4 Gorgeous Updos Courtesy of Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton has a gorgeous head of long, brunette hair that she almost always wears flowing down over her shoulders. It’s a rare occasion when the Duchess of Cambridge decides to pull her hair back for an elegant updo—which is why her recent hairstyle at the BOA Olympic Concert (above) caught our eye. The braided loose bun was such a departure for everyone’s favorite real life princess, it inspired us to search for our other favorite up-looks from the British style icon. Click through to see Kate Middleton’s best updos!

Photo: stylebistro.com

For a sophisticated look to match a floor-length gown, the Duchess opted for a half-pulled-up ‘do at this charity event in October 2011 with some light curls falling gently along her back. This look is easy to get by yourself—just wrap ends around a curling iron, then pull hair back just above your ears and clip into place, letting the curled ends fall loose. This is similar to the style Kate wore under her veil at the Royal Wedding.

Photo: dailymail.co.uk

At a Canada Day celebration in Ottawa last summer, Kate opted for a low chignon. This subtle low-semi twisted style is perfect for taking a simple dress, like Kate’s purple jersey Issa selection, and giving it an air of elegance.

Photo: justjared.com

The Duchess of Cambridge is a master of the low bun. This inverted option, from the Investec Derby Day last summer, can be hard to see in detail (click here for a much closer image) but it’s actually a bun with the ends flipped upwards and pinned into the back of her head, with pieces of hair elegantly splayed outward. It should also be noted that what really sets this look apart is the addition of headwear. No one quite does hats like the British! We can’t wait to try this ourselves.

Are there any other pretty Kate Middleton updo moments we should know about? Tell us in the comments!

—Candice

Dying for more updo ideas? Us too. Check out these great D.I.Y. hairstyles in the Birchbox Magazine.