Buns and updos
The jooda, chignon, beehive, topknot and the French twist. 11 hairstyles on EveryHairstyle so far.
An updo lifts long hair off the neck and fixes it on the head: a bun, a chignon, a French twist, a topknot or a beehive. Updos are practical, keeping hair out of the way in heat and at work, and formal, being the classic choice for weddings and ceremonies. In many cultures putting the hair up marked a girl becoming a woman, or a man becoming an adult.
Building an updo
Most updos start from a ponytail, which anchors the hair. The hair is then twisted, coiled, braided or rolled and pinned in place with hairpins and grips. Backcombing adds height, as in the bouffant and the beehive, and rollers or tongs add curl to the loose pieces. A smooth chignon may take ten minutes; a bridal updo with braids, flowers and ornaments can take more than an hour.
Updos around the world
The jooda of South Asia, wreathed in jasmine, the samurai's chonmage, the Korean sangtu of married men and the chignon fixed with a binyeo pin of married Korean women are all forms of the updo, as is the joora that holds a Sikh's uncut hair. In 18th-century Europe updos reached their greatest height with the pouf. The beehive, created in Chicago in 1960, was the most famous updo of the 1960s.
Famous updo hairstyles
Further reading
🇨🇳 ChinaChinese hairpin
Traditional Chinese hair ornaments used to secure buns and signify status.Adorned · Any hair
WorldBun
A hairstyle where hair is gathered and coiled into a circular shape on the head.Updo · Any hair
WorldChignon
A knotted hairstyle worn at the nape or back of the head.Updo · Any hair
🇯🇵 JapanChonmage
Traditional Japanese topknot worn by men, historically by samurai and now by sumo wrestlers.Updo · Straight hair · 1603
🇫🇷 France and 2 morePompadour
High-volume hair swept up and back from the forehead.Updo · Any hair · 1950
🇩🇪 GermanySuebian knot
A historical male bun worn by the Suebi and other Germanic tribes to signal status and identity.Updo · Straight hair
🇺🇸 United StatesBeehive
A conical updo piled high on the crown.Updo · Any hair · 1960
🇯🇵 JapanNihongami
Traditional Japanese hairstyles characterized by elaborate updos, side wings, and wax styling.Updo · Straight hair
🇰🇷 South KoreaSangtu
Traditional Korean topknot worn by married men.Updo · Any hair · 57
EuropeRoman hairstyles
Ancient Roman hair fashions reflecting status and identityUpdo · Any hair
🇯🇵 JapanFrench twist
An elegant updo where hair is twisted vertically against the head.Updo · Any hair · 1940
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Chinese hairpin: Augusthaiho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chonmage: not listed, Public domain, source
- Suebian knot: Bullenwächter, CC BY 3.0, source
- Nihongami: 都新聞社 Miyako Shinbun, Public domain, source
- Chignon: www.GlynLowe.com, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pompadour: Pearson Scott Foresman, Public domain, source
- Beehive: MGM, Public domain, source
- Sangtu: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, source
- Liangbatou: Daderot, Public domain, source
- Roman hairstyles: Colchester Museums, Caroline McDonald, 2004-06-02 14:47:52, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- French twist: SWinxy, CC BY 4.0, source