Nothing screams, “I’m having a bad hair day” like throwing your hair up in a ponytail. Or does it? This year, spring runways, like Carolina Herrera and Ralph Lauren, turned the world’s easiest updo into something a little more elegant, perhaps even party-worthy. Take a look at how some of our favorite designers and Hollywood ladies picked up the trend and spiced up their ponytails.
image: catafora.com
The Low Ponytail
We love what Emma Roberts did with her hair on the red carpet recently, adding a bit of curl to her low ponytail. To create a similar look, start by pulling your hair into a ponytail right at the nape of your neck. If possible, avoid over-brushing your hair first so you can steer clear of a slicked-back look.
When you have secured the ponytail with an elastic band, gently lift your fingers through your hair from the ponytail to the crown of your head, just to give it a little extra volume. Finish the ‘do by adding a few, large-barrel curls to the base of your ponytail and run your fingers through them to loosen.
For a more holiday friendly style, consider wrapping a piece of maroon or olive green ribbon around the ponytail several times (no bows!) or use a sparkly hair tie.
image: WENN.com
The Teased Ponytail
Wake up with your hair in a mess? No problem, you can use that to your advantage. We spotted Blake Lively on the set of Gossip Girl recently, with big hair and flyaways, all of which added a little va-va-voom to her ponytail.
To get the look, begin by brushing your hair, making sure your bangs and the top layer of your hair look neat. Pin bangs and top layer up to keep them tidy. Then, flip your head over and, with a bore-bristle brush, begin teasing the base of your hair moving half way up your head. The trick to keeping this updo chic and a little less Amy Winehouse, is to leave the top layer of your hair untouched. When you have teased the majority of your hair, flip it back over, loosen the clip and let the neat hair fall over your teased mess, giving the volume a chance to shine.
Finally, pull any hair that lands below your ears into a simple, classic ponytail.
image: IMAXtree
The Wrap-Around Ponytail
For her Spring 2012 collection, Carolina Herrera had one of the most elegant ponytails we’ve ever seen. The best part? It’s super easy to recreate!
To get the look, start by brushing hair thoroughly and running a dime-size amount of smoothing product through your hair. Then, grab your hair into a ponytail but leave a small piece at the base of your neck loose. When your ponytail (or folded bun as shown) is secure, take that loose section of hair and begin to wind it around the elastic. Finally, secure the end with a hairpin underneath your ponytail so it’s not visible.
