You don't normally think of wedding hairstyles as those you can really replicate in everyday life; the styles designed for your big day usually don't seem suited to the office or evenings at the pub. However, the Delaney bun has succeeded in merging occasion-wear with the everyday aesthetic, and the internet is going wild for the look.
What is a Delaney bun?
L'Oréal Professionnel's Editorial Ambassador Adam Reed declared the Delaney bun as his top wedding hair trend of 2025. The hairstyle has been experiencing a surge in interest of late, with an increase of over 462% search popularity on TikTok Creator Search Insights, which clearly shows that it's so much more than a bridal look.
The Delaney bun is soft, messy and a little bit romantic. It gets its name from content creator Delaney Childs, known for creating the ultimate imperfect updo. The Delaney bun looks like a simple, laid-back look, but there's an elegance to it. In short, it's a top knot with loose pieces in the front sections, as well as below the bun, which creates the 'undone' aesthetic.
How to achieve the look
While the style may look intricate, it's pretty easy to achieve. Childs offered a very simple tutorial of her exact updo on TikTok, which took her minutes to construct.
First, she begins with a high ponytail, leaving out the front sections of her hair (more than you'd first expect, FYI). Then, she takes another hair tie and shapes her ponytail into a messy bun from the top down. This leaves the ends of the hair falling loosely.
Next, the influencer reaches for odd bits of the front section she left out and messily pulls them back towards the bun, securing with grips.
Of course, while this all sounds relatively easy, it goes without saying that the hair prep for this is essential. Childs has the exact right amount of hair—along with optimum length, curl and volume—before she even begins.
It's essential to achieve a certain level of volume, texture and bounce in hair before it's ready for a Delaney bun. Products can help achieve this, as can a heated multi-styler (Childs uses the Dyson Airwrap to prep hair for this in another video). However, depending on your hair length, fullness and texture, you may find it harder to nail this with ease.
Products to help style a Delaney bun
Delaney bun inspo
Delaney Childs does it beautifully, from the volume to the shape. 10/10.
This gorgeous take on the look sported by Richa Moorjani has a little more polish, but still plenty of volume and the loose shaping of a 'messy' bun.
Bex Watson proves that curling your hair first can elevate the look ten-fold.
Dakota Johnson is usually sporting one of two styles: a sleek down-do or a semi-messy updo. The latter is so chic.
This is the perfect combination of messy and sleek, as demonstrated by MAFS AU's Eden Harper.
Another five star look by Delaney Childs.
Sydney Sweeney rocks this look both on the red carpet and day-to-day.
Yolanda Diaz proves this is the perfect holiday style for this summer.