Look of the Week: Dakota Johnson’s School Girl-Chic Ponytail

We’re constantly updating our Last Night’s Look gallery with all the best red-carpet moments (gorgeous dresses! dazzling accessories! sky-high heels!). Now, let’s talk beauty. Each week, we’ll be highlighting one of the most gorgeous makeup and/or hair moments, along with details on how to recreate the look — straight from the makeup artist or hairstylist — in our feature, Look of the Week.

Dakota Johnson will forever be our beauty crush. She can pull off just about every look and continues to surprise us each and every time she steps out on the red carpet. For the LACMA Art + Film Gala in L.A. on Saturday, she stepped out sporting the cutest updo: a school girl-inspired ponytail with a whole lot of movement. Dove celebrity hairstylist and the star’s go-to mane mane Mark Townsend breaks down how he got the bouncy pony, below.

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Although Townsend was immediately inspired by Johnson’s bold mustard-hued Gucci dress, it turns out it was Johnson’s idea to pull back her lob into a voluminous pony, sweeping her bangs out of her eyes.

“I was so in love with the mustard Gucci dress with the Cabernet flower, black ribbon and pearl accents, that I was almost overwhelmed with inspiration,” Townsend says. “The ponytail with fringe was Dakota’s idea, and I immediately agreed that it was the perfect hairstyle to complement such a feminine dress and the amazing lip Pati Dubroff was going to do.”

To get the look, Townsend first began by applying a small amount of Dove Style+Care Nourishing Curls Whipped Cream Mousse to the actress’s damp hair and blew out it out with a round brush to create lots of body and movement.

The hair guru then gathered all of Johnson’s hair into a high ponytail, securing it with two elastics. (Pro tip: Townsend says he used two elastics to insure it stayed tight in place all night long.)

“We decided to place the ponytail a little high for a young and modern feel,” he says.

To give the pony a bit of bounce, Townsend added slight waves with Harry Johns Pro Tools 2-in-1 Ceramic Marcel Curling Iron. And to tame pesky flyaways, the hair guru sprayed Dove Style+Care Strength & Shine Extra Hold Hairspray onto a mascara wand smoothed loose hairs around the star’s ears and at the nape of her neck.

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As a finishing touch, Townsend wrapped a velvet ribbon (in a similar hue as the bow on Johnson’s dress) around the top of the ponytail. And after a few spritzes of Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Dry Shampoo to add a hint of shine and texture to the pony, Johnson was red carpet-ready!

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What do you think of the star’s ponytail? Will you be trying it this weekend? Share below!

–Sarah Kinonen
Follow @sarahkinonen