to wonder if a high ponytail sends a message I'm unaware of?

[AuntieWithAttitude]

I was watching a friend's kid after school and told her about a summer camp where I used to work. We often helped the kids put their hair in 'camper buns'—a messy bun right on top of their heads. She asked me to do it for her, but didn't like it, so we ended up with a super high ponytail instead. She loved it and had fun swishing it around.

When her mum saw it, she commented on how high it was and then lowered it.
I didn't really think too much of it, until today on TV a character wore a high ponytail, and other characters remarked on how high it was, saying things like 'erm, are you sure you want to wear your hair like that?'.

Am I missing something about the significance of high ponytails? I can be bad at this stuff, subtle cues and such, I'm wondering if I've caused offence to my friend somehow. She seemed really weird about it. Don't want to make the same mistake again if I've misunderstood the significance of something.

Sandy in Grease had a lovely high ponytail when she was a cheerleader. She's fairly classy, or at least innocent.

And big gold hoop earrings? Aka "shoplifter earrings".

Isn’t her style a little bit chav?

I think maybe what’s coming through is we all have different images of chav.

I don’t think a ponytail can make you chav. It’s more that if you are you will be more likely to gravitate to certain styles.

Ultimately it’s no big deal. It’s not like life values or anything . You can take it out and redo it at the drop of a 🎩 ( or shall we say slight drop of a ponytail …?)

Lameee it means nothing

What? I'm obviously not most people on this site. Don't speak for me please

Eh? I was replying to @MsLuxLisbon...

A high ponytail has been one of my summer goth looks since the 1980s. So much for a certain type of MNer to judge!

The colonial ponytail? 😂

The sleek high pony has been fashionable for a few seasons now and it's the opposite of whatever has been discussed in this thread. It's been part of the whole 'clean girl' aesthetic

People are weird aren't they

@Calliopespa bit no one would suggest Blake Lively is 'a little bit chav' and she wears hers in a slicked back high pony all the time as shown in the images I've posted in the previous thread

I had NO idea that some women were so absolutely dense.

A sleek high pony is one thing, but the example that the OP posted is a pineapple, where the ponytail is right on the very top of her head. The others posted here are at the back of the head. I wouldn't like the pineapple style on my daughter.

The examples above with JLo, I do find a bit harsh. They remind me of Lorraine Chase! "Luton Airport!"

That brings up a interesting thought process on if those inclined to believe this, can apply it to wealthy young women, from different countries and ethnic backgrounds, were class isn't a thing.
The high pony tail (and bun) is practical for sports/horse riding/dog walking, or anything outdoors, if the weathers dodgy. For me it's a clean look. I always did a high plait for my children and now for my GC, only because of the possibility of nits being about, otherwise a high ponytail is great over summer.

Now I do actually own a top hat, although I have no idea where I've put it!

When I was growing up, things we were told were 'common' were things like chewing gum or eating/smoking in the street. I don't remember any of the clothes and hair stuff apart from possibly white stilletos 😀

Yes I think you are right about the international dimension shaking these things up a lot. The more insular a community the more these things are noticed.

I also think lots of people on here are calling the “ back of the head” ponytail a “high” ponytail which I don’t think is the chav version, and even then I think, as others have said. soft and fluffy is different from slicked and scraped. Ariana definitely ticks the scraped box because I actually almost feel I get a headache looking at how tightly hers is yanked back.

Ultimately it’s just trivia and life presents bigger picture issues in any case.

Whoops gif posted in error! Was trying to find a Matt Lucas image! But that ponytail is just ( just!) moving from back to top of head and illustrates the ( ultimately completely unimportant) point!

God, hair and kids. I can tell that the other parents at my son’s school think we are total climate-denying Tories because we have our 7 year old’s hair cut short - I am talking bog-standard short back and sides, no fade or anything like that. All the other boys seem to have shaggy mops.

Yes that’s probably true depending where we grew up our vision of chav-chic will differ.

I do think there is a difference between a Croydon facelift and a classy high pony. I expect Ariana Grande and Kim K were aiming for the latter.

I've heard several remarks (from people who care about these things 😮) that 'a high ponytail is common and chavvy. To be classy a ponytail should be tied at the nape of the neck'.

Don't shoot the messenger! I'm just answering OP's question. This was total news to me, but I noticed 2 American aquaintances felt very strongly about it. Thinking about it, I do prefer a low-tied ponytail, preferably with a nice silk or velvet thingy - rather than a high one, though. Don't know why. More elegant? Sophisticated?

Jeez I hope not, a high ponytail has been my go to for like 30 years when I can't be bothered to do my hair! 😅

Oh god I hope not. I’m 53 and my hair is always in a high ponytail or bun 😂.

How do you fit a riding helmet over a high ponytail? It would be fine if the ponytail was tied at the nape of the neck, otherwise it would get in the way.

People on this thread have been all about shooting the messenger and it is kind of annoying. I didn't make the rules, the OP asked a question and some of us answered it!

That often happens.

I think of them as trapdoor spider posters. They kind of lie in wait for someone to give the answer then pounce and sting, as though by answering you are responsible for the fact the issue was there to be asked in the first place.

I wouldn’t let my daughter have a really high ponytail when she was younger. They used to trigger her migraines with all the tension on her scalp. Other than that, I didn’t really care.

She’s an adult now, and is a fan of the ‘shove it all out of the way in a claw clip’ style.