Now here is a 2000s trend revival I can fully get behind. Katie Holmes, a woman who can do no fashion wrong, was just photographed on the streets of New York City with her hair in a voluminous messy topknot, the quintessential lazy-but-keep-it-cute style of the aughts. To those who never stopped haphazardly piling their hair into an elastic on days between washes, I salute you, but this is still a big day for those of us who have been struggling with low ponytails as an alternative for the past several years.
Holmes paired her effort-negative ’do with an equally laid back ’fit consisting of a loose white tee tucked into a pair of wide-leg black lounge pants, with oversized sunnies, sneaks, and a shoulder bag.
The messy bun never truly went away, of course, but modern It girlies have generally gone for sleeker versions of the style that sometimes require hours of TikTok tutorials to perfect. Kim Kardashian, for instance, has been seen wearing her hair slicked back into a loose chignon that really only gestures at “messy.” Hilary Duff, Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid have all rocked versions of an “off-duty” bun, with hair pulled neatly away from the face and worn low, with the ends allowed to stay loose in artfully low-key fronds.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Unlike these styles, which are really more effortless in vibe than in actual execution, the messy topknot as modeled here by Katie Holmes embraces all flyaways. A properly styled messy topknot should take no more than 30 seconds to arrange. She is more reliable than a red lip and easier than yoga pants. She pairs perfectly with girl dinner. She is not the hero we deserve, but she is the hero we need.
