Beat The Heat: 5 Summer Ponytails For Every Occasion

Although my favourite thing about summer is the warm weather, my hair doesn't always feel the same way. Even early in the mornings, it's already so hot that I can barely imagine blasting hot air at my head and even if I do, humidity makes a mess of everything in half the time it takes to straighten it. Plus, there's almost nothing worse than having your hair stick to your neck, all sweaty and lank.

And so enters the summer ponytail.

Now, I need you to erase the thought of the ponytail your daughter wears to softball practice, and think sexy, sophisticated, summer, and SIMPLE because if there's one thing you don't want to do on a sunny day, it's spending time styling your hair! Thanks to Goody hair accessories, I've come up with some super-easy ponytails for you to rock this summer — from chic office-appropriate styles to relaxed looks for a day on the beach or poolside.

The Occasion: Anytime

  The Look: Simple

1. Start with tangle-free hair and then just whip it up into a ponytail — wherever you want it to sit — and secure with a Goody Ouchless Elastic of your choice. Perfect is not the goal here, gals!
2. Now that it's tied up, you can wrap hair around your elastic, braid your pony tail or take a page out of my book and tease your hair, wrap it into a messy bun and secure with a second elastic.
3. Mess it up a little more, pull out some random pieces, and enjoy keeping your hair out of your face and off of your neck.

The Occasion: Long, hot days at the office

  The Look: Chic, Sophisticated, Simple

1. Brush your hair beginning at the ends and moving toward the roots to avoid breakage.
2. Once your hair is free of snarls, pull hair back gently using your fingertips using a brush to smooth out bumps.
3. If doing a regular, low-slung ponytail, secure with an elastic at the nape of the neck.
4. For a side pony, secure behind ear.
5. Dress up the look by twisting or braiding hair, and covering elastic with a strand of hair. Finish with a spritz of hairspray, and take on the day!

The Occasion: Day at the Beach/Pool

  The Look: Get that hair out of my face

Since wet hair is prone to breakage, I'm a big fan of braiding my hair before I dunk my head — and with Goody Slip Free Elastics, I know my hair will stay in place after swimming and being hit with Nova Scotian winds.

1. If you have really long hair, smooth it back into a mid-high ponytail and secure with your elastic.
2. Braid the length of your pony tail and secure with a second elastic. Gently rub your fingers along the braid to loosen and soften.
3. If you have shorter hair or are growing out bangs, halve your hair horizontally at hairline. Secure bottom half with an elastic just above nape.
4. Halve the top half of your hair, and French braid or twist each side back, wrapping ends around elastic band. Secure with Goody bobby pins.
5. Loop length of ponytail into a messy bun if desired, and secure with your elastic.
6. When it’s not possible to avoid tying your wet hair up, don’t despair! Grab one of Goody’s thicker elastics and gently loop hair into a ponytail or messy bun, or braid it and let it dry naturally for easy, heat-free waves!

The Occasion: Date Night or Girls’ Night Out!

  The Look: Unintentionally Sexy

Necks are sexy, there’s just no two ways about it. Sweaty hair stuck to your neck? Not so sexy. For second day hair, use a spritz of volumizer or dry shampoo for extra oomph. If you’re starting from scratch, work texturizer into your hair and dry. Volume is key here, gals. Messy pony or bun, with volume — no need for smooth lines or perfection.

1. Option 1: Gather your voluminous locks into a messy ponytail and secure. Leave it as is, or go one step further and make it an undone bun.
2. Option 2: Want to make it fancier? Twist or braid random sections of hair and secure with Goody bobby pins. Gather the remainder of your hair into a messy bun.

Regardless of which option you choose, loosen it up and pull a couple of random, face framing pieces out and go!

The Occasion: Outdoor, Summer Wedding

  The Look: Classy but effortless and fun

1. Begin with second-day hair (you'll want that natural grit), and brush hair to remove tangles. If you have straight and/or fine hair, work a bit of texturizer in and loosely curl hair from mid-length to ends.
2. Run your fingers through a bit to break up curls, before halving hair horizontally at the ear-line. Secure bottom half of hair loosely. Gently backcomb or "tease" hair beginning at the crown. Once the desired volume has been achieved, release the lower half of hair.
3. Gather all of your hair into a loose, but smooth, pony tail at the back of your head and secure with an elastic. Gently pull a few strands loose, and spritz with hairspray to hold style.
4. OPTIONAL: Wrap hair around the base of the ponytail to hide elastic. Secure with Goody bobby pins.

Looking for summer ponytail ideas for your daughter? Learn how to create kid-friendly ponytails to get her through every summer activity.