I Tried a French Pin and Suddenly Became a Pro at Elegant, Polished Updos

Few things make me feel as instantly put-together as an updo, but I rarely have the time, or the patience, for anything complicated. While I always have a claw clip on hand, I’ve recently discovered the elegance of French pins. With a few twists and a well-placed tuck, they make even the simplest style look polished and intentional. And now, I can’t stop obsessing over the best ways to wear them.

“French pins are gaining popularity, as they are a more elegant alternative to a claw clip,” says hairstylist Hollie Rose Clarke. To achieve a basic twist using a French pin, Clarke says to first twist your hair upwards and tuck the tail in, just as you would if you were using a claw clip. Then, grab your French pin and hold it horizontally with the curve of the pin facing upwards. Finally, pierce near the top of your twist with your pin all the way until it grazes your scalp. Now push the pin down the scalp and then out and away from your scalp. Truthfully, the accessories can be a quite tricky to apply securely at first, but once you get the hang of it, the style options become endless.

To help you get the most out of the accessory, I rounded up seven unique styles for you to recreate, along with the best French pins on the market to help you achieve them. Ahead, discover the chicest French pin styles to wear this season, and the ones worth adding to your collection.

Classic French Twist

You can never go wrong with a French twist. It’s classic, timeless, and always looks chic. This one takes a bit of prep work, from barrel-curling your hair for a voluminous finish and pieces that fall effortlessly.

Half-Up, Half-Down

If you’re itching to style a French pin but love leaving your hair long and down, this is the look for you. Rather than twisting all of your hair, only pin up small sections at the crown of your head. You can curl the strands you leave down or keep them natural—the choice is yours.

Horizontal French Twist

In a typical French twist, the hair pin lays diagonal with the loop at the top of the style. In this unique take on the classic look, the hair pin sits horizontally, peaking out from both sides of the twist.

Half-Up Top Knot

You can never go wrong with a top knot. Here, the French pin is used to secure a portion of the hair into a bun on the very top of the head, The result is playful, cool, and polished.

Unique Pins

Sometimes the French pin should be the star of the show. When the accessory flaunts a fun shape, color, or texture, a simple style is all you need to turn heads.

Ballerina Bun

The elegance of a perfectly twisted ballerina bun nearly triples when secured with a French pin instead of a basic rubber band. It’s polished and neat, yet effortless and easy to create.

Double the Fun

Why wear one French pin when you can wear two? Simply split your hair into two sections, and secure each small bun with coordinating pins of your choosing.