Holiday hair: 5 easy steps to creating a fancy ponytail that’s party-ready

Holiday Hair tutorial fancy ponytail step-by-step
Hair and makeup by Margot Keith. Model: Zahra/Ford Models. Photography by Stephanie J. Algieri.
Holiday Hair tutorial fancy ponytail step-by-step
Hair and makeup by Margot Keith. Model: Zahra/Ford Models. Photography by Stephanie J. Algieri.

See how to do the fancy ponytail with our holiday hair tutorial »
See other holiday hair tutorials »

The ponytail is a classic hairstyle that has a seemingly endless number of variations. In fact, by changing the part, adding some curl or positioning the final pony in a different spot, it’s a style you could likely wear seven days a week without anyone being the wiser. While quick ponytails are often associated with going to the gym or casual dressing, it only takes a few modifications to make it work as a holiday hairstyle. It’s a trend that’s supported by A-listers and designers alike: Gwyneth Paltrow wore a structured ponytail on the red carpet at this year’s Academy Awards and Joe Fresh and Jonathan Saunders (to name just a few) had models in polished ponytails on the Fall 2012 runways.

If you’ve set your sights on doing a fancy ponytail this holiday season, you’ll be pleased to know it can be easily done in five simple steps. This tutorial was developed in conjunction with Toronto-based hairstylist Margot Keith and takes all of the guess work out of making your hair holiday party-ready. (Even better, each of the styles in our series of holiday hair tutorials will work well beyond Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve parties, so right-click save our handy one-page guide for future reference!) While this fancy ponytail looks like a loose braid, it’s actually created by criss-crossing and pinning sections of hair across a mini ponytail. It may sound complicated but it’s actually quite simple. Read on and see how it’s done.

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