How to Upgrade Your Ponytail for Summer

As we get geared up for "hot girl summer," ponytails are the perfect hairstyle to sport, simply because they fit any occasion and can be dressed up or down. And the timeless hairdo is exactly what you need to keep your hair out of your face when it's hot and humid outside.

"Since we're all looking forward to more face-to-face interactions and parties, ponytails will keep you looking cute while dancing and enjoying outdoor activities," says Monae Everett, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Texture Style Awards.

Ponytails are easy to do and literally only take a couple of seconds to pull together with a hair tie, but there's no denying that the simple go-to look can get a bit boring.

Below, Everett reveals how she creates stylish ponytails on celebrities like Tia Mowry and Paige Hurd — plus, she shares how you can upgrade your own, too.

The Cornrow Ponytail

"I'm a huge fan of using cornrows to accentuate any ponytail," says Everett. For this style, the hairstylist began by parting Mowry's hair down the center. She then braided two wide cornrows on both sides of the part.

"Next, I added two smaller diagonal cornrows on the side of the head to draw attention to Mowry's beautiful jawline," says Everett. "Since all ponytails do not have to be at the top of the head, I added curly hair extensions from Big Chop Hair to mimic her natural curl pattern, and finished off with an oil to seal in her natural moisture."

The Razzle Dazzle Ponytail

Hair jewels are an easy way to make any ponytail look fabulous. To create this glamorous style, Everett started by using a strong hold gel to smooth Dominique Fishback's hair up into a high ponytail.

"I secured the ponytail with a hair tie, then I added synthetic braiding hair and braided a 26-inch ponytail to the tip," she says. To make this style a real showstopper, the hairstylist added flat self-adhesive diamonds along Fishback's hairline, throughout the hair, and down the length of the braided ponytail.

The Retro Ponytail

Create a retro '60s look with this fun, flipped-out ponytail.

"For this style, I added mousse and an argan oil treatment to Paige Hurd's hair before blow drying it with a round brush to set the curl, then curled it with a 1.5-inch curling iron," says Everett.

The hairstylist then sectioned out the top half of Hurd's hair, created a ponytail with the remaining hair, and secured it with an elastic. Next, she teased the front section of the hair and added it to the ponytail.

"To finish off, I back-combed the top of the ponytail brushing the hair into a flip," she adds.

The Pompadour Ponytail

This ponytail has the wow factor, and is the ultimate ponytail upgrade.

To create this style, Everett used a leave-in treatment to define the model's curls, then backcombed the crown and fringe into a pompadour.

"I slicked the ponytail back using a light hold gel and wrapped a bold gold accessory around the base of the ponytail to complete the look," she says.