A ponytail updo is a kind of hairstyle in which the hair is gathered together and secured by an elastic band or a round clip and is then styled to create a certain look. The ponytail is very often a hairstyle that is worn casually. Many women, for example, put their hair in ponytails when they go to the gym or run errands. A ponytail updo, however, takes this no-nonsense style and makes it a bit fancier and more refined. In recent years, some celebrities have even worn ponytail updos to fancy events such as awards ceremonies.
Depending on the desired look, a ponytail updo can be very sleek and simple or highly styled with lots of curls and wisps and hair accoutrement. A ponytail updo might simply involve straightening the hair, and putting it into a very neat ponytail. This look may be worn with or without straightened bangs. Furthermore, one lock of the hair may be wrapped around the base of the ponytail so that the elastic band is not visible. A more highly styled ponytail updo may involve curled hair that is styled in tendrils with gem clips fixing select strands into place.
There are many variations in terms of where the ponytail can be gathered on the head. In some cases, it is located quite high on the crown of the head. In other cases, it is lower, even as low as the base of the hairline. In these cases, the ponytail is either allowed to cascade down the back or is styled so that it is worn over one shoulder. There are also some ponytail updo styles in which the hair is gathered into a ponytail on one side of the head, closer to one of the ears instead of being right in the middle of the head.
It is quite common for a ponytail updo to be worn along with bangs. The bangs are usually straightened or given a bit of body in order to reflect the style of the ponytail. If there are no bangs, then the ponytail is usually complemented by a few locks of hair that are worn loose in the front in order to frame the face. In the most severe and sleek versions of the ponytail updo, there are no bangs at all and every piece of hair is pulled into the ponytail.