How to become a pro at knotted hairstyles

Looking for an elegant twist to a hairstyle? Then you’ll want to look into knotted hairstyles. These may be a little intimidating (what happens if you can’t get the knot out?!), but knotted hairstyles are easy to handle once you know the techniques behind the looks. Below are several knotted hairstyles and how to do them without having permanently knotted hair.

The pretzel

This complicated style is far easier than it looks. It starts with a two-strand half ponytail, fashioned so it looks like the letter Y. Bring a strand from the side and loop that through and around one of the strands leading to the ponytail. Do that to the other side so you’re left with two loops on each side. Tie the four hanging parts into the same hair tie.

The messy knot bun

The half-up top messy bun is a favorite on bad hair days. For this look, just draw a half ponytail at the top of your head, and twist the hair around the tie in as messy of a fashion as you can. Pin the ends down, and it will look like a messy knot at the top of your head.

The knot ponytail

For this popular look, tie a regular ponytail. Then take a large strand of hair from the side of your head, pull it out of the ponytail and twist it around the hair tie. Pin that length under the ponytail. Instant “knot.”

The loop ponytail

One of the easiest knot hairstyles, simply tie a regular ponytail, then flip it over itself, right through the middle of the hair. It’s easy to reverse later by flipping it back out.

The half-knot bun

This look is a half ponytail, half messy bun. Simply tie a ponytail, but as you’re pulling your hair through a second time, just leave it half pulled through. Fan out the hair that’s been half pulled through the tie to look like a knotted bun.

The multi-knot ponytail

For this look, bring your hair around the side of your head. Divide your hair into two strands and literally tie a knot, like the first step of tying a shoe. Do this twice, making sure to pull gently so it comes out easy later. Tie the hair to create a double-knotted side ponytail.