Tomboy ponytail

Hair how to: the tomboy ponytail.

Interpreting one view of a sophisticated and elegant British girl, the hairstyle at Paul Smith's fall 2012 showing saw an amalgamation of a chic ponytail at the back and a boyish silhouette at the front. A look that achieved a “grungy but sexy” feel, it's a ponytail with a tomboyish edge that you can create from home. Find out how after the break. 

 

There’s been an androgynous story in every fashion season for many a year now, but the recent fall / winter 2012 runways have interpreted the trend to have an added prefix.
What is that prefix you ask? For the most part, androgyny transforms into ‘feminine androgyny’ at the end of this, biding adieu to the gender-bending ambiguous sexuality that was instead the focus of past seasons.
Paul Smith’s autumn 2012 runway showing gave a preview of one way that the trend can be interpreted. Naturally, the show’s hairstyle did the same aiming to create a look that was “grungy but sexy.”
After the break we take you through a step-by-step ‘how to’ for creating this subtly tomboyish hairstyle.

Interpreting one view of a sophisticated and elegant British girl, the hairstyle for Paul Smith’s autumn / winter 2012 collection saw an amalgamation of a chic ponytail at the back and a boyish silhouette at the front. The visual delight of the hairstyle lies in its profile view, especially with the overlapped layering and a low-lying ponytail. This hairstyle is the kind that will take you from day-to-night, with minimal retouching and maximum flatter.

How to: the tomboy ponytail

Brush hair thoroughly and divide it roughly in 3 to 4 sections.

Section-by-section, spray your roots with a luminous hairspray. Use your fingers to gently blend the product all through your hair’s roots.

Blast a blow dryer on high heat at the roots to create a messy look. At the same time scrunch and massage the roots as this will create the texture and grit that lends itself to an androgynous hairstyle.

Section the hair around the temples of your head (roughly an inch above each ear) and comb the sections using a tail comb brush.

Individually pull the two pieces towards the nape of the neck and secure with an elastic band. Let the remaining hair drop from the top over this tied section. This step is very important for creating a neat side profile.

Backcomb the rest of the hair to give a fuller look at the back of the head. However, don’t backcomb the hair at the crown – you’re not aiming for a hairstyle with a 1960s vibe. Instead, the crown must remain flat – give volume just above the ponytail.

Use a curling tong to create soft waves all through the strands – another great way to fake volume in your hair.

Create a clean side parting and roughly curl the loose strands framing your face.

Secure all hair at the nape of the neck (including the previously sectioned strands) with an elastic band. Ensure the bulbous shape, just above the ponytail, is well defined (refer to the image below for how this should look).

Rub some styling cream between your fingers and run through the ponytail and the front section of your hair. This will help keep the style intact and settle the flyaways.

Curl random sections of the ponytail for a messier look. If the curls seem too artificial, run your fingers through them to flatten them out; but they will eventually drop so don’t stress.

Finish off the styling with some hairspray, if required.