Regina King Just Won the Cool Cornrows Crown

It’s a top contender for the chicest celebrity hairstyle of the year.

Regina King wearing a high bun hairstyle
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Seeing Regina King on my screen is always a treat, but when she sports a hairstyle like her current one, I have to take a moment to thank the glam gods. On August 14, the actress was seen in SoHo, presumably making her rounds as she promotes her new wine brand, MianU, which honors her late son, Ian Alexander Jr. For the occasion, she wore a colorful, form-fitting dress, white heels, and a matching Louis Vuitton bag. Still, her hair was exactly what I needed it to be and more, and I am considering getting real traditional cornrows for the first time in years.

King’s hair was nothing short of a work of art. It was braided down into a low ponytail, before being tucked into a bun—an elegant, low-maintenance version of the timeless style. Of course, she added her personal flair to the look by incorporating braided kiss curls and baby hairs. Finally, the deep side part she chose gave the hairstyle the appearance of side bangs. The star finished the look with a smokey eye, satin-matte complexion makeup, and a soft touch of color on the lips and cheeks.

Regina King with a cornrow bun hairstyle

Regina King is seen in soho on August 13, 2025 in New York City.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Elevated bun hairstyles have been popular lately, with celebrities like Aimee Lou Wood, Nicole Ari Parker, and even Selena Gomez recently spotted wearing them. King’s version of the look captures all the best parts of a chic yet practical hairstyle. The cornrows require little to no styling daily, the style itself is classic, and the small added touches make it feel eclectic and trendy—it’s the coolest hairstyle I’ve seen from a celebrity in a while. .

Regina King wearing the cornrow hairstyle earlier in the day.

Regina King wearing the same low cornrow bun hairstyle for a visit to the SiriusXM Studios in New York City. 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I’m not blessed with the ability to cornrow my own hair, but for the folks who are, and who would like to recreate King’s look at home, keep reading for a few products that will make the project much easier

Ariel Baker
Beauty Writer

Ariel Baker is the Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. Previously the associate beauty editor at PS and briefly freelance, she has bylines in InStyle, Forbes Vetted, Women's Health, and more.

Since she started out in the non-profit sector, Ariel enjoys looking at beauty from a sociocultural lens, looking to avenues like politics, music, and the arts, to inform her views on the space. That being said, as a true beauty-product obsessive, testing the latest items to hit the market, keeping up with trends, and meeting industry icons, will always be her favorite part of working in the beauty space.

When she's not working, Ariel can be found hanging out with her fiancé and loving on their two cat daughters: Cow and Chicken.