Dakota Johnson's Quarter-Up: The Foundation Pins Behind the Look
There's a version of the half-up that I think is one of the most wearable looks of the season, and Dakota Johnson just wore it beautifully. As seen in Allure, Dakota shaped the look herself, and her longtime hairstylist Mark Townsend secured it with our Foundation Pins. It's a softer take on the half-up, with all of the hold happening behind the scenes.
I want to talk about why it works, because the thinking behind it applies to a lot more than a red carpet.
What a quarter-up actually is
A half-up takes everything above the ears and pulls it back. A quarter-up takes much less: just the top section at the crown, roughly the hair you'd catch between your temples. That small section gets twisted or knotted at the crown, and everything else stays down.
On Dakota, that means her bangs stay exactly where they belong, the length stays full and soft, and the knot adds a little height and shape without pulling the face back. It reads as relaxed, but it's deliberate. The proportion is what makes it look so easy.
Why small pins were the right call
This is the part I love as a stylist. A quarter-up is a small amount of hair. If you put a large pin into a small knot, the pin is bigger than the job, and you end up with hardware sticking out of the style. A claw clip has the same problem, plus it flattens the crown, which is the exact spot you want a little lift.
Foundation Pins are our 3-inch U-shaped hair pins, sold twelve to a pack. They're built for this kind of work: securing a section, building structure, and then disappearing. A couple of well-placed U pins can hold a crown knot more securely than one big clip, because each one anchors a different side of the knot to the hair underneath it.
That's what I mean when I say the best pinning is invisible. You see Dakota's hair. You don't see what's holding it.
It's also why Mark is someone I trust with these pins. He designed our Cobalt and Bordeaux limited-edition drops with us, and he knows the difference between a pin that looks good in your hand and one that actually works on set.
How to wear a quarter-up at home
Here's how I'd recreate it.
Start with a little texture. Second-day hair is ideal. If your hair is freshly washed and slippery, a light texture spray at the crown gives the pins something to grip.
Take a small section. Use your fingers or the tail of a comb to separate the hair at the crown, from about the top of each temple back. Keep it smaller than you think. If you take too much, it turns into a regular half-up.
Twist and wrap loosely. Twist the section a few times, then wrap it around itself into a small knot. Leave it a little soft. Pulling it tight makes it look stiff and tugs at the hairline.
Pin into the base, not the surface. Slide a U pin in at the edge of the knot, catch a little hair from underneath, then turn it and push it in toward the center of the knot. Repeat from the opposite side. Two pins coming in from opposite directions lock the knot in place. Add a third if your hair is heavy or very smooth.
Loosen to finish. Once it's secure, gently pull a few pieces around the knot and around your face so it looks lived in rather than locked down.
Match the pin to the hair
Because a quarter-up sits right at the crown, it's one of the most visible places to pin. That's why color matters here more than people expect. Our pins come in nine shades matched to real hair, from Ivory to Midnight, so the pin blends into the knot instead of breaking it up. If you're not sure which shade is yours, find your shade here.
Foundation Pins are made in the USA from upcycled stainless steel with a smooth plant-based nylon coating, so there's no chipped paint or peeling tip to snag on the way out. When you take the knot down at the end of the night, the pins slide out cleanly.
If you'd rather use one pin instead of a few, a Petite Power Pin can hold a slightly larger crown knot on its own. And if you like seeing how red carpet hair is actually built, here's how I pinned Desi Lydic's low twisted bun for the Emmys.
Read the full guide to hairpins, or shop Foundation Pins and explore all our styling pins.