Polished Ponytails

We know, we know — not exactly a groundbreaking style. But, the appeal of the classic ponytail cannot be denied, as evidenced by its domination on the runways this season. The key here is to keep it sleek and polished, so use gel to slick back your strands and hold them in place. As far as placement goes, we like Sophia Bush's sexy tail here. Not quite as high as Jason Wu's dominatrix ponies, but far enough up to still look strong and sexy and not soft or too casual. To make it even more sophisticated, take a small section of hair and wrap it around the elastic to hide, or use fabric-like leather or suede to create a custom hair wrap — just tuck the ends underneath your hair and pin in place.

Photo: Russ Elliot/AdMedia/Corbis