Hairstyle How-To: Create The Perfect Ballerina Bun

A full ballet-style bun is a perfect hairstyle for nearly any occasion – prom, your wedding or just a weekend shopping trip. Plus, the basic bun is way easier than you think to make. Here’s how to style it yourself so you get a full, thick ballerina bun:

1. Pull your dry hair back into a ponytail positioned wherever you’d like the base of the bun to fall. (This is where you get to play – you can go as low as the nape of your neck or, my favorite, pull it straight up out of the top of your head and get a big poofy ball up there like the girl in the pic above.) Use a little Frizz-Ease or Garnier Sleek n’ Shine to tame flyaways; this look is sleek.

2. Divide the ponytail in two halves, one on top and one below. If it helps, clip the top half  of the pony up or off to the side somewhere, just to get it out of the way for a minute.

3. Take a comb and tease the bottom half of the ponytail until it’s a big hairball (ew, I know!) about the size of a fist. Start at the end of the nasty teased hair ball and roll it up into an even bigger teased hairball. (Can you tell I hate teasing hair? It’s tangling on purpose. What’s that about?) Bobby pin the rolled up grossness at the base of the hairtie.

4. Unclip the top half of the ponytail and drape it over the teased bun. Pin it underneath. If your hair’s extra long, you may have to fold any excess back under the top half so it’s hidden under the bun. You can take your fingers and fan the top hair out so it covers the teased up junk; then HAIRSPRAY!!!!!

Voila! Hold me closer, tiny dancer – you’re a ballerina! Now go put on a tutu a la Carrie Bradshaw and get splashed with a bus or something.