The History of the Ponytail and some of our favorite variations- Just in time for your Holiday Parties!

Audrey Hepburn's ponytail showcases her flawless bone structure.

Cheers Darlings! I hope everyone is having a fabulous holiday season!

I'd like to talk a bit about the Ponytail today. It's one of the most enduring and evolving styles around. Whether it be sleek and polished, undone and tousled or completely utilitarian (say, for a gym sesh)  the ponytail has been and will continue to be a go-to staple in hairstyling.
What are the origins of the popular pony? Let's take a moment for a brief history lesson:


Sandra Dee rocks the Ponytail in her cinematic role as surfer girl Gidget. 

Although the word Ponytail didn't make an appearance in popular vernacular until being published in the Miriam Webster Dictionary in 1951, the style has been around for centuries, nay, millenniums longer.
Frescoes from 1600 B.C. illustrate Greek women wearing ponytails. Ancient artwork also proves the style was embraced by Egyptian dancers and Roman girls.
In the 6th century, it was the Mayan men who wore ponytails while women wore braids and slaves had short hair.



Mozart's look was Au courant for men of his time.

 During the second half of the 18th century, European men wore their hair tied back in ponys while our first president and other founding fathers also adopted the look from across the pond. Many wigs of the day also incorporated the style.

The Iconic Barbie Doll.

For much of the 20th century, ponytails were widely accepted as a style for young girls. The first incarnations of Barbie had ponytails and short curled-under bangs. This remains an iconic look in the doll's history.
Sandra Dee in her role as Gidget, as well as Hollywood legends like Audrey Hepburn and Bridgette Bardot made the ponytail a viable option for adult women.










Today we have so many variations of the ponytail. Below are some of our very favorites:

Jennifer Morrison's pony  seamlessly incorporates a braid.

Nicole Richie's Bardot-esque style.  Reese's polished look adds height at the crown and bend on the ends.

Drew Barrymore's classic pony adds extra vavoom with volume and by wrapping hair around the fastener.



Kim K's sleek rendition.

NOT Steven Seagal: Who could argue with a man sporting this style? At least if he looks like David Beckham!



So there it is: The history of our beloved ponytail and plenty of current ideas for inspiration. Come visit us before your next holiday party and we will be happy to provide a tutorial on how to achieve the perfect ponytail to suit your taste. Just be careful- everyone will be wanting to catch you under the mistletoe!
Merry Merry,
Team Ferricchia