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Bun (hairstyle)

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A bun made from a braid twisted and pinned in place

A bun (also known as a Bobtail) is a type of hairstyle, typically worn by women, where the hair is pulled back from the face, twisted or plaited, and wrapped in a circular coil around itself, typically on the back of the head or neck. They can either be secured with a hairpiece, a hairnet and bobby pins. They may be tightly gathered or slightly messier and more informal. Buns, like ponytails, may cause headaches if worn too tight or up too high on the head.

File:Loosebun1.jpg
A woman with a loose bun

Also known as a "ballet bun," this hairstyle is used by nearly all female ballet dancers, with a few notable exceptions.[citation needed] Ballet dancers often use hairnets and bobby pins to make the bun as tight and neat as possible. This is especially important while turning, as loose buns may fall out.

Double bun

Double or pigtail buns are often called odango (お団子, odango), which is a type of Japanese dumpling (usually called dango). The term was popularized by the anime and manga series Sailor Moon, whose eponymous heroine wears her hair in this style. She also wears two pigtails of hair that hang down from the two spherical buns, but this is not universal to the term's usage. The term odango in Japanese can refer to any variety of bun hairstyle.

In the series, the term odango atama ("dumpling head") is used to describe any character who keeps their hair in such a style. The English dub of Sailor Moon, broadcast in markets where the odango food is uncommon, uses the name "meatball head". The term now extends to other fictional characters and even real people who use the hairstyle.

The hairstyle is stereotypically worn by Chinese characters. A odango and Qipao combo is a standard cliché for Chinese women in all aspects of Japanese popular culture.

More examples of this hairstyle are:

File:MintoAizawa.jpg
Mint Aizawa (Corina Bucksworth) wearing ox horns.

In China, the hairstyle is known as "ox horns". It was a commonly used hairstyle up until the early 20th century, and can still be seen today when traditional attire is used. This hairstyle differs from the odango slightly in that it is gender neutral; Chinese paintings of children have frequently depicted girls as having matching ox horns, while boys have a single bun in the back.

Another type of double bun is the hairstyle worn by Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

See also

External links