Ponytails for Homecoming

Sandra Bullock's casual side-ponytail is great for a day date. Get her style: 1. To get the look, pull hair back into a low, side ponytail. 2. Use a curling iron to curl the ends of your pony, leaving some strands untouched to get the messy, untidy look.3. Don't forget to pull out several strands near your hear and curl them. (Use any shorter layers or bangs you have.)4. Mist with hairspray to hold it in place.

Nicole Richie's low ponytail and sweeping bangs make a sophisticated style. Get the look: 1. Apply volumizing mousse to damp hair.2. Blow dry hair with a large paddle brush, brushing it under (with the brush under the hair as you pull it through). The paddle brush will help smooth out your hair. Blow dry bangs across forehead and off to the side.3. Use a straightening iron to smooth out 2-inch sections of hair on the sides, in front and in back. Lightly tease hair at the crown of your head for a little extra volume. Smooth top layer over it.4. Leaving bangs free, pull rest of hair back into a ponytail, based slightly above the nape of your neck and to the side, and secure with an elastic band. 5. For bangs, apply a small amount of hair wax to sweep them across your forehead and off to the side. Set the look with a light-hold hairspray. See More Nicole Richie Hairstyles

Mila Kunis' style is so easy. If you can do a ponytail, you have this look nailed. What to do:1. Blow dry your hair straight. Add waves by curling your hair with a medium-barreled curling iron, from below the ears down.2. Make a side part and pull your hair back into a low ponytail, just above the nape of your neck.3. Secure with a hair band. Then, take a small section of hair from your ponytail and wrap it around the band. Hide and secure the end of this section with a bobby pin below your ponytail.4. Mist the front of your hair with hairspray and smooth any frizzies with your hands.

Lindsay Lohan's bushy, side ponytail is a great way to salvage day-old curls. What to do: 1. If you're starting from scratch, set hair with hot rollers first, then release when cool. If you already have day-old curls, spritz roots with dry shampoo and brush through strands.2. Part and brush hair neatly to one side, and create a ponytail behind one ear with a pretty elastic. (Only have ugly elastics? Leave a piece of hair out of the pony to wrap around the elastic instead, fastening the "cover-up" in place with a bobby pin.)3. Pin bangs behind your ear (or as close as possible) and set the style with firm-hold hairspray.

Lindsay Lohan's blonde ponytail has a Taylor Swift-like sweetness -- great for meeting the parents. What to do: 1. Coat hair with a heat-protective, texturizing spray.2. Wrap 1-inch sections of hair around a half-inch curling iron to get tight, spiral curls. Continue until your whole head of hair is done.3. Finger-comb curls to stretch them out, then mist with hairspray.4. Gather hair into a side ponytail, leaving out a handful of tendrils to frame your face. Secure beneath one ear with an elastic.5. Wrap one tendril back and around the elastic to cover it. Secure beneath your ponytail with a bobby pin.

Lauren Conrad's low ponytail looks beachy and beautiful thanks to subtle, soft waves. To get the look: 1. If your hair isn't naturally wavy, you can create this tousled look by loosely braiding damp hair and allowing it to air dry. Once dry, finger comb through the waves to separate. 2. Create a center part in your wavy, dry hair. Then pull hair back into a low ponytail that covers your ears. Secure with an elastic band.3. Pull out a few face-framing pieces in the front. If the pieces look too straight, wrap them around a wide-barreled curling iron. Just avoid creating curls that are too perfect or too tight -- this isn't an 80s prom 'do. 4. Spray with a light-hold, anti-frizz hairspray to finish.

Jessica Simpson's ponytail is a new twist on an old standby and is especially cute with long bangs. To get the look:1. Spray hair with a volumizing spray, then blow dry hair in sections using a medium-barrel round brush. The more volume you can create at the root here, the better. 2. Tease your hair at the crown, brush over gently to smooth top layer and let bangs fall forward to the sides your face.3. Pull hair into a low ponytail at nape of neck and secure with hair band or clip.4. Finish with medium hold hairspray used sparingly in the crown area (where you teased).