Meghan brings the bouffant back: Here's how to create her elegant up-do

The Duchess of Sussex made her latest stylish appearance wearing head-to-toe red while attending a roundtable discussion on gender equality at Windsor Castle – but it wasn't just Meghan's outfit that got people talking.

The royal is known for her signature messy bun, but today she debuted a gorgeous bouffant up-do with a few loose tendrils to go with her V-neck jumper, leather Hugo Boss skirt and suede heels.

Teaming the sleek backcombed style with black liquid eyeliner, lashings of mascara and a nude lip, the new mum's beauty look had a sassy Sixties feel to it – and it really suits her.

"It's lovely," says GHD hair stylist Zoe Irwin. "It's a very classic French chignon. It follows the rules of the more Parisian chignon, which is where it has quite a lot of height, but it's tighter in the nape.

"It's one of the most elegant styles you can have, because it's really, really strong on the jawline. This has got an undone texture to modernise it, so rather than it being too forced, there's a softness to it."

Want to try the modern chignon yourself? Irwin recommends asking a friend to help, and having an extra mirror positioned so you can continuously see the shape you're creating. She explains how it's done...

1. Blow dry

"First of all, get great hold in the hair as you blow dry. I would use GHD Root Lift Spray (£14.50). We also have something called Curl Hold(£14.50); I would put that in, it's a really good hydrating lotion."

2. Tong

"There's a soft movement throughout the hair, so the key is to wrap the hair around a curling tong. I would use the GHD Curve Soft Curl Tong (£129)."

3. Tease

"Leaving out a couple of tendrils at the front, tease the roots from the nape all the way through the hair. This is like backcombing, but softer, so you are pushing the hair back on itself, but not a violent kind of backcomb.

"It looks a little bit crazy when you tease it, but next you'll shape the hair."

4. Shape and pin

"After you've teased the hair, create a centre parting from the crown of the head, leaving one section loose at the top (you will pin this back at the end). Take one half of the hair and 'fold' it in at the back, using kirby grips along one side to pin it.

"The key to putting them in is you almost 'sew' with them, so you put them in the hair and you move up and down, up and down; that holds it internally. That's the key to securing it.

"Repeat with the other half of the hair, then take the loose section and shape the top. I usually use the end of a tail comb and use that to lift it to create the desired shape. Secure that too."

5. Hairspray

"Mist hairspray over the whole head, but not too closely. Take the can and hold it at least 12 inches away and just mist it round, so you don't get that really crispy look."

6. Tong the tendrils

"Bring the tendrils forward and re-tong them at the end – the curl's only in the middle of it, not at the end.

"Hold the tong in a horizontal position. Wrap the hair only the middle and leave the ends straight."