If you’re bored with your hair but don’t feel quite ready for an entirely new cut or color at the salon, the best way to pull yourself out of the rut is with a new style. For most people, the easiest one to fall back on is the classic single-loop ponytail — and this summer, inspiration is everywhere. From Laura Harrier’s low, romantic piece-y pony to Hailey Bieber’s high-and-tight style, all the A-listers are proving that the seemingly humble ponytail is actually super chic, a far cry from the stale style you reserve for the gym and your apartment on hungover Sunday mornings.
For proof, scroll through the gallery ahead to see the five ponytail variations that have been trending all over Hollywood lately. Try them all and you have a full weekday wardrobe of fresh, simple go-to hairstyles in your back pocket for fall, no salon appointment necessary.
Piece-y Ponytail
A spinoff of spring’s wispy updo trend, the done-undone ponytail is a favorite red-carpet style of the moment. For this season’s CFDA Fashion Awards, Laura Harrier paired her playful red polka-dot gown with an effortless, piece-y ponytail with face-framing curls, courtesy of her go-to stylist, Jennifer Yepez.
The easiest way to adapt the look on your own is to pull your hair into a ponytail — it can be high, low, or in-between — and then just pull a few strands loose, either in front of your ears or around your hairline, to give the look that easy, windblown texture.
High & Tight Ponytail
Celebrity stylist Jen Atkin often gives Hailey Bieber a high and tight ponytail, with zero frizz or flyaways. The look involves smoothing the hair flat at the crown, pulling it straight back into a high ponytail, and securing the base with a thick elastic or scrunchie. Not only does the polished pony look chic, but because the hair is pulled tight, it almost creates the effect of an instant face-lift.
Stylist Mara Roszak, who works with the likes of Emma Stone, Cara Delevingne, and Zoe Saldana, recently posted this retro ponytail she created on Saldana. The trick is to pull the hair into a taut pony, then carefully smooth the hairline flat and brush out the ends for softness.
Full-Volume Ponytail
Similar to the high and tight ponytail, the full-volume style is almost the same in technical application — pulling the hair up and straight back — but with a little more attention on the fullness of the hair shaft and ends. Here, Ciara shows that the bigger and softer the curls, the better.
You don’t need to have long hair or a dramatic weave to pull off the full-volume ponytail. If your hair is on the shorter side, the curls coming out of the ponytail almost waterfall down to frame the face, as evidenced by MJ Rodriguez.
Wrapped, Embellished Ponytail
Add a tiny embellishment in the back — be it a pearl bobby pin or a hair ring — and your ponytail takes on a much fancier life. Here, L.A.-based stylist Ashley Streicher gave Mandy Moore a low ponytail, leaving a strand out to wrap around the base and topping it with a delicate pearl hair pin.
Kerry Washington recently wore a similar style: a polished, center-parted wet-look ponytail with gold hair bling at the base, courtesy of stylist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew.
Extra-Low Ponytail
If the low ponytail feels like nothing super special, pull yours a little lower and looser. Stylist Laura Polko recently gave the extra-low ponytail to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, securing the elastic at the very end of her hair and letting some pieces fall out around her hairline.
Margot Robbie proves that the extra-low ponytail is extra chic on shorter hair.
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Source: Refinery29 – Megan Decker