Since Sofia Richie Grainge married Elliot Grainge with a slick low bun and a sharp middle part, I’ve had brides arrive at trials holding that exact photo. It’s a look that seems simple and is actually one of the least forgiving styles I do: there’s no curl or texture to hide an uneven part, a bump or a flyaway. Below are twenty Sofia Richie inspired wedding hair looks, from the original bun to waves, half-up versions and veils, with notes on how I build each one and who it suits.
The Night-Before Prep That Makes Sleek Hair Possible
A slick style shows everything, so the prep starts before you sit in my chair.
- Wash the night before, not the morning of. Fresh, silky hair won’t stay flat; a day of natural oil makes it lie down more easily.
- Skip heavy conditioner at the roots and any dry shampoo. Powdery products leave a white cast under gel and show in flash photos.
- Touch up root color a week or two before. A center part exposes regrowth and grey hairs more than any other style.
- Have any trim done at least a week before, so the ends have settled for a sleek ponytail or bun.
On the day, I blow-dry everything smooth with a paddle brush before any product goes on. Gel combed onto rough, air-dried hair just looks crunchy. I use a firm gel or a stick for the hairline, and a lighter cream through the lengths so the bun stays soft to the touch.
1. Sofia Richie Signature Slick Low Bun
This is the look that started it all: a glossy bun right at the nape and a part drawn with the tail of a comb. I smooth each side back with a boar bristle brush misted with hairspray, tie a low ponytail, braid it and wrap the braid into the bun, because a braided bun stays flatter and tighter than a twisted one. The whole thing lives or dies on the part, so I cut it on dry hair and check it in a mirror from above. No flyaways, nothing fussy, just your face and your jewelry.
2. Sleek Low Bun With Side Part
Moving the part off center softens the face and leans a little toward old Hollywood. For a round face it’s often more flattering than a dead-straight middle part. The rest stays smooth and tucked into a low bun. Strong-hold gel at the roots keeps the side sections flat, but on a deep side part I also pin under the heavy side, since that’s where the hair wants to lift away by mid-afternoon.
3. Low Bun With Face-Framing Pieces
Two pieces left out at the front take the severity off without losing the shape. I leave these face-framing pieces slightly longer than cheekbone length, because they spring up a little once curled, then bend them with a small iron and brush them through. The back stays sleek. It suits almost everyone and is my usual answer for a bride who loves the photo but is nervous about having nothing around her face.
4. Sleek Bun With Long Veil
A smooth bun gives a long veil a flat, clean place to sit, so the tulle falls straight rather than bunching over volume. I set the comb just above the bun for a cathedral length, and slightly below if the veil is lighter and you want it to drape over the shoulders. When it comes out at the reception, nothing has been crushed, because there was nothing to crush. For a grand ceremony entrance, the contrast of sleek hair and floating tulle is hard to beat.
5. Sofia Richie Low Bun With Pearl Pins
A few pearl pins add shine without breaking the clean lines. I place them in an uneven arc around one side of the bun or in a short line along the part, and I push each one in against the direction of the smoothed hair so it can’t slide. Pearls suit a bride skipping the veil but wanting something bridal in her hair, and they match pearl earrings or a fine necklace well.
6. Slicked-Back Low Ponytail
A low ponytail is the same slick base without the bun. I wrap a section of the ponytail around the elastic and pin it underneath to hide it, then either flat-iron the length straight or give it big, loose bends. The ponytail needs your hair to be healthy at the ends, because they’ll be on show all day. It suits a courthouse wedding as well as a ballroom, and it’s the most comfortable sleek style if you’re worried about a heavy bun.
7. Low Bun With Soft Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs are blow-dried with a round brush, split in the middle and swept toward the cheeks, while everything behind them is smoothed into the bun. The bangs soften a strong jaw and keep the look youthful. Only do this one if you already have bangs, or have them cut at least a couple of weeks before. Fresh bangs often sit too short and too straight.
8. Glossy Straight Hair Worn Down
Keeping your hair down and poker straight is the hardest version of a sleek look to keep perfect. I flat-iron in small sections for shine, finish with a light serum on the lengths only and avoid the roots, which would go flat and greasy by evening. Long, healthy hair is a must; split ends show instantly on straight hair. Humidity is the other risk, so I’d only recommend it for an indoor or dry-climate wedding. Paired with a simple gown and fine jewelry, it’s a clean, modern choice.
9. Sleek Bun With Center Part and Hoops
Gold hoops and a slick bun are a cool, fashion-led pairing that shows off the neck and ears completely. Keep the part sharp and the bun low. Heavy hoops can pull on the earlobe over a long day, so if yours are large, choose hollow ones. The look suits a city wedding, or an outfit change into something sleeker for the reception.
10. Low Chignon With Middle Part
A chignon is rolled rather than knotted, so it sits slightly looser and rounder at the nape. I keep the center part crisp, then twist the lengths around two fingers and pin the roll from underneath. The softer shape works well for a formal ceremony and with veils, combs or a few pearl pins. If you love the clean base but want a more traditional bridal silhouette, this is the one.
11. Half-Up Half-Down Sleek Style
Half-up sleek means the top section is smoothed and secured at the crown while the rest stays down. I use a small clear elastic, wrap a piece over it and pin it, then wave or straighten the lengths. The hair left down is what falls flat or frizzes, so a light hold spray goes on before you leave the chair. It frames the face and keeps your length on show.
12. Slicked Bun With Bold Red Lip
This is as much a makeup pairing as a hairstyle. With everything pulled back, the face is completely open, so a classic red lip becomes the focus. I’d keep the rest of the makeup soft and the bun extra smooth so the two strong elements don’t compete. Ask your makeup artist to line and blot the lip, because a red that feathers is very visible next to clean hair.
13. Low Bun With Delicate Hair Vine
A thin vine wrapped around the base of the bun or laid along the part adds a little sparkle. I secure vines with clear elastic thread or small pins at both ends so they don’t slip as you move your head. Choose crystals or pearls to match your jewelry. A heavier vine can tug at a sleek bun, so keep it light and fine.
14. Sleek Bun With Birkin Bangs
Birkin bangs are longer, wispy and feathery, falling just past the brows. With the rest smoothed into a low bun, they bring a French-girl charm to an otherwise strict style. I style them with a light texturizing spray and fingers, never a round brush, or they look too done. They need to be cut by someone who understands soft, thinned fringes; a blunt cut won’t give the same effect.
15. Slicked-Back Bun For Short Hair
Short hair can wear this look; it just needs more pins. I slick everything back with strong-hold gel, gather what reaches into a tiny low bun or knot and pin the short pieces at the nape flat with crossed pins. On a bob, the result is a neat tuck rather than a bun. A few pearl pins or a small clip at the back finishes it and hides any ends that won’t sit.
16. Sleek Low Bun With Statement Earrings
When the earrings are big, the hair should step back. A slick bun shows off chandeliers or geometric drops completely. Keep the part crisp and the bun low so nothing competes. It suits an evening reception, and it’s the best way I know to look dressed up without adding a single hair accessory. Heavy earrings get uncomfortable over a long evening, so it’s worth bringing a lighter pair to switch into.
17. Romantic Low Bun With Loose Waves
Waving the hair before it goes back gives a softer bun with movement. I curl loosely, brush the curls out and gather them with less tension than a slick bun, so texture shows through. A few wavy tendrils at the face soften it further. It suits an outdoor or garden wedding and is far more forgiving than the strict version if your hair is naturally wavy or frizz-prone.
18. Sleek Bun With Tinted Sunglasses
Tinted sunglasses with a slick bun are a fashion moment for portraits and getaways, not the ceremony. The look works well for engagement shoots, a next-day brunch or a reception exit. Sunglasses press on the hair above the ears, so if they’ll go on and off, I smooth those sections with a little extra gel. It’s a playful way to show your personality outside the formal moments.
19. Low Bun With Delicate Veil Comb
A short veil or birdcage on a comb feels modern next to a slick bun. The flat base gives the comb a firm hold, especially if I criss-cross two bobby pins where the comb will go so its teeth have something to grip. Keep the tulle plain to stay minimal. It suits an intimate ceremony or a courthouse wedding, and the bun underneath is still polished when the veil comes off.
20. Slicked Bun With Glowing Skin
Pulling all the hair back puts your skin fully on show, so the last part of this look is a glowing complexion and luminous, dewy skin. Keep makeup neutral: rosy cheeks, a little highlight and a well-moisturized base. Too much glow at the hairline, though, can make the gel line look wet in photos. I powder lightly along the edges after the bun is finished so the hair and skin meet cleanly.
When a Tight Slicked Look Works Against You
I’d talk a bride out of the strictest version if any of these apply. A very tight pull at the temples can cause tension headaches over a twelve-hour day, and it puts stress on a fragile hairline. If yours is thinning or recovering from braids or extensions, a softer pull with a few pieces left out is kinder.
Strong cowlicks at the front fight a slick part all day. Very curly or coily hair can absolutely wear a sleek bun, but it needs a good blow-out or a gel set the day before, and it may feel heavy. High humidity is the last spoiler: in a tropical climate, a soft or waved low bun looks deliberate if it frizzes, while a slick one looks like it failed.
Getting the Gel Out After Midnight
Take the pins out slowly, one at a time, and don’t drag a brush through gelled hair while it’s dry. I suggest wetting the hair in the shower, applying a lot of conditioner and leaving it on for a few minutes before combing from the ends upward. Gel then rinses out without pulling. If you’re leaving on a honeymoon the next morning, a clarifying shampoo will remove any residue in one wash.
Is the Slick Bun Right for Your Hair?
Sofia Richie Grainge’s bun became a bridal reference because it’s simple and refined. Under that simplicity, though, is a lot of careful work: a precise part, smooth sections and secure pins. You can keep it classic or soften it with waves, add pearls, a vine or a veil. If your hair is fine at the temples, very curly or prone to frizz, bring that up at your trial, and your stylist will tell you which version will hold through the day.
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