The high bun is one of those styles that works at every stage of your loc journey. Short locs, mid-length, waist-length, the bun adapts to wherever you are. It cleans up your look in under five minutes and still manages to turn heads.
What makes the high bun different from other updos is how much it does without asking much from you. Tuck, wrap, secure. Done. No complicated pinning, no sections that need to be perfect, no hours in front of a mirror.
Loc wearers know this style earns its keep. Whether you’re going to work, a wedding, a family dinner, or running errands on a Saturday, a high bun keeps your locs off your face and your look pulled together. Add a scarf, some gold cuffs, or a few loose pieces at the front and the whole thing shifts into something else entirely.
Fourteen variations worth knowing are right below.
1. Two-Toned Wrapped High Bun With Straight-Back Underlay
Medium auburn-tipped locs wrapped into a large, smooth high bun with the locs coiled in a clean circular pattern from base to crown. The wrapping is tight and uniform, giving the bun a polished, almost sculptural finish.
Below the bun, black locs are laid straight back in neat parallel rows running from the hairline to the base, creating a sleek, uninterrupted line from front to back. The contrast between the dark underlaid sections and the warm auburn bun is sharp and intentional.
Clean from every angle. This is the high bun for when you need your hair to look like you put real time into it.
Tip: To get the smooth wrapped finish on the bun, use one or two longer locs as the wrapping piece and coil them around the base in one continuous direction rather than tucking multiple ends at random.
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2. High Petal Bun With Beaded Face-Framing Locs
Black locs shaped into a full petal bun at the crown, with each section spread and layered to create a wide, rounded bloom. Two twisted face-framing locs hang down on either side, each tipped with a mustard yellow bead that lands just below the chin.
Amber beads are tucked into the bun as well, adding small pops of color throughout. Baby hairs are laid softly at the hairline. Gold stacked earrings, a layered gold chain with a cross pendant, and a small nose stud round out the accessories.
The mustard beads tie the whole look together. Same color at the crown and at the tips of the hanging locs creates a intentional thread through the style.
Tip: When adding beads to face-framing pieces, match the bead color to an accent already in the bun so the detail reads as planned rather than added as an afterthought.
3. High Petal Bun With Flat-Laid Locs
Short to medium black locs swept straight up and gathered into a high petal bun, with the sides and front laid flat and smooth against the scalp. Each loc is fanned out at the crown in overlapping petal sections rather than wrapped into a tight ball, creating a full, open bloom at the top.
A few deep auburn hints are just visible within the bun. Gold hoop earrings, a layered gold chain, and tortoiseshell cat-eye glasses complete the look without competing with the hair.
Simple on the sides. Full at the top. That contrast is exactly what makes this petal bun work so well on shorter locs.
Tip: To achieve the petal effect, separate the locs into small sections at the crown and fan each one outward before pinning, layering each section slightly over the last.
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4. Full Golden Blonde Wrapped High Bun With Straight-Back Underlay
Medium to long locs in a warm golden blonde tone swept straight back from the nape and hairline in clean parallel rows, then wrapped into a tall, tapered high bun that narrows slightly toward the crown.
The wrapping is tight and continuous, with the locs coiling upward in a smooth spiral that gives the bun real height without extra volume. The all-over color makes the bun the undeniable focal point. No accessories visible, none needed.
When every loc is the same bold color, the style speaks entirely for itself. This is what a single-color commitment looks like fully executed.
Tip: A tapered wrapped bun with this kind of height needs a strong anchor at the base. Secure the gathered locs firmly before beginning to wrap, otherwise the weight of the wrapping pulls the whole bun off-center as it builds.
5. Two-Toned High Bun With Loc Underlay Grid
Black locs gathered into a full high bun, with auburn-tipped ends coiled at the crown creating a warm contrast against the dark roots. The sides and back feature a clean underlay pattern where horizontal locs are looped and connected in a grid across the scalp, adding structure beneath the bun.
Neat. Intentional. The kind of style that looks like you spent hours even if you didn’t.
Tip: The underlay grid keeps locs flat and reduces bulk at the base of the bun, making it easier to secure without a thick hair tie.
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6. Stacked Petal Bun With Diamond Grid Underlay and Twisted Drop Locs
Dark brown locs built into a tall stacked petal bun with multiple layers of sections piled high for serious crown volume. The sides and back feature a bold diamond grid underlay where thick locs are looped and knotted at each intersection, creating a chunky, textured pattern rather than a flat lay.
Two thick twisted locs hang down from the back, dropping past the shoulder with a knotted finish at the ends. Large gold hoop earrings, multiple ear piercings, and a gold chain necklace complete the look. Clear-frame glasses sit just visible at the side.
The knotted grid here is a step up from a standard underlay. The loops sit raised off the scalp, adding dimension that makes the sides as much of a focal point as the bun.
Tip: Knotted or looped underlay patterns require more loc length than flat grids. Make sure the locs being used to form the loops have enough length to cross, loop, and knot without pulling tight against the scalp.
7. High Bun With Underlay Grid and Curly Loc Extensions
All-black locs swept into a full high bun with a visible underlay grid pattern across the sides and back. Two long curly loc extensions hang down from the bun along the side of the face, with tight spiral texture that contrasts against the locked locs above.
The combination of structured grid work on the scalp and loose curly pieces creates a style that is polished from the back and expressive from the front.
Tip: Curly extension pieces added to a bun give the illusion of length without undoing the updo. Anchor them near the base of the bun before securing so they hang naturally rather than sticking out at an angle.
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8. Two-Toned High Bun With Diamond Grid Underlay and Face-Framing Locs
Dark brown and golden amber locs gathered into a full high bun, with the color contrast visible throughout both the bun and the underlaid sections below. The sides and back feature a diamond-shaped grid pattern where locs are crossed and connected across the scalp in clean diagonal lines.
Two loose amber locs fall forward on either side of the face, framing the jaw. Silver hoop earrings and a small nose stud keep the accessories minimal against the bold two-tone color.
The amber pieces woven through the dark base do the most work here. They add dimension without dyeing every loc.
Tip: Face-framing pieces pulled loose before securing the bun soften the overall look and draw attention to the face rather than keeping all the focus at the crown.
9. Messy High Bun With Splayed Ends
Medium black locs gathered high on the crown and secured loosely, with the ends fanning out in every direction for a deliberately undone finish. The base sits neat against the scalp but everything above it is relaxed and free.
Shorter locs at the temples lie close to the head. Clear gold-rimmed glasses, a delicate chain necklace, stacked bracelets, and a small ring keep the accessories light and personal.
No tucking, no wrapping, no overthinking. That is exactly the point of this style.
Tip: To get the messy bun effect without it looking unkempt, secure the base tightly first, then gently pull and spread the ends outward with your fingers before the hold sets.
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10. Flower Petal High Bun With Straight Drop Face-Framing Locs
All-black locs shaped into a full flower petal bun at the crown, with each section fanned and layered outward to form a wide, blooming silhouette. The volume is generous and the petals extend well beyond the gathered base, giving the bun serious height and presence.
Two straight locs hang down on either side of the face, dropping past the chin and adding length against the updo. A small stud earring and clean edges complete the look.
Big bun energy, minimal accessories. The two hanging locs do exactly enough to keep this from looking too formal.
Tip: When creating the petal shape, work in sections and pin each petal individually before moving to the next. Trying to shape all the locs at once flattens the bloom and loses the defined separation between petals.
11. Fluffy High Bun With Diagonal Underlay Grid
Dark brown to black locs gathered into a full, voluminous high bun with a soft, fluffy crown where the ends curl and fan outward naturally. The sides feature a clean diagonal underlay grid pattern with locs crossed at angles across the scalp, creating a more dynamic layout than a straight horizontal grid.
The diagonal grid adds movement to what could easily be a flat, static underlay. It makes the sides just as interesting as the bun itself.
Tip: A diagonal grid takes more planning than a horizontal one. Map out the sections before you start crossing locs so the pattern stays consistent from temple to nape.
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12. High Bun With Spiral Coil Face-Framing Locs
Black locs gathered into a full, textured high bun with the ends coiling loosely at the crown. Three tightly coiled spiral locs hang down on each side of the face, falling from the temple to below the chin in a defined corkscrew pattern.
The contrast between the gathered bun above and the bouncy spirals framing the face is what makes this style stand out. Small gold stud earrings keep the accessories minimal.
Those spirals are doing serious work. They soften the whole look and draw attention straight to the face.
Tip: To get tight, defined spirals on loc ends, wrap each loc tightly around a small rod or straw and allow it to fully dry before releasing. Rushing the drying time loosens the curl pattern.
13. Voluminous High Bun With Loose Nape Tendrils
Dark brown to black medium locs swept up into a full, voluminous high bun with ends looping and curling outward at the crown in an organic, unfussy arrangement.
The back shows locs fanning upward from the nape with several thin loose tendrils left to hang freely down the neck, adding softness to the back view. The overall silhouette is wide and full at the top, tapering into the natural nape with those trailing pieces breaking any stiffness.
The loose tendrils at the nape are the detail that elevates this from a basic updo to something more intentional. Front-facing styles often ignore the back entirely.
Tip: Leave two or three of the shortest locs at the nape out before securing the bun. They fall naturally and soften the back without any extra styling needed.
14. High Petal Bun With Diamond Grid Underlay and Crimped Drop Locs
Dark brown to black locs shaped into a full petal bun at the crown with sections fanned outward in layered blooms. The sides feature a clean diamond grid underlay with locs crossed and connected in even diagonal sections across the scalp.
Multiple crimped locs hang loose from the back and sides, falling past the jaw with a defined zigzag texture throughout their length. A small gold stud earring and a tiny nose stud keep the accessories simple against the detailed styling.
The crimped drop locs are the unexpected detail here. They add movement and texture that straight hanging locs simply would not deliver.
Tip: To get a defined crimp on loc ends, braid the locs while damp and allow them to dry completely before unraveling. The tighter the braid, the more pronounced the crimp pattern will be.
How to Keep a High Bun Looking Fresh for More Than One Day
Most high buns on locs can last three to five days with the right nighttime routine. The style you spent an hour on does not have to come down after one wear.
Before bed, loosely wrap your locs with a satin or silk scarf, tying it at the front without pulling the bun down or flattening it. A satin bonnet large enough to cover the full height of the bun works just as well. Cotton pillowcases pull moisture from locs overnight and cause frizz, so the covering matters more than most people realize.
Sleep on a satin pillowcase as a backup if the scarf shifts during the night.
In the morning, the bun will likely need two things: edge refresh and frizz control. Smooth any lifted edges with a soft bristle brush and a light edge product.
For frizz on the bun itself, lightly mist your hands with water and gently press them over the surface of the bun rather than picking at individual locs, which creates more frizz than it fixes.
Petal buns and underlay styles hold their shape longer because the structure is built into the style itself. Simple wrapped buns may need a single re-wrap of the outer layer by day three to look intentional again.
Avoid heavy oils on the bun between washes. They attract lint and dust, which settles into the locs and dulls the finish faster than anything else.