A Girl and Her Ponytail...

Simple. Classic. Always Trendy. Variations for nearly every woman on the planet. Enduring and beautiful.

Just a few reasons why I love the Ponytail. Come on, admit it. You do too. :)

Widely known for its simplicity and ease, the Ponytail is hugely popular among girls and women for those reasons, and at least one other. It's fun.

MY STORY

It was a few years ago when I first started wearing my hair in a Ponytail. My mom did my hair until I was nearly a teenager and for some reason that style just never made it to the home salon.

Once I began to do my hair myself, I would throw it into a low Ponytail pretty frequently, just to get it out of the way, but I could never get it into that high, sleek, glossy thing that I saw and envied on other young girls. My hair was curly (well, frizzy at that stage - this was before I realized that I actually had an inner "curly girl" and let her come out) and I just could not run the brush all the way through over my head and get the hair smoothly into a tail.

A couple of years ago, I discovered a secret and my world was revolutionized. I found that the key for me was to put in the Ponytail while hanging forward with my head upside down. Once in this position, the roots of my hair were much more manageable and I was able to gently run my fingers through to smooth out any "bumps" (I still don't use a brush; not even sure why I own one). Once I had gathered the hair semi-smoothly into my hand, I pulled on the elastic, stood right-side-up and viola! I finally had a proper, glamorous Ponytail.

When I first started wearing the "pony", my mom would say, "Oh, you look like a teenybopper." This wasn't a compliment exactly, but I liked it. After all, I am still a teen and the Ponytail is fun. Why not enjoy it? :)

HISTORY

Although they aren't exactly mentioned in the book of Genesis, I have no reason NOT to believe that Eve invented what we now call a "Ponytail". Hairstyles can't get any simpler - she must have worn one. From then until now it has been considered an extremely informal hairstyle for women. Funny thing is, gentlemen have been wearing it publicly for centuries. First in ancient cultures, such as in China, and then later, in the 18th century, it was nearly mandatory in Europe and North America. It wasn't until the 1800s that it went out of vogue in favor of shorter styles.

The Ponytail again became famous in the 1950s, where it was worn by young girls (Oh! "teenyboppers"!!! ;) and is now closely associated with bobby socks, sweater sets, poodle skirts and rock n' roll.

In 1954, Pablo Picasso became infatuated with a shy, teen aged girl named Sylvette David She had a wealth of long, golden hair which she worn in, you guessed it, a Ponytail. After painting her from memory and winning her friendship, Sylvette became his muse and was featured in over 40 works of art in the next few months. She has been known for generations as the "Girl with a Ponytail".


STYLE TIPS

Extremely practical for everyday wear, the Ponytail is quick and easy for those "bad hair days". It keep hair out of the face and is especially popular with athletes. But don't let it's simplicity make you keep it informal. The Ponytail is easily made ultra glamorous. It is the stylists secret weapon, giving an instant "face-lift" in very little time. You just try it and see if your face doesn't light up! It suits almost every face shape just beautifully. I like to wear it for more formal occasions as well as around the house - it can sometimes give you just that bit of kick or energy your ensemble needs. :)

One of the most interesting things about the Ponytail is it's versatility. It can be worn with dozens of variations and there is an option for almost every look you'll ever wear. The "tail" can be low at the base of the neck, either in the center or on the side (the latter can look especially elegant with hair accessories). Placement in the very center back of the head is considered the most flattering Ponytail style and emphasizes the cheekbones. Very high on the back on the head is also an option(and sometimes called a "cheerleader ponytail"). There have been fads where the ponytail is worn directly on top of the head with the hair falling down around the face. This style is rather hard to pull off and not one I'd widely recommend, but Liv Tyler carried it off beautifully in "That Thing You Do" (which is set in the 1960s, btw :).


After you have chosen your "pony" placement, there are even more options. You can wear your Ponytail with or without a part; tease or back-comb the top for additional fullness and wear your bangs (if you have them! :) pulled back or left down.

Regardless of the texture of your hair, give the Ponytail a try. From super straight to graceful waves to banana curls, it is universally fun and flattering. And if you like trends, it is totally "in" this Spring and has been making it's presence known on runways and red carpets. I don't let a style's popularity decide whether or not I should wear it, but it's great to know that something as timeless and feminine as the Ponytail is getting some media attention. :)

For some great Ponytail accessories, check out this Amazon.com listing. Remember - NEVER use rubber elastics - they will snag and break your hair. Not good. :P

And even if you aren't a teenybopper, give it a whirl! I intend to wear my "pony" until I'm ninety-nine. :)

P.S. Just for the record, I don't intend to make all posts this long on the blog. This was a bit of an experiment; I was totally freaked that I wouldn't be able to come up with enough info for a post and once I got started...it just kind of ran away from me. Thanks for taking the time to read - I'll be back next week! :)