It seems ponytails are more common on the runway these days than at the gym. Of course, the ponytails we’re talking about are polished and sleek, with the perfect amount of volume. If done right, a ponytail can look timeless and chic (and great with any outfit). If done wrong… well, it just looks kind of sloppy.
More celebs have been sporting ponytails, often juxtaposing this hairstyle against dresses and evening wear. Rachel Zoe wore a perky, high-volume ponytail at the opening of the Louis Vuitton store in Santa Monica, perfect for complementing her voluminous sleeves.
Rachel Bilson donned a more casual, and perfectly messy, pony at the re-opening of the Chanel boutique in SoHo. And, of course, Angelina Jolie has been known to sport a slick, not-a-hair-out-of-place ponytail for events other than Lara Croft.
The only rule for getting this trendy “up-do” right is to take your time. Don’t throw up your hair as if you were going for a jog. Be patient. Use products. There’s no “right” ponytail, and this is one style that, truly, anyone can do.
Here are a few pointers:
To achieve the polished ponytail look for the Louis Vuitton show, hair stylist and Redken Creative Consultant, Guido, applied Redken’s Velvet Gelatine 07 Cushioning Blow Dry Gel to damp hair then dried it using a round brush. He then pin-curled the models’ hair back, and followed up by creating a ponytail that was just above the center of the back of the head with no part whatsoever.
A ponytail must: Wrap a piece of hair around the elastic to hide it. A big, black rubber band never looks polished.
Tip: Try doing a ponytail the day after you’ve washed your hair—it’ll stay much better.
Finally, try applying a smoothing cream or shine serum around your hairline and at the end of the tail after you’ve created your look. It will look much sleeker and will eliminate fly-aways.
