Ariana Grande may be revered for her insane whistle note vocals, but she's also known for her sleek, sky-high ponytail. The famed style has become so iconic that it's become synonymous with Ariana's image - however, we sadly haven't seen it in a while.
Unless you've been living under a rock, you will know that Ariana starred as Glinda Upland in the blockbuster musical, Wicked. For her starring role, she completely transformed her beauty look, ditching the iconic updo in favour of several variations of flowing curls and slicked backed buns.
Although she wore a wig as Glinda, the star also dyed her natural chestnut brown locks blonde to feel more connected to the 'Good Witch' on and off-screen. Whilst the world has enjoyed watching Ariana sink into her Wicked character over the last two years, we must admit that we missed her trademark look.
However, on Thursday, she attended the Golden Globes First-Time Nominee Celebration in California - and we spied a potential ponytail return. The actress channelled Old Hollywood glam in a Christian Dior’s satin midi dress designed by Yves Saint Laurent in 1959, complete with a square neckline and pleated skirt. She paired the vintage number with pointed pumps.
© Getty ImagesFor glam, she called on her go-to makeup artist, Michael Anthony, who created a neutral palette including a pale pink matte lip, a contoured complexion and soft long lashes. But who is the mastermind behind the ponytail return? Cue celebrity hairstylist Alyx Liu, who slicked the actress' blonde hair into a high pony with a sleek side parting. Although the ponytail isn't positioned as high as normal, as it has a slightly lower placement, it still leans into Ariana's distinctive look.
The actress originally wore her locks this way to cover damaged bleached hair. In a lengthy Facebook post from 2014, she spoke out after speculation over her hair loss whilst starring on Nickelodeon show, Sam and Cat.
© Penske Media via Getty ImagesShe revealed: "I had to bleach my hair and dye it red every other week for the first 4 years of playing Cat... as one would assume, that completely destroyed my hair. I now wear a wig on Sam & Cat. My real hair is back to brown and I wear extensions but I wear it in a pony tail because my actual hair is so broken." Ariana embraced the difficulties as a part of her personal style, even occasionally incorporating slight variations in length and texture while maintaining the high ponytail silhouette.
On Thursday night, the star was photographed making her way around the room, conversing with fellow nominees, swishing her signature mane around. We can't help but think this is a sign of a new era for the star's famous tresses. As we all know, trends love a comeback.
Through her hair, the pop star is making a major statement. It signals a return to her craft after focusing all her energy into the movie-musical, but like her ponytail, she's not returning in the same way. She recently revealed that whilst music will always be a part of her life, she doesn't see herself retuning to music and touring for a while and will be focusing her energy on acting for the next few years. A new era indeed.
