Ariana Grande’s Sleek Bun and Pink French Mani Bring Balletcore to Fall

Remember balletcore? The feminine, soft-pink aesthetic was everywhere this spring, with ballerina sneakers, bows, and slicked-back buns galore. If you thought the trend was taking a backseat, think again: Ariana Grande is making the case for a balletcore comeback.

Arianators are living the dream. Grande is pulling look after look while leaning into the method dressing of it all for her Wicked press tour. For last night’s appearance at the WSJ Innovator Awards, the actor left the pink at home for a lacy Vivienne Westwood bridal gown, styled by Mimi Cuttrell, and paired it with two balletcore favorites: a ballet bun and a French manicure.

No matter what outfit (or vintage couture) Grande is wearing, you can wager she’s pairing it with a French manicure. The multi-hyphenate has been gravitating toward the style lately and it makes sense: It’s very Galinda-fied. It might not feel obvious for fall, but the manicure is a classic, evergreen style, and Grande is proof of its chameleon-like appeal. For last night’s awards, she wore a no-fuss French style, opting for an almond shape as the base with a pinky layer and opaque white tips, courtesy of nail artist @nailanatomy.

Hairstylist Alyx Liu crafted Grande’s pretty ballerina bun, wrapping the singer’s hair into a high topknot and slicking it back into place. The pretty and simple style let the dress have it’s moment while still feeling very Grande. Not to mention, the bun and French manicure combination is making the case for the balletcore revival a bit too well. She completed the look with a shimmery pink eyeshadow (it’s Normal is Overrated from R.e.m Beauty’s Wicked collaboration, fyi), wispy lashes, and a pink lipgloss, crafted by makeup artist Michael Anthony.

Our ballet bride might singe handedly revive the girly trend for the cooler months. With fall’s trends feeling all over the place, Grande’s polished Frenchies and sleek ballerina bun feels like an anchor to all the randomness. Plus, the aesthetic is just cute.

Will the trend take flight? Only time will tell. Catch us pulling out our tutus and heading to a Barre class in the meantime.