Until recently, I used to think a simple ponytail counted as a fancy updo. If my ponytail had a cute little flip at the end, I considered it extra glamorous. Clearly, my hair game needed an upgrade, so I decided to try a real elegant updo.
I wanted something stylish yet easy to do—something that looked polished without taking hours. The problem? I had no idea where to start. My hair tools consisted of a drawer full of elastic bands and, well, more elastic bands.
So, I did what any clueless person would do—I turned to a tutorial. I had previously loved a hot roller tutorial from *It’s Judy Time*, so I figured her elegant updo tutorial would be just as helpful. Unfortunately, the original video is no longer available, but here’s the breakdown of what I learned.
Judy recommended starting with a heat protector before curling sections of hair away from the face using a 1-inch or 1 ½-inch curling iron. I followed along, even though I hadn’t used a curling iron in ages and wasn’t sure if this would actually work.
After curling each section, I clipped it in place and gave my hair a light mist of hairspray, letting it cool. The best part? This updo didn’t require perfection. If a curl fell out, it wasn’t a big deal—no need to stress over every strand.
Once my hair had cooled, I removed the clips. At this point, I could have stopped because my hair was already full of soft, voluminous curls. But I kept going.
Next, I grabbed some bobby pins and twisted small sections at the top of my head, pinning them in place. Then, I pulled the lower half of my hair to the side and secured it with more pins to shape the style at the nape of my neck.
Now for the finishing touch—creating the curls. I wrapped sections of hair around my fingers, rolling them toward my head, and pinned them flat. As I continued, a soft, elegant style started to take shape.
Once everything was pinned, it was time for an accessory. I went with a blue flower, but anything works—a sparkly clip, a simple bow, whatever suits your style.
And with that, my elegant updo was complete! Now, time to head out and show it off. Sunglasses? Check. Curling iron unplugged? Check.