This week we’ve been inspired by everyone’s favourite 90s Girl Power icons, the Spice Girls. The double bun look was first popularised by Baby, but now seems to be popping up on stars from Miley Cyrus and Rita Ora to Gwen Stefani and Katy Perry. We thought we’d embrace the nostalgia and give it a go – would it spice up our lives or should we just stop right now..?
Elaine: The humble bun is generally regarded as a fairly modest hairstyle. In a world where undercuts, mohawks and rainbow coloured hair are seen every day the bun is pretty shy and retiring in comparison. However, what about a double bun? A double bun is a bit wild. Gwen Stefani, Bjork, Princess Leia; it’s the hairstyle of an exhibitionist. Despite it being me who suggested this week’s Can Can’t Don’t I was still a bit worried I would look like an overgrown child, or perhaps a 90s rave throwback (minus the glow-sticks). Despite my concerns I ended up loving it and would happily wear it as a day to day hairstyle. It must be my inner show-off…
Verdict: Can
Lizzy: When I heard about this week’s challenge, I was immediately transported back to 1997 begging my mum to put my hair into ‘Baby Spice Buns’, nowadays… I’m not so eager. I decided the higher the bun is placed the better, so I created a parting (sadly not a zig-zag parting, which normally compliments the Spice Girl ‘do’) and simply twisted my hair into two buns. As I was twisting I was wishing this would suit me, as it has the potential to be an amazing I-can’t-be-bothered-to-do-my-hair-today cure. However, I looked like a cross between Scary Spice and Kate Winslet’s character in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The back looks really nice with my dip dye, but it just doesn’t suit the shape of my face, and I do have a young looking face so I do come across as a seven year old. On other girls I think it looks cute, but on me it’s tragic.
Verdict: Can’t
Amrita: I loved the Spice Girls and a part of me still holds out hope that they will one day reform so I can finally get to see them in concert. They were the epitome of the 90s from the Buffalo platform trainers (Yes, I had a pair) and the glitzy outfits (Also, had my fair share) there was nothing they could do wrong.
Typically, Baby Spice was my favourite Spice Girl because she always had her outfit, platforms and hair on point, that includes her buns. Every girl wanted to do the double bun look and while I may have worn my hair like that in the privacy of my bedroom while singing Say You’ll Be There in to my hairbrush, it’s never been a look that I could step out of the confines of my room wearing.
Fast forward 16 years and it still isn’t a look that I can pull off so I guess I’ll just go back to singing into my hair brush while perfecting my best ‘Girl Power’ look. Sorry Baby Spice, this look is all yours.
Verdict: Can’t
Katie: Controversially, Posh was always my favourite Spice Girl, so this was not a style I was looking forward to trying. My round Cabbage Patch kid face doesn’t just mean that I’ll probably be getting ID’d well into my thirties: it’s also made me a long hair devotee with a phobia of tying my hair up.
The mini-bun style does at least have one thing going for it – it’s pretty easy to do! I parted my hair down the middle and then just made two small buns towards the back of my head. The result? It doesn’t look as shocking as anticipated, and it’s quite liberating to not feel weighed down by long, thick hair, but I feel like Princess Leia’s blonde daughter – aren’t they casting for new Star Wars films at the moment..?
Verdict: Can’t