When we listed the center part as a hair trend for 2012 it was less about the part itself (we know it’s far from revolutionary) and more about the looks and styles that come with it. A center part with flowing locks can be hippie or casual or even jet-settingly glamorous, but pair it with this looped-under ponytail and it becomes an elegant look of equestrian proportions.

On Carolina Herrera’s spring 2012 runway, this showpony hairstyle was kept perfectly tidy, bar for a hint of teased volume and a few loose strands around the face that added an authenticy, as if just stepping in from a ride. Like others of 2012′s ‘done’ hairstyles this one is careful yet not over-fussy, and doesn’t have to be reserved for the evening.

Follow the steps on how to create it after the break.

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Orlando Pita, using Moroccanoil, created the graceful look for the Carolina Herrera runway. He used the following steps:

Start with clean, healthy-looking hair. If your hair is damaged or frizzy in texture, use a smoothing and conditioning oil or balm (backstage at Carolina Herrera, Pita used Morrocanoil Light) to help improve the quality and give it a natural looking shine.
Apply a styling cream (Pita used Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream) to dampened hair, then blow-dry it straight.
Part the hair in the middle and pull it into a low ponytail at the nape of the neck. If your hair is fine, you can tease it a little for more volume then spray it with hairspray to hold it.

spring 2012 looped ponytail

Loop the length of the ponytail under and secure with an elastic, keeping one small section free. Using the fingers, mold the shape of the looped ponytail into a neat triangular shape.
Wrap the loose section of hair around the base of the ponytail, covering the elastic. Pin it in place.
Finish with hairspray to hold.

Want more hair trends, tips and how tos? Head to our 2012 hairstyles guide at that link.

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Some people's wardrobes are about a small selection of pieces that all fit within one aesthetic - Tania Braukamper isn't such a person. With a wardrobe that spans three different rooms, her approach to fashion is a mixture of current-season key pieces mixed with vintage finds she's sourced on innumerous shopping trips around the world's more cultured capitals. Despite a disparate approach to shopping, Tania is adamant that the key to mixing vintage with new season is to stick to key looks and colours that work for oneself. And it's a theory that she works into her writing for Fashionising.com, where she serves as the publication's Editor.