How to Do a French Ponytail

Transform a standard ponytail into a French ponytail.

The French ponytail is a modern twist on the standard, straight-down-the-back look. Also called the banded ponytail or the Grecian ponytail, the French ponytail involves pulling hair back and banding the hair in sections down the back of the head and down the ponytail. Creating the style takes minimal time and will last the entire day if done correctly.

Things You'll Need

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Hairdryer with diffuser
• Volumizing gel
• Bobby pins
• Ponytail holders
• Light-hold hairspray

Instructions

1. Wash the hair with shampoo and conditioner. Blot the hair dry with a towel and apply a volumizing gel to the hair. Comb the gel through from roots to tips to distribute the gel evenly.

2. Dry the hair using a hairdryer with a diffuser and set on medium heat. You want to avoid drying the hair on high heat because this may cause small flyaways. The hair should be sleek with no frizz or flyaways.

3. Pull long bangs upward and back tease them with a teasing comb to create volume in the front bang section of the hair. Carefully pull the bangs backward, toward the crown of the head and secure with two bobby pins. Use the end of the comb or your fingers to pull the bang hair upward to add additional volume. Spray with a light-hold hairspray to maintain the volume. Shorter bangs can be brushed forward if they are not long enough to pin back.

4. Place your index fingers on either side of your head at the temples. Move the fingers horizontally across your head until they meet. Gather the hair that resulted from your line and band it with a ponytail holder.

5. Move your fingers just below your ears and repeat the same procedure. Move the fingers across the head horizontally until they meet and band the hair together. At this point, your bangs will be fluffed at the top of the head, and you will have a ponytail line extending down the back of your head with two ponytail holders banding it together.

6. Pull the rest of your hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck. This will be your third ponytail band. You can either leave the ponytail as-is, or you can wrap the ponytail in bands at intervals down the rest of the ponytail until you reach the tip.

7. Spray the hair lightly with hairspray to ensure an all-day hold.

Tips & Warnings

• Pull hair out between ponytail holders to create volume.

• Wear the style with a French tunic and leggings or with a strapless summer dress.

References

• "Seventeen": Grecian Ponytail
• Hair Boutique; Ponytails: Easy Hairstyles; Karen Marie Shelton; Dec. 25, 2008