Mirror mirror on the wall, who has the best top knot of them all? (Spoiler alert: JLo does.) With summer in full swing, it’s time to put out the breeziest looks, from a simple chignon to braid buns, on display.
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Beach ponytails.
We lost count of the ponytails in this Taylor Swift group shot -- but the squad favours for simple loose beach hair or a ponytail.
2 / 35
The fake-out side shave.
No doubt the side-shave is super cool, but growing it out might not be so fun. Instead, experiment with the look by tightly pinning one side of hair and leaving the other side loose.
3 / 35
The giant hat.
This season on RHONY, it's "short hair, DO care" (considering how much discussion Bethenny and Luann have had about it). Bethenny is taking a break from the drama by covering up with a giant hat. What bad hair day?
4 / 35
Fish tail.
Blake Lively's red carpet fish tail launched a thousand imitations (and a lot of hours spent watching YouTube tutorials).
5 / 35
Double braid into bun.
This look requires some effort, but will last for days. The double French braid into a braided bun manages to be both complicated and casual.
6 / 35
The side pony.
Consider this the new and improved "Sandra Oh side ponytail." Pull the hair high up and over to one side and don't worry about having the perfectly centred look. In fact, the more asymmetrical, the better.
7 / 35
Mommy/daughter top knots.
While the Kardashians have spurred some high-maintenance trends (like ombre hair and "kontouring", Kourtney and Penelope's matching mommy/daughter top knots don't require a glam squad.
8 / 35
The side pin.
The double side pin has all the benefits of an up or back style (read: hair out of the face) but won't leave you with kinked hair at the end of the day.
9 / 35
Thick front braid/half crown.
A practical and polished thick front braid can be done on the fly and doesn't require anything except an elastic band and some quick fingers.
10 / 35
The low pony.
The simplest styles always look good for a reason, right? A low-pony works especially well with strapless tops (or if accessories are the focus).
11 / 35
The full beach bun.
Lala Kent caught a lot of flack for her limp half bun on Vanderpump Rules, but this full and high beach bun is definitely an improvement.
12 / 35
The low half up hair.
Here's an fresh way to get short hair off the face -- Jennifer Lawrence went low with her bobby pins, securing hair around the neck instead of at the back of the head.
13 / 35
The low bun (with flower crown).
This vacation style is both low-key and flawless -- an easy bun complemented by a flower crown fit for Queen Bey.
14 / 35
Pin straight.
Have day-old hair that just won't cooperate? Take a hot flat iron to it and go pin straight, a no-fail options.
15 / 35
The low half bun.
Here's a messy look worth imitating: take a handful of hair and bring it halfway through an elastic and secure with bobby pins. Pull out a few strands of hair for the full effect.
16 / 35
Double top knot.
Part Princess Leia, part Miley Cyrus, this double top knot is fresh and fun for a night out.
17 / 35
The perfect ponytail.
With an elastic, a comb and a little patience, Selena's perfect ponytail be anyone's go-to style.
18 / 35
The side braid.
Gwyneth usually favours a polished blow-out, but even she needs a break at the beach. The side braid requires little effort and nimble fingers.
19 / 35
The formal French twist.
There's a reason the French twist has been the go-to up 'do since the 1950s: it's elegant without fuss (but remember to stock up on the bobby pins before you try it).
20 / 35
Side-swept bangs.
Dealing with a short layer in the front, or growing out bangs? Try the severe side sweep like Taylor.
21 / 35
The head scarf.
Recreating Rihanna's mellow beach vibe is simple: pile hair up and fasten with a scarf.
22 / 35
The undone chignon/bun.
A chignon traditionally uses all of the hair sits low on the head, but here a few end pieces are sticking out for a more "undone" look.
23 / 35
Sunny weather accessories.
At first glance, this looks like a body chain, but it's actually a sunglasses chain, which Vanderpump Rules' Scheana showed off by sweeping her hair off to the side.
24 / 35
Traditional chignon.
Chignons are a red carpet staple because they are elegant and easy -- simply pull hair back to the base and secure with pins.
25 / 35
The half bun.
The half-bun (or is it a mid top-knot?) keeps hair off the face but leaves some down for those "wind blowing through my hair" selfies.
26 / 35
The swinging pony.
This casual pony has "long hair, don't care" written all over it.
27 / 35
Tower bun with scarf.
Chrissy Teigen's Twitter feed has it all: Real Housewives and VP Rules love, feuds, clapbacks, recipes and hair inspo like this towering bun with a scarf tied in. Because a Sports Illustrated cover girl knows a thing or two about getting beach ready.
28 / 35
Side part into ponytail.
Yolanda is all about low-maintenance beauty, so for this beach vacation the RHOBH star parted her hair down the middle and pulled it back into a low ponytail.
29 / 35
Half-up hair.
Feminine and fairly easy to execute, the half-up style never goes out of, well, style.
30 / 35
Double braids.
No Housewife inspired more hair envy than RHOBH's Kyle Richards -- and she says going low-maintenance is key. Instead of her signature long and shiny locks, she went for double braids at the beach.
31 / 35
Beach-y waves.
If a dip in the ocean isn't possible, a sea salt spray is an easy way to get the straight-from-the-beach feel.
32 / 35
The hair turban.
Another easy hair accessory look courtesy of Eva Mendes: the turban. Fashion one yourself from a scarf (check YouTube for tutorials), or buy one from Eva's fashion collection.
33 / 35
Severe side part.
IRL Lea Michele often straightens or does a soft wave in her hair, but for lounging in the sun she let her natural wave come through and took her part to the next level.
34 / 35
Slicked back.
We aren't sure if Anne's hair is a ponytail or a bun back there, but slicking back all the loose pieces is a low-maintenance and clean way to go.
35 / 35
The top knot.
And the award for best top knot goes to... Jennifer Lopez. She single-handedly turned the regular woman's "watching TV on the couch" style into her signature look.
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