention
     
     
    Latest in Features
    The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Head Spas, Coco Mademoiselle Reimagined, and What the TPO Ban Really Means
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
     
     
    @nlmarilyn in transitional autumn outfits
    Fashion Goodbye Summer Dresses, I'm in Autumn Outfit Planning Mode—These 5 Are Fresh
    AW26 denim trends listing
    Fashion Autumn's Denim Trends Are Already Surfacing—Here Are the Cuts, Colours and Details to Know Now
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.