For my second look at NYFW with TRESemmé (see my first look here), we did a wavy, textured ponytail with a side braid and tousled bangs. This might be one of my favorite looks ever, and can work for casual or dressier occasions alike. I paired it with my Topshop romper for a few events, and the hairstyle stayed in place all day despite some gusty winds! FYI this particular Alexa style romper runs small and short, so if you want a little more coverage, I’d suggest trying the regular sizing (they make it in tall, too) instead of petites. I love the slightly more formal details like notched lapels, side pockets (yay!) and cuffed sleeves, but in a playful romper format.
I asked my TRESemmé stylist to break down this hairstyle into some main steps for those of us who may want to recreate it at home. Continue reading below for the how-to!
And if you’re looking for romantic bridesmaid hairstyles that are cohesive but not identical, something like this could be made into several variations with a bun, twisted loop, or another braid at the bottom vs. a ponytail.
1. My stylist started by working TRESemmé Beauty-Full Volume Mousse into my hair, which helps create some lift and hold at the roots which I always like in a ponytail! If you have thick hair, she recommends working mousse in section-by-section, as shown.
2. Dry hair as needed while lifting at the roots with your fingers.
3. Part off a section across the front, as shown. This section of hair will be for both the side braid and bangs (if you have them!).
4. To create volume at the top of the ponytail, lift up a section of hair by the crown of your head. My stylist back-combed / teased this section near the roots, then sprayed that area with TRESemmé Beauty-Full Volume hairspray to lock in any added volume.
5. Gather your hair back into a ponytail by the nape of the neck. Tip: before securing the ponytail, use the skinny pointed end of a long comb to lift up the section at the crown of the head, until the “poof” is shaped the way you like it.
6. Secure the ponytail. My stylist used a bungee-style elastic which is one long strand with a hook on each end. I absolutely love these and just started using them at home now, as they hold my thicker hair in place without stretching out or breaking like regular elastics.
7. Braid the section that was parted off in Step # 3, leaving out some loose pieces in the front if you have bangs. Secure the braid with a thin elastic, and use your fingers to loosen it a bit (as shown) for a fuller-looking braid.
8. Wrap the braid around the base of your ponytail to hide any bungees / elastics. Secure with bobby pins.
9. Curl the loose pieces of hair in the front – for such small pieces, curling should take just a few seconds against a hot iron.
10. Curl the hair in the ponytail, section by section. Run your fingers through the curled hair to loosen it up, and finish with hairspray to lock in the entire look. Voila!
This post is in partnership with TRESemmé, a product of Unilever.
