New York Fashion Week Heralds the Death of the High Ponytail
Don't tell Ariana Grande, but the high ponytail is dead. At least, that's the case according to New York Fashion Week Fall 2019. So far, we've seen countless runways shows with models in low ponies and it seems to signal that the tight, high, "snatched," ponytail trend popularized by celebrity hair stylists like Chris Appleton (who works with Grande, Kim Kardashian, and Jennifer Lopez) and Jen Atkin (who works with the Kardashian-Jenners and Bella Hadid) has reached its end. Good riddance to ponytail headaches.
High ponytail lovers: Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Bella Hadid
Getty Images
Justine Marjan—who in the past has been a high ponytail evangelist for celeb clients like Kim and Ashley Graham—led the low ponytail charge. The ghd and TRESemmé ambassador proved just how versatile the hair style is at Cushnie and Christian Siriano's Fall 2019 shows. Cushnie presented the low ponytail in its most relaxed state: loose, with hair tucked behind the ears, and hair extra shiny. At Siriano, Marjan showed a low ponytail could also be subversive, with "element of surprise" silver chains hooked to a hidden cornrow and left cascading down.
"The collection is very futuristic so we wanted something cool and very edgy," Marjan said backstage. See? Low ponytails = the future.
L-R: Low ponytail at Cushnie Fall 2019; Low ponytail at Christian Siriano Fall 2019
Getty Images
The hair style was also given a glamorous, elegant treatment at shows like Ralph Lauren and Badgley Mischka, where low ponytails paired beautifully with evening wear. Redken Global Creative Director Guido Palau had some of the Ralph Lauren models in a "soft, exquisite ponytail" with a side part and silky finish. It was all about communicating luxury.
Close-up of the low ponytail at Ralph Lauren fall 2019.
Courtesy of Redken
Bella Hadid, high ponytail fanatic (" I'm obsessed with the fact that it pulls my face back. Everyone makes fun of me for doing that all the time!" she told ELLE.com last year), modeled the low ponytail look with gorgeous results:
Meanwhile, Mischka's low ponytails looked ultra polished with a lifted pompadour at the top of the crown and a wavy, luminous tail. Hair stylist Peter Grey for Cutler Salon and Redken claimed he got inspiration from "the glamour but the austerity of post-war 1940s and '50s," he said backstage. "The pony resembles a horse's tail, tied sleek and away from the head with bouncy waves that move as you walk."
Low ponytail at Badgley Mischka fall 2019
Gregory Scaffidi
The low ponytail trend has already made its way out of fashion week and onto the red carpet. At the 2019 Grammy Awards, Camila Cabello (whose hair was done by Dimitri Giannetos using Dyson Hair and L'Oréal Paris Hair) demonstrated how nicely a low ponytail pairs with some Bardot bangs.
Jon Kopaloff
Jennifer Lopez gave her usual high ponytail a break in favor of a lower style—without sacrificing dramatic length, of course. The look was done by Appleton, the high pony king, using Color Wow and Ghd products.
J.Lo with her usual high ponytail vs. at the 2019 Grammys with a low ponytail.
Getty ImagesInstagram/@chrisappleton1
Beyond fashion week and the red carpet, the greatest indication that the low ponytail is taking over is that Ariana herself seemed to take a break from her high ponytail. On February 10, she showed fans what her short, naturally curly hair looks like out of the ponytail. And, of course, we can't forget her "No Tears Left to Cry" video and the cover of her album Sweetener, which had her in the low, side-swept platinum ponytail.
The new hairstyle sent fans into a frenzy:
You know what? We're here for the low ponytail era, too. Kiss your Advil goodbye.
