Five-minute tutorials for a plaited ballet bun
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- Stylist Team
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It’s not just the corps de ballet who get to sweep their hair up in elegant plaited chignons.
We can all have in on this effortlessly romantic hairstyle; even those of us with the dancing ability of David Brent.
A plaited updo is surprisingly easy to achieve, yet – and here’s the crux – it looks like it requires a fair dose of finesse.
This time-honoured ‘do will see you through, come cocktail party or catwalk extravaganza (it is Fashion Week, after all).
Arm yourself with a few Kirby grips and a mere five minutes of your schedule for these three variations on the timeless ballet bun.
Darcey Bussell, eat your heart out…
The classic look
A timeless and charming version used by prima ballerinas everywhere (we imagine)...
- Draw your hair up into a high ponytail.
- Divide into two sections; the right-hand section should be about double the width of the left-hand section.
- Twist the right-hand section up and around into a high chignon.
- Secure firmly in place with grips.
- Plait the remaining left-hand section of the hair.
- Twist up and around the circumference of the chignon and pin into place.
The statement look
Move it up a notch with this impactful power braid
- Pull your hair into a ponytail just below the crown of the head.
- Divide your ponytail into two equal sections; an upper and a lower layer.
- Braid the upper layer and secure in place with an elastic band.
- Tease the upper plait out to the left-hand side of the lower layer and hold in place.
- Twist the plait up and around clockwise once, then twist the lower layer of hair up into a chignon resting above the plaited circle and pin in position.
- Loop the remaining plait around the outside of the chignon and pin into place.
The romantic look
Unleash your inner Botticelli muse with this half-up, half-down twist on the plaited chignon
- Begin with loose, brushed-out hair and partition off a section around the crown
- Plait the top section, using either a slim French plait that starts from the top of the crown, or a chunkier French braid that encompasses the whole of the top section of the head from the forehead backwards.
- Finish the plait midway down the section and secure with an elastic band.
- Twist the remaining hair in the section up and round into a chignon and secure with pins.
- Brush the rest of the hair that lies loose out with your fingers for a natural, wavy finish.
Photos: iStock