How To Rock The Trending Y2K-Inspired Funnel Cake Bun

With the trendy money piece hairstyle and the shaggy bob on our beauty radar, it's clear that Y2K styles are back, and they're here to stay. As we approach 2023, from the looks of trendsetters' hair, it seems like nothing's changed since 2003. Truthfully, though, we know that plenty has changed in the past two decades, yet we're still eager to welcome some of our fave hairstyles of yesteryear back into our beauty routines. According to Byrdie, the latest to join the ranks of the great, resurrected hair looks is called the funnel cake bun, and this updo is just as much fun as its sweet carnival food namesake. 

Per Bustle, Y2K hairstyles are all about whimsy, volume, and major texture. The funnel cake bun fits right in and gives you an updo with textured playfulness and plenty of options to pull your hair back in a way that feels flirty, fun, and fresh (even if it does come from way back when.)

As the '90s and early aughts trends pay us visits like the ghosts of hairstyles past, we have more and more playful hairstyles, hair accessories, and creative updos at our disposal. If you experienced the Y2K trends during their first time around, you certainly remember funnel cake buns, though you may not know their name. From Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire, per BuzzFeed, to Mandy Moore, according to Refinery29, 2000s it-girls were all about rocking this piece-y, funky hairstyle back in the day. 

According to Byrdie, this seriously cool style is all about twists. You can twist big chunks of hair into loops and bobby pin them to your head or opt for tons of tiny twists, instead. If you choose the latter, you might notice that your hair bears an uncanny resemblance to everyone's favorite carnival treat, funnel cake. This 'do is particularly flexible; the only required element is giving your strands a good twist.

The easiest way to know that a trend is officially a trend is when celebs and influencers are spotted sporting it. Well, besides the starlets we remember seeing in this unique hairstyle two decades ago, there are plenty of it-girls of today who've jumped on the trend in 2022. From Gigi Hadid to Megan Thee Stallion, the stars have been giving twist-y buns a go and marrying the sleek, pulled back look with carefree nostalgia (via Byrdie).

Hairstylist to the stars, Dayaruci, shared photos of the simple, sleek funnel cake buns he gave Phoebe Dynevor on Instagram, proving that the fun funnel cake style can also look updated and sophisticated. Alternatively, influencer, Nykita Joy's funnel cake bun TikTok tutorial that has over 10,000 likes shows a more complicated, trendy version of the viral hairstyle. No matter how they choose to do it, though, the stars look spectacular in carnival-fare-inspired hair.

If you're ready to try your hand at the funnel cake bun, you'll be happy to know that achieving this updo is much easier than it may look. According to YouTuber Ingrid Nilsen's viral tutorial, you should start with hair that hasn't been watched in a few days. After teasing a bit around the scalp, add some hairspray, and pull it back into a tight ponytail. Split the ponytail up into separate pieces, and twist each one until it twists in on itself. Then, bobby pin the end of the twist to your head. Continue this same action with each section. Nilsen finishes off the look by pulling out some face-framing strands. Make sure you have plenty of bobby pins at your disposal before attempting this look, and get ready — this bun is as fun to create as it looks.

Of course, making this 'do look modern, fresh, and not like you just time-traveled from the days of MySpace and *NSYNC is of the utmost importance to many of us. To make this work, creative director and editorial stylist for Inspire Greatness Aveda Institutes, Heggy Gonzales, told Byrdie, "Try uber sleek with a center part, really snatch that ponytail beforehand and don't leave those ends out, or two, soften the look with some loose pieces in front, larger twisted pieces and some slight volume to the ponytail."

One of the keys to the funnel cake bun is fun and creativity. Consequently, there's not just one right way make this funky style your own. One of our favorite aspects of the funnel cake bun is how well it pairs with the other popular '90s and Y2K trends of today. You can leave some tendrils out, let your ends stick up spiky, or even toss on some butterfly clips for added glitz. We love the way Jenna Ortega added sparkle by weaving rhinestones throughout her funnel cake bun top knot (via Celeb Mafia).

As the holidays approach, the funnel cake bun can be a great way to add a little snazziness and a bit of formality to your regular top knot. You may even want to add some hair tinsel or seasonal hair accessories to give your funnel cake bun some extra festiveness for your holiday celebrations. Just call the holiday funnel cake bun a Christmas carnival for your hair.