When I chopped off my long locks for a lob a few months ago, I quickly lamented the fact that I could no longer rock a high pony like I loved to do. #shorthairprobs
If you’re a shorty like me, you’ve probably tried to throw your hair up in a high pony, only to have half of it fall back down within five minutes. Not quite the style you were going for. And while you can bobby pin it for days, it still never really quite works the way you want, am I right?
After avoiding the always-on-trend style for a month or two, I had a revelation: the secret’s in the braid.
Braiding the hair on the underside of your pony gives your strands something to cling to. With lob-length hair, the strands underneath tend to be shorter, which means they can’t reach to the elastic on top of your head.
Work some gel or texturizer (I love me some AG Hair Texture Spray) through your strands for extra hold. Then before throwing your hair up, flip your head over and do a quick French braid from the nape of your neck to about halfway up your head. Tie off the braid with a clear elastic, then flip your hair back upright. Then gather your hair into a ponytail as high as you please.
And voila! The super simple secret to a high ponytail for short hair. To hide the braid, keep the pony sleek. To show off the braid, use a teasing brush to give your pony extra volume, then wrap it into a top knot.
Can’t French braid? Check out this tutorial. The secret is to start a braid like normal, then just gather in pieces from either side as you go. If you’re hair ‘do-challenged, gather 1/4 of the hair starting at the nape and just whip out a regular braid. (You might need a bobby or two to keep this option up.)
