Before styling your hair, make sure it is well moisturized to allow easy manipulation into the desired style. The neat signature appearance of ballet hairstyles is made possible by keeping wispies in place, especially around the ears and the nape of the neck while securing it using hair bands, pins and nets matching the colour of your hair.
Factors such as the length and thickness of your hair, and the age of the ballerina, are important considerations when determining which ballet hairstyles to rock. Below are some of the best ballet hairstyles.
1. Classic Ballet Bun
This is the traditional ballerina bun that has been highly popular on the ballet dance floors. To pull it off, starting at the top of your head, gather your hair into a ponytail. If shorter hair pieces keep falling out, use a bobby pin to strap them to the back of your head. If you want the topknot to look fuller, create a loop by opening the elastic and then pull up the hair towards the middle.
Next, to conceal the elastic, use the excess hair length that could not get into the loop and coil it around the base. Lastly, secure your bun with pins, and add a bit of hairspray to tie everything in neatly; then hit the dance floor.
2. Ballerina Pigtails Bun
Although these ballet hairstyles may appear complicated, it is easy to pull off as long as your hair can be held into a neat ponytail. First, moisturize and comb your hair to remove tangles or knots. Next, brush your hair towards the center of your head but away from the face. The next step involves dividing your hair down the middle, evenly. Pull up each part into a high symmetrical pigtail and start braiding each from the base to the end of the pigtail.
Once you have braided each pigtail to the end, secure it with a small elastic band, so it does not come apart. After the first braided pigtail has been secured, pull it towards the front and then wrap it inwards towards your head’s centre, so the buns face each other. As you wrap, place your hand on top to prevent it from popping out.
Once you get to the end of the tail, lift the bun up slightly and tuck the end pieces to hide them completely. Next, bobby pin your first bun to secure it to your head. Repeat the process for the second bun, but make sure it is symmetrical to the first to give you a neat appearance.
3. Sporty Space Buns
This is a variation of the classic ponytail. To hack this hairstyle, separate your hair down the middle and then gather each parted side into a tight ponytail. Next, coil each of the ponytails before securing them with a couple of bobby pins.
For volume, pull each bun outward. If you are just sporting this style for fun, pull out a couple of loose hair strands for a perfect face frame, otherwise leave them intact since you don’t want hair obstructing your face as you dance.
4. Giselle Braids
These ballet hairstyles involve parting the hair at the center into equal parts and then securing it with hairbands to form two ponytails. The ponytails are then smoothly braided and held behind the ears. Use clear hairbands at the edge of the pony to prevent the hair from unravelling as each ponytail is alternately wrapped around the base of the other, making flat neat wavy patterns while maintaining flatness on the scalp.
Finally, secure the braids using hair nets and bobby pins to keep the hair firmly on your head. This is important since wispies and lose hair could interfere with a ballerina’s performance.
5. French Twist
This is a classic example of a ladylike hairdo that never goes out of fashion and can be worn either sleek or messy. However, for ballet, you better go for the sleek version that is neatly and tightly pulled together. To pull off the classic French twist, take your moisturized hair in a good grip and twist it loosely upwards.
Next, arrange it nicely as you work upwards. Once you come to the end of it, neatly tuck the ends, so they remain hidden. Lastly, along the edge of the tucked twist, neatly fold the remaining hair and then secure it nicely using hair pins.
6. Embellished Braided Bun
For a perfect ballet look that makes a fashion statement, go for the embellished ballet bun. This ballet hairstyle will elevate your look and make you stand out from the rest of the buns. To pull off these ballet hairstyles, divide your hair into three even parts from the centre of your head. Next, braid each section into a cornrow and work your way to wherever you want your bun to rest.
Before braiding your ponytail, pull your hair together by gathering the ends of the three braids into a pigtail using an elastic band. Now you can braid your ponytail. Once you have created a braided topknot, secure the braid in place using another elastic band. Bobby pin your bun and add a hair accessory of your choice to the front. You might even adorn your braids with gold cuffs to complete an embellished look that cannot be ignored.
Ballet hairstyles should be held up neatly and away from the face to avoid obstructing the ballerina. They should also be held firmly together to withstand the rigours of ballet dancing, which involves quick, sometimes jerky, movements. The last thing you want is hair falling out just when you are about to complete a sterling, standing-ovation-worthy performance.
