I love a good half-up, half-down hairstyle, and this simple half-up pony braid is one of my current favorites. It looks effortlessly chic while keeping hair out of your face—perfect for those moments when you want to wear your hair down but need it to stay tidy. This quick tutorial takes about two minutes and suits a variety of hair types.
How to recreate this half-up pony braid at home
- Begin by misting your hair with a texturizing spray or product to add grip and shape. This style works well on wavy or curly hair, and it adapts nicely to straight hair too.
- Gather roughly a quarter of your hair at the crown into a small ponytail. Remove a thin strand from that ponytail and wrap it around the base to hide the hair tie, securing the end underneath with a bobby pin.
- Using the remaining hair in the ponytail, start an inverted French (inside-out) braid. Add larger sections as you braid, incorporating an additional quarter of your hair total, and stop the braid about halfway down the back of your head. Secure the end with a small elastic.
- Wrap another small section of hair around the new hair tie to conceal it, pinning the wrapped section behind the braid with a bobby pin.
- If the braid feels too loose, add a few bobby pins along the center from the bottom up to firm it in place. Gently tug at the braid’s edges to create a relaxed, slightly messy look that adds volume and texture.
Hair: Rachel Brewer
Photography: Amelia Tatnall Lawrence
Model: Machaelie Hay
Styling: Brittni Mehlhoff
What do you think of this half-up, half-down look?