We like big buns and we cannot lie.

And so -- if the Oscars 2010 red carpet is any indications -- do most of Hollywood's leading ladies.

Aside from a few long-haired renegades, everyone who was anybody wore their hair in a bun to the 2010 Academy Awards -- and the bigger and more exaggerated it was, the better.

From Sarah Jessica Parker's sculptural flower, to Mo'Nique's tight topper that actually featured a flower, buns were high, low, tight and loose, and everything in between.

Why were there so many buns? "It's the hair equivalent of the classic red lip," said celebrity hairstylist Enzo Angileri, who created Charlize Theron's bun. "There's a simplicity to them, that makes this look so timeless."

"I love an over-sized bun, said celebrity hair stylist Mark Townsend, the man behind the big, tastefully messy bun spotted on the head of Best Supporting Actress Nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal. "Over-sized buns are youthful, modern and fresh. I think it says, 'Winter's over, lets have a more fun hairstyle.'"

Jennifer Lopez, Rachel McAdams and Nicole Ritchie all piled their buns high atop their heads, with varying degrees of height at the crown.

As opposed to the tight, ballerina-inspired buns we've been seeing of late, many of tonight's versions had a decidedly messy feel to them -- a perfectly imperfect look with a few wisps of hair framing the face for a casual feel. The key was creating an "undone" look with outgoing overboard, which would just leave locks looking messy.

Celebrity hairstylist Robert Vetica nailed this idea with Lopez's the texturized 'do -- which has the appearance of a bun but is actually two pinned ponytails. He relied on products like Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream to give hair texture and control, applying it on wet hair to create smoothness and shine. After blow-drying the hair straight, he created two ponytails, an inch apart, one on top of the other at the back of the head.

Next, Vetica used a curling iron on each ponytail to create texture, then brushed them out for width and volume, strategically pulling out stands for soft fly-aways around the forehead.



As stars like Best Supporting Actress Mo'Nique, nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal and Elizabeth Banks demonstrated tonight, a pretty way to dress up a bun is with a sparkling clip or headband.

Gyllenhaal wore a black crystal barrette specially created by Jennifer Behr for the event. "I wanted to give a little extra sparkle and shine to her hair," said Townsend, who also relied on Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray to add gleam and Sally Hershberger Spray Wax for texture.

The key to getting the big-bunned look yourself? Clip in extensions.

Townsend says the easiest way to adding volume to your bun is to invest in a clip-in ponytail. "They're so easy - they clip in right over your ponytail, and can easily quadruple the size of your bun," he said.

Townsend gets his extensions at Garlanddrake.com.