How can I tie my hair back without looking like a potato?

[AlJalilia]

So my head already looks like a potato. And now in my new job I have to have my hair tied back. I am literally scraping it all back into a low ponytail and I look even more spud-like 😞.

Is there anything I can do to make it look better? Maybe something with the front of my hair, or a fringe or something?

I have a large, fat face and really need your help. Thanks.

The Croydon facelift?

Mascara!!
For years I tied my hair back for work and used to never wear any makeup. I always looked blah and thought it was because of the hair.
Then I started wearing mascara to work, and have realised that not only does it make me look miles better but that, in fact, my hair DOES suit me tied back - I just need the mascara to balance things out!

Oh, plus it has to be a high pony for me. The higher the better. Low ponies look horrendous on me

I use one of those spiky grip clasp things and then have some bits artfully falling down around my face and ears. I can't do a pony tail.

I see you!

What I find makes a big difference, as silly as it seems, is wearing a ribbon or a crepe/ribbon scrunchie. Somehow it seems to help balance my proportions?

I receive lots of compliments when I wear my hair this way.

I'm also a big fan of braids, with low buns (sitting just below my ears).

Try a fake hair scrunchie from Amazon. They transform my hair, and face, when I need to put my hair up!

@TinaYouFatLard Your comments have made me laugh out loud.

I'm sure you don't look like a potato lol, but I hate having my hair up too, it's so unflattering on me because the back of my head is a bit mishapen - a bit flat but also has a weird bump due to a fall I had when I was little, lol, so nothing sits right. However I did bookmark this video which shows how to do a "pretty" ponytail. It's in Korean of course (they always have the best tips!) but you can click on the subtitles button to get the english translation:

Might be worth a try?

Get texture into your hair with Schwarzkopf root powder or a dry shampoo. Bit of backcombing. Get the pony up high, then carefully loosen it at the crown with the end of a tail comb, so it's not completely flat. A fake hairy scrunchy can be helpful too, for more volume. After all the backcombing, put a bit of serum at the ends of the ponytail so it's not like a Brillo pad. pull a few bit out around your face. Sounds like a lot of faff, but you can do this really fast with practice. Try to get your eyebrows looking good - that moves you away from potato land.

Just saying I don’t care what I look like

I don’t have to look at me

So I would do whatever works for you, low, high ponytail, bun, whatever

High ponytails feel ‘perky’. I am not. It looks like a curtain fringe is the way to go.

I did buy myself some of the Silke London hair ties for Christmas, so I feel like a better class of potato

@AlJalilia

What style of fringe would suit a fat, wide face?

I would say a blunt cut 'feature' fringe. Type in your key words to describe your face into Google and the word fringe or bangs and look at the images on there. There will be some great ideas for you.

I can't remember which TV programme it was on but someone said it is impossible to have a low ponytail without looking like one of the American Forefathers

I too have a wide, fat, potato face and wanted to thank you for your honesty. 😂😂

My one and only ever appointment with a new hairdresser ended in disaster and I now feel like a Soviet era Olympic shotputter.

Trying to think of my other qualities 😅

Hi, not sure if you are sorted now, if so brilliant x
I think most of us can go up and down the attractive ladder lol and I bet you look better than you imagine too.
Can I ask what kind of hair you have? Length, colour, thickness, anything that describes your hair X
Loads of good ideas to try from all of your replies OP xxx tc