The 'Audrey Updo' Channels Old Hollywood Glam For Your Hair

With the resurgence of the quiet luxury trend, it's not surprising that Audrey Hepburn's greatest looks are coming back. Her timeless style, both on screen and on the red carpet, tapped into the chic, yet effortless vibe everyone desires. Part of that is because she knew how to wear simple outfits and elevate them to elegance. Hepburn was famous for wearing cropped trousers, fitted blouses, midi-length skirts, and of course, that famous updo hairstyle that we're all in love with from the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's." The timeless look is easily recognizable: A bun-like French twist high on the head with short bangs poking out from the forehead. Hepburn's signature also featured a delicate hair jewel piece right at the base of the bouffant, making it the portrait of class.

However, in the more modern renditions of the look that we've seen cropping up on social media, it seems people aren't going for an updo that's quite as structured. The contemporary take on the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" hair is slightly more relaxed; you can certainly achieve it without fancy hair jewels, and even with chin-length tendrils rather than teeny fringe, as seen on Emrata. We're also seeing people sport this famous 'do with very formal outfits as well as some casual looks.

In "Breakfast at Tiffany's," Hepburn's hair is structurally complex, while the contemporary Audrey updo is much simpler to construct. This is good news, because you can still achieve the same effortless sophistication without a tremendous amount of effort. On TikTok, Kristina Rodulfo showcased how to achieve the simple updo with a basic French twist. 

Simply gather all your hair together at the nape of your neck and hold it with your right hand. Using your pointer and middle finger from your left hand, hold the hair steady as you use your right hand to wrap the hair around your fingers. Continue twisting the hair and pull the hair upwards. Once you have the shape at the back of your head, pull up the base of the twist to create the wrapped effect. Finally, secure using a barrette, bobby pins, or a claw clip. Rudolfo uses a three-pronged hair fork to secure the look. You can find one on Etsy for as little as $15.00. In the comments, Rudolfo notes that she has thicker, color-treated hair, which allows for more grip. Those with fine hair, however, should stick with smaller pins to keep the look in place.

While bobby pins can be great for securing the hair in place, they're designed not to be seen. That's why we love the choice of using external, visible clips with the French twist. On TikTok, @kkristinataylor showcased how you can use your favorite accessories for both functional and aesthetic purposes with this style, securing their French twist by using a shimmery claw clip. Hepburn's own version of the 'do in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," features some bling, so the use of a sparkly piece to create the look is a nice reference point. 

Kristina also offered tips in the comment section for those unsure about using a delicate clip. After one person wrote, "[M]y hair is too thick," Kristina suggested, "I highhhly recommend putting your hair in a black silk hair tie before clipping if you have thick hair," she replied, with a heart emoji. That's a great hack if you need the extra support and hold to achieve the look. 

Don't think the Audrey updo is limited to medium length hair only. On TikTok, @crownsofglory showed how to easily achieve the look with very long, curly hair. The content creator, who goes by Morgan, worked her lengthy, wavy tresses into a French twist, gradually tucking bits of the hair into the center of the loop with each rotation. The final effect was tousled and beautiful. In the comments section, Morgan noted that she used a hair stick to secure her thicker hair in place. If you want to try the look yourself, try using a pair of twisted hair sticks, like the one from France Luxe for $32. Target also sells a hair stick by Kristin Ess for $11.99. 

For hair cut shorter than the shoulder, achieving the updo requires some slight modifications. Kayley Melissa offered a tutorial on YouTube for how to style it. Begin by creating a half-up twist with the top section of hair, leaving the bottom half down. Next, take half of that remaining untwisted hair and press it against the middle of the back of the head, securing with a vertical line of bobby pins. Then, using one to two inch sections of hair, twist each piece across the vertical line of bobby pins, tucking them underneath each pin. With the hair left over from the top updo, create a small bun and secure with a bobby pin. Then take the last pieces of hair and wrap them over this little bun. You can totally achieve the Audrey updo with short hair; it just requires more bobby pins!