The quick-and-easy bun is a style mainstay of any woman with hair longer than a lob [1]. It hides a multitude of hair sins (from split ends to too many shampoo skips) and only requires a single hair elastic. While we've usually restricted ours to appearances at Zumba or a hungover brunch, Kerry Washington [2] proves that this simple look is worthy of a little more glamour.

Kerry stepped out at the Paley Center's 32nd annual PaleyFest in Hollywood rocking the lazy-girl bun but made it look more chic than ever. By adding extra height to the crown and letting some stray flyaways loose (plus a swipe of vampy garnet lipstick [3]), Kerry took the bun from basic to badass. Read on to see the style from all angles.

Kerry's Bun From the Side

You can tell that the base of the bun was wrapped — an easy trick to elevate any swept-back style.

Kerry's Look From the Front

The ample volume at the crown added a boost of edge to the finished look.