Hair Throwback: The Ballerina Bun

Brigitte Bardot with Dirk Bogarde shooting “Doctor at Sea” in 1954.

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Diane Kruger is stunning with this sky-high bun at the “Inescapable” Premiere.

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Brigitte Bardot with Dirk Bogarde shooting
Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco wears a high ballerina bun in 1960.

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Audrey Hepburn wears a funky ballerina bun to a gala in Paris, in 1962.

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Audrey Hepburn in Paris, 1964.

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Diana Ross wears a variation of the Ballerina Bun, with a low bun in 1976.

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Singer Aretha Franklin wears a high ballerina bun in 1977.

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Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, attends a dinner in aid of the Motor Neurone Society in Australia.

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Jennifer Lopez wore a high bun to the Academy Awards in 1999.

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Tammy Blanchard attends the Golden Globes in 2002 with a high ballerina bun.

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Peri Gilpin at the 59^th Annual Golden Globes.

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A young Natalie Portman shows off her bright collar by pulling up her hair into this sleek ballerina bun.

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Sarah Jessica Parker wore this twist on a ballerina bun in 2004. We love the look with braids!

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Joely Richardson wore her hair high to keep all eyes the low back of her dress at the 2005 Golden Globe Awards.

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Beyonce showcases her gorgeous earrings with her hair in a high bun.

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Actress Amira Casar attends the 2005 Cannes Film Festival with her hair in a sleek bun.

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Heidi Klum looks glamorous with her hair in a big bun, a twist on the classic tight-bun of the ballerina style.

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Emmy Rossum shows off a gorgeous piece of jewelry down her back by pulling up her hair into a tight bun.

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Reese Witherspoon can do no wrong, wearing her hair high to keep her one-shouldered neckline in the limelight!

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Lauren Conrad complements a bright lip with a high bun during Fashion Week in 2012.

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Diane Kruger is stunning with this sky-high bun at the
Best Actress Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis channels a ballerina with this pretty updo.

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Rooney Mara keeps her look chic and sleek with this tight ballerina bun.

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Melanie Laurent wore her blonde locks in a high bun to complement her bold red lip and artsy earrings.

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Kate Bosworth keeps her hair out of her eyes, the better to see the Fashion Week looks with in New York City!

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The ballerina bun is pretty, elegant, and convenient. But do you know just how far back the bun goes? It's not only done for convenience, nor is that how it originated.

The ballet has been around since the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, but hair buns can be traced back to Ancient Greece. They were called the "Greek knot," a low bun at the nape of the neck typically adorned with jewelry. These hair buns were used as a status symbol. In Chinese history, a woman's hair bun revealed her marital status (married women wore their hair in a bun while unmarried women wore it in a plait).

The bun re-emerged into fashion during the Regency period of the 1800's. As can be seen in Pride and Prejudice and other films of the Jane Austen era, elegant updos and buns were popular among the middle- and upper-classes. The women wanted to imitate the classic look of Rome and Ancient Greece, so even though they would have long hair, they consistently wore it up in a high bun.

For ballerinas, the look is to keep the women looking elegant and put-together, so that the focus can be solely on their dancing. This hairstyle has certainly had a resurgence over the past decade or so, due to its timeless elegance. It isn't difficult to put your hair in a ballerina bun, and you're guaranteed to look gorgeous. There are also tons of variations on the bun worth trying, you don't ever have to look the same twice!

Click through the gallery above to see some photos of the history of the ballerina bun!

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