I once followed a manbun for two blocks in SoHo. I didn’t have anywhere in particular to be, and the bun was bouncing along having a very pleasant afternoon. It led me to right to my train, where I found yet another manbun reading Ayn Rand and could barely look away. Which is to say: Manbuns (menbuns?) have a power. It is strong, and it is dangerous.One such manbun belongs to One Direction’s Harry Styles. In mid-September, the bun achieved world renown. Just a few weeks ago, the bun secured its fourth Billboard #1 album. Yet Styles wore his bun unsheathed at the American Music Awards, allowing another member of 1D to swoop in with better hair: long-running #2 hottie, Zayn Malik. Please note above the sensual lock of hair that could lead an army of teen girls (and at least one adult) to their deaths.Malik insisted on UK TV that the loose strand of hair that broke free from his coiff “kinda just fell that way.” On this very site, we have tutorials for many “kinda just fell” styles, i.e. messy buns and loose braids. I ask you: Did (arguably) pop music’s second most sought after specimen allow his hair to “kinda just fall”, unseating pop music’s (arguably) first most sought after specimen? We are forced to conclude Malik has been planning his Hair Takeover for quite some time.The Hair Takeover was short but sweet for Malik. As the interview below reveals, he caused a viral sensation, with tweets like “Zayn’s single strand of hair is prettier than my entire face.” Unfortunately, Zayn is now being punished. Styles will not be dethroned. Zayn is being forced to wear pigtails — one on top of the other — and think about what he’s done. Nice try, Directioners. Better luck next time, American Music Awards. Thanks for playing, America. It is impossible to change the status quo, but it did look nice while it lasted.Watch the interview:

More One Direction coverage:

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR