I went to bed with my hair half up half down last night and woke up looking like a poor man’s Ariana Grande, which isn’t all that bad and subsequently I realized why she’s sacrificed her first born to this style. There are few things in life that resist the adage: you can’t have your cake and eat it, too; well, half up half down hair is one of those very rare times that you can, indeed, have it all. The best of both worlds. Pulled back in the front, long in the back. The facelift effect; the framed caboose effect.
However, for most women, the half up half down style seems to always be an afterthought. Like me, after dinner I got to playing with my increasingly greasy, day-three hair, and sure enough it ended up in a half up half down style. I like to run my hands through the mini-ponytail and then twirl my fingers through the hair underneath. Sometimes I even loop and twist the ponytail into a tight bun, if my hair is extra greasy. It’s just so satisfying.
But it’s never the hairstyle I intentionally leave the house with in the morning. Which is totally an oversight on my part because it is indeed, an extremely flattering look. Upon further research, I found a variety of permeations on the theme: braids, something called a crown?, twisty things, topknots, double twisty things, you can even weave gift-wrapping props and Christmas ornaments in it. Once you start, you can’t stop. I guess I’m just scared – and who wouldn’t be – that once I start to wear my hair half up half down, I’ll never go back. All the celebrities who wear this style hardly ever take it down. Ariana, Snookie, Paris Hilton, Brigitte Bardot – like when do you see them in anything but?
Or perhaps we’re all just waiting for that moment when it dawns on us that half up half down hair is the only way to go – not just a greasy-hair pastime. Perhaps that moment reaches different women at different times. I may realize it today; you might realize it tomorrow. But as far as I know, we’re all headed towards the same look, it’s just a matter of time, until you wake up looking like a poor man’s Ariana Grande and all is right in the world.
Some products you’ll need to master the half up half down hairstyle:
