Fresh New Ways to Rock the Topknot Like Vanessa Hudgens and Shay Mitchell

No longer reserved for your sweaty post-gym look, the topknot has graduated from supercasual to super, well, chic. “You can wear it to a party, you can wear it to go get coffee after a long day. It’s something that will always look good no matter what,” celebrity hairstylist Michael Duenas, who works with Padma Lakshmi and Ariel Winter, tells Stylish. He created two versions on Us Weekly video correspondent Jackie Miranne — a polished version à la Shay Mitchell and a relaxed option à la Vanessa Hudgens.

To start, you’ll need a hairdryer, round brush, hairspray and bobby pins. For the polished style, blow-dry with a large round brush. Gather hair on top and secure with elastic. Duenas’ tip: Tilting your head back when gathering the pony creates a smoother look. Wrap locks into a loose bun and secure with pins. Spritz with hairspray.

To try the more relaxed option, use fingers instead of a brush to pull hair into a pony and secure with an elastic. Braid from the elastic to the tail for texture, then wrap the braid around the elastic and secure with pins. Set with hairspray.