When I was a kid, the extent of my style choices for hair were ‘out’ or ‘up’. Mum wasn’t a particularly talented hairdresser, having had short hair for most of her life, so it came down to my own dexterity (or lack thereof). With curly, easily frizzed-up locks, I was firmly trapped in ponytail prison for most of my early teenage years.
YouTube was my saving grace. Not only did I put a stop to my mum scraping my hair into a ponytail so tight that I looked bald with a random poodle puff at the back of my head, but I also realised that I had absolutely missed out on a bunch of stylistic experimentation with my locks.
Now though? Now, the world of hair is my oyster. Now, I know to make sure that whatever I do, my hair is prepped for greatness. From using the right shampoo and conditioner (try the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths duo for long, damaged hair) to making sure I’m not mistreating my ends, it all adds up.
And now I’m ready to impart some wisdom, so if you too have long hair (and don’t really know what to do with it) here’s a bit of inspo for you.
1. Knot what you expected
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Am I salty that Riverdale star Madelaine Petsch has luscious ginger locks and my hair is currently a boring brown? Yes. Do I also whack my hair up in the seemingly effortless top knot at any possible opportunity? Also yes.
The top knot is probably your easiest transition look from a standard ponytail, because you’re already starting out with the same basics — except this time you can go even higher on your skull (all similarities to I Dream of Jeannie are totally coincidental I promise) and instead of pulling all the hair through for a pony, you can twist it all in together in a bun.
2. Double bun fun
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As cool as Carrie Fisher was, the goal here is not to wind up looking like Princess Leia. Take a leaf outta Vanessa Hudgens‘ book and go for the tight lil’ bunnies higher up on her head. Just pop your hair in pigtails and wrap the hair round until it makes the bun, and secure with pins.
If you’re the type of person who likes to have their hair in a ponytail because you don’t want it on your neck (especially if it’s so hot that your underboob sweat has under-underboob sweat), this is a cute way to keep it the heck out of your face. Definitely something you could consider while working out, as well.
3. Got a lot on your plait
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Gigi Hadid, you gem, I envy the sleekness of your plait. Plaits have always been my go-to — whether it’s a super simple look like this one, or going full Viking princess with a bunch of intertwining plaits and strands. But if you’re used to the low-key ease of a pony, then a simple plait can be a good next step.
Biggest tip? Make sure your hair is well-brushed and healthy. If you’re plaiting, you’re gonna be separating your hair into sections — it’s pretty hard to do that if you’re in tangle city. Use regular treatments (the Elvive Dream Lengths No Haircut Cream is great to keep those long ends intact) and brush thoroughly before splitting your hair into three sections and weaving ’em through like a madman.
So there you have it. A couple of super easy alternatives to a boring old ponytail so that you can switch it up without having to lose your locks. It doesn’t take much to get a bit fancy, so you might as well.
Just take care of those ends, because no matter how you style it, split ends aren’t cute.
