35 Best Man Bun Hairstyles (2022 Guide)

Curious about the man bun? The man bun hairstyle ascended as an edgy, fashionable alternative to wearing men’s long hair naturally. The man bun haircut is styled by grasping all of your hair at the crown of your head and then using a hair band or tie to fashion the hair into the bun. The best man buns generally requires at least 10 inches of hair to comfortably tie up. This means that most guys will need to grow long hair over the course of several months in order to do a man bun. However, the man bun has many different variations.

For example, guys can get a man bun fade where the sides are tapered for contrast. In fact, the man bun taper fade is one of the most modern and popular versions of the classic look. Similarly, men can ask their barbers for a man bun undercut or even a man bun with shaved sides for a low-maintenance, masculine cut. Finally, pair a man bun and beard together and take advantage of the ultimate men’s hair and beard trends.

With so many ways to grow, style and tie a short and long hair man bun, it’s important to see the coolest ways to rock a man bun hairstyle before choosing the best look for you. Here’s our guide on the different man bun styles.

Contents

1 What Is A Man Bun?
2 Best Man Bun Hairstyles
3 How To Grow A Man Bun
4 How To Do A Man Bun
5 Cool Man Bun Styles

What Is A Man Bun?

A man bun is simply a long hairstyle for men that requires gathering all your hair into a bun. Similar to a top knot or man ponytail, the difference is a more rounded knot of hair that rests in the back of the head as opposed to the top. To get a man bun tied up, you’ll need to grow out your hair to at least several inches.

However, men who want the man bun can cut their hair on the sides short or long. For example, you may want to add an undercut, taper fade, bald fade, or even shaved sides to contrast with the longer hair on top.

Best Man Bun Hairstyles

From long, textured hair pulled back into a bun on top to a messy man bun with faded sides, you can ask your barber for a variety of bun hairstyles. Here are a few examples of the best new man buns to get!

Man Bun Fade

The man bun fade is a stylish way to get this long hairstyle. Whether you choose a high, mid or low fade, the short sides will highlight the medium length to longer hair on top. Plus, in addition to where you start the man bun taper, there are countless other kinds of fades to experiment with. As one of the easiest updos for men with long hair, we highly recommend the man bun fade haircut.

Undercut Man Bun

The undercut man bun remains a barbershop favorite. Similar to the slicked back undercut, the man bun undercut hairstyle starts very high on the sides of the head and is generally cut all one length down to the ear and neck. However, guys do have the choice of a man bun undercut fade.

Long Hair Man Bun

The long hair man bun is the most commonly seen version because long hair just generally lends itself to being tied up. It certainly doesn’t hurt that man bun styles offer guys an easy styling solution to thick, unruly hair.

Short Hair Man Bun

The short hair man bun is a clean alternative if you don’t have the patience to grow out long hair. Styled with faded sides, even a mini man bun can look good when done right.

Man Bun and Beard

These days, it seems ever man bun comes with a beard. While the man bun and beard combination isn’t a requirement, the styles naturally work together for the perfect look. Nevertheless, just because you have a messy or loose man bun doesn’t mean your facial hair should be unkempt and poorly maintained. True beardsmen will pick up a complete beard grooming kit to help them grow and groom the best beard styles.

How To Grow A Man Bun

Guys always wonder how long it takes to grow a man bun. The truth is you won’t get a long man bun in a month; however, if just want a mini man bun with short hair, that’s feasible in 2 or 3 months, depending on your length of hair right now. While hair growth is largely predetermined by genetics, here are some tips on how to grow a man bun.

For starters, be patient. Hair grows about half an inch per month. And although there are different stages to growing a man bun – some of them will be awkward – the end result is well-worth the wait. Just remember that there are plenty of short and medium length hairstyles you can get as your man bun grows. For instance, the long comb over, textured modern quiff, spiky hair, slick back, and fringe are all cool men’s haircuts to style while you wait through the different man bun stages.

To ensure maximum hair growth, you may want to consider these hair strengthening shampoos. Although some of them are designed as hair loss shampoos for men, the formula also lends itself to growth. The high-quality ingredients in these washes will nourish hair follicles, provide the necessary hydration and conditioning, and essentially provide your scalp and strands the perfect environment to grow.

The other important step to be mindful of is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Growing your man bun out is all about stimulating growth. While you may not be able to grow your hair longer and faster overnight, you can definitely make sure it is growing at its fastest rate. This means a balanced diet for optimal nutrition, regular exercise for increased blood circulation, stress relief to avoid slowing growth, and plenty of sleep and rest for improved hormone production.

Finally, our last tip is to get a trim once every 3 months. The goal here is not to cut any meaningful length, but to trim about a quarter inch off the tips to get rid of split ends that may be stunting growth. Make sure to let your barber know of your plan to grow a man bun so he/she can advise you on how much length to trim.

How To Do A Man Bun

You’ve probably seen a few guys with hair buns, but may still be wondering how to do a man bun. The final look really depends on your hair type, the length on top, how you like to style your hair (messy or neat), and whether you have short hair on the sides. Similarly, how tight you want your hair and what feels comfortable to you will determine how you tie your man bun.

Here’s how to do a man bun with short, medium, or long hair.

Start with freshly washed hair that is slightly damp. We recommend towel-dried hair for just the right amount of moisture.
For a shiny finish, apply a good smelling pomade or wax. Otherwise, for a lightweight touch and a natural, textured look, use hair clay or cream.
A full man bun requires all the hair on your head. Start by brushing all of your hair to the back of your head and hold all of the strands at one point.
Next, use a hair band to tie it in place. We recommend you double knot the hair tie for a secure fit.
To create a man ponytail, you can leave the hair hanging. However, if you want a bun, grab your hair, and wrap it around the tie. Another option is taking the end of your hair and looping it into the hair tie to create a knot.

How you style the man bun depends on how much hair you have to work with. Furthermore, with no exact right or wrong look, how you get a man bun is all about personal preference and art so be creative and find unique ways to tie your hair bun.

Cool Man Bun Styles

While the man bun hairstyle may take practice and patience, there are many variations of cuts and styles to try. By combining a long man bun on top with a fade, undercut, or shaved sides, guys can get a number of trendy long men’s hairstyles. Here are some of the hottest different man bun styles to get right now.

Man Bun Undercut

The man bun undercut is probably the most popular version of the hairstyle. Because a cool man bun and undercut paired with a full beard is the ultimate depiction of masculinity and style, guys generally prefer this badass look. However, be mindful you can always ask your barber for an undercut fade or shaved sides to change things up.

Man Bun with Shaved Sides + Beard

The man bun with shaved sides offers maximum contrast and really focuses your attention on the unique style on top. Like the undercut or fade, shaved sides are ideal if you want to accentuate the longer hair on top while making the hairstyle easy and simple for your morning routine.

Messy Man Bun + Beard

The messy man bun is a hipster hairstyle that combines a stylish look with a laid back attitude. As one of the best ways to do a man bun, this unkempt look exudes a certain sexiness that women find irresistible.

Mohawk Man Bun

The mohawk man bun is a hot haircut worth trying at the barbershop this year. The rebellious cut will certainly make you stand out in any crowd.

Black Man Bun

The black man bun is proof that this cut and style transcends race. As long as you have straight hair that can be tied up in a bun, you can get this classy hairstyle.