An Analysis Of The Slicked-Back Hairstyle

A sudden light pulls you out of your sleep, leaving you to blink your eyes open to your room. You get out of bed and go through your closet. Picking the perfect outfit that is the best mix of casual and cute, you head towards the bathroom wondering what you’ll do with your hair. In the mirror, you see your long hair, a beautiful combination of straight, wavy, and curly. And you decide to throw it up into a messy bun and-

Wait… is this the beginning of a 2011 One Direction fanfiction? Scratch all of that. It’s 2024 and the slicked-back bun has taken over. 

The infamous slicked-back hair has always been around, however it’s had a sudden surge in the last year. Whether you’ve got wash day on the horizon, are going for the clean-girl look, or just need your hair out of your face, the slicked-back bun is here to help. The slicked-back bun was originally tied to a certain “clean” look since the applied gel keeps every hair in place. It’s supposed to give a very effortless look. 

Ironically enough, the times I’ve done a slick back have been when I put the most effort into my hair. Perhaps it’s because I have thicker hair, but it feels like a whole arm workout to get every bump and strand into place. Don’t even get me started on handling the back of my head. I live by the statement that whatever I don’t see is not my problem. 

The slicked-back hairstyle feels less like a low-effort look and more like an investment to me. For the small price of breaking a sweat during the workout, it is to gel everything back and boar brush it down, so I can have a worry-free day with my hair. I’ll be honest and say I do love not having to think about how my hair looks. While I feel like I never accomplish that “clean” look, at least my hair is out of my face. 

What I love about this hairstyle is its twist on what is deemed classically elegant with a modern twist. Historically buns have symbolized elegance and formality, typically worn by ballerinas or royalty. It’s a large diversion from the traditional messy bun yet it is equally appealing to me. 

The slicked-back bun provides a streamlined appearance that enhances facial features while maintaining a polished finish. It’s my go-to choice when I’m seeking a sophisticated, yet effortlessly chic look. Even though I’ve only mentioned the slick back bun, there are other ways you can slick your hair back. My personal favorite is slicking my hair back into two braids and a single-braided ponytail. Slicking your hair back is versatile and fits for professional settings to casual outings. 

Additionally, the style is easy to maintain with the right products. Using styling gels, pomades, or hairsprays helps achieve the smooth, glossy finish characteristic of the slicked-back bun. I typically use a gel, beeswax, and a boar brush to hold it all down. This routine makes sure that my hair stays intact all day. 

However, I can’t write about the slicked-back bun without acknowledging its downfalls and the way it has been falsely populated as a new creation. The “clean” aesthetic as a whole has questionable practices, as it often includes a normalization of consumer maximalism. I can’t deny that I felt a little foolish purchasing a boar brush and beeswax for my hair when I didn’t really need it. Whenever a new trend like simply looking clean becomes popularized I can’t help but wonder whether I’m simply being convinced of new flaws and reasons to feed into capitalism. 

It’s also hard to ignore that the rise of slicked-back hairstyles isn’t a new invention at all. For years women of color have rocked different variations of the slick-back, yet it only now has become branded as “clean” and a “classy look.” While I cannot deny that I believe a slicked-back bun is beautiful, it’s necessary to examine the implications of its mainstream acceptance.

Many women of color have taken online to share how they’ve grown up slicking their hair back and hold a deep connection to the hairstyle. The commercialization and rebranding of the slick back can obscure and ignore the traditions of those who embraced it long before it suddenly became a “trend” among a broader demographic. It also becomes problematic to label the hairstyle as “clean” only once it became a trend rather than when it was commonly done in many communities. 

I am in no way exempt from falling for the capitalization of the slicked-back hairstyle. I’ve spent so much time scrolling through TikTok, watching intensely as I try to mirror the beautiful girl in the video’s hairstyle. Nevertheless, I wind up feeling dissatisfied with how I look. I end up picking apart my ethnic features, wondering why I don’t look like the girls with blonde hair and gold hoops on Pinterest when they slick their hair back. 

The funniest (or worst) part is that once you slick back, you can’t go back. No matter how dissatisfied I end up truly feeling, the gel in my hair has dried up. Pinterest-girl lookalike or not, this is the look for the day. 

In the end, the slicked-back bun is a timeless hairstyle. I emphasize “timeless” because its appeal and practicality extend far beyond current trends. While it may be experiencing a resurgence in popularity on social media and in the fashion industry, this hairstyle is far from new. It has been an integral part of various cultures for generations.

Recognizing the slicked-back bun’s historical and cultural significance is so important. It’s not just a fleeting trend but a hairstyle that has been a staple in many communities, offering both functionality and style. As we navigate the evolving landscape of beauty trends, it’s important to honor and respect the deep roots of these styles rather than allowing them to be reduced to mere fashion statements.

• beauty
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• fashion
• Hairstyle
• slicked-back hair
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