Ponytail Upgrade: 5 DIYs You Need To Try

We could put our hair in a ponytail while sleepwalking backward. But, just because it's the easiest way to get our hair out of our face doesn't mean it has to be the most basic. On the contrary: This simple 'do is one of the best launching pads for insanely creative looks that are surprisingly easy to achieve.

So, to that end, we called in hairstylist Ryan Stone of Salon SCK to walk us through five of-the-moment ponytail looks that are anything but expected. With some cool tips (you backcomb where?) and more than a few tricks, your ponytail will never be the same again. Click through to learn how to do 'em — yes, they'll require more time than your go-to one-step pony, but we think it's worth the effort.