We Can't Stop Obsessing Over Anne Hathaway's AI-Inspired Front Row Ponytail
Her cheekbones stole the show at Ralph Lauren.
Anne Hathaway has just revealed one of the best beauty hacks of all time: the non-surgical facelift. On April 17, Hathaway attended the Ralph Lauren Collection Fall 2025 fashion show in New York City, wearing a high ponytail—a rare style for the actress. Still, this wasn’t just any updo; it was completely slicked back, a marked departure from the flowy, face-framing looks with which she has become synonymous.
Hathaway’s ponytail didn't have a single hair out of place, likely the result of a generous amount of gel. The sleek style let her makeup shine, and I, for one, need answers on how her skin looked both glowy and matte at the same time. (I'll be deep-stalking her makeup artist Kristofer Buckle’s Instagram page for the foreseeable future). Now, back to the ponytail. The “tail” portion of her hair was slightly curled to give the appearance of bedhead waves, which contrasted perfectly with the more polished front of the look. Save for a scrunchie, which was wrapped in hair so it was concealed, no additional accessories were used.
“We were trying to create an AI-inspired version of Anne,” the hairstylist behind the look, Orlando Pita, tells me. “I think the most important part of this [technique] is using double elastics to make sure that you get a really tight ponytail.”
Anne Hathaway attends the Ralph Lauren Collection Fall 2025 on April 17, 2025 in New York City.
This hairstyle is slowly but surely becoming the look of the summer, thanks to multiple stamps of approval from Hollywood a-listers. Tracee Ellis Ross was spotted in a blunt version of the look while doing press in New York City. And, just a few weeks prior, actress Eiza González wore a braided version on a red carpet, proving the versatility of the classic hairstyle.
The ponytail facelift has long been used on runways and for editorial shoots, but be warned: this is not an everyday hairstyle. In fact, I recommend only doing it once in a blue moon. A not-so-fun fact: the constant tension on your hairline can cause receding, hair loss, and even full-blown traction alopecia if you’re not careful.
That being said, this feels like one of those beauty hacks that are great to keep in your back pocket for special occasions, so if you want the secret to looking snatched without going under the knife, keep reading for the products that will give you the Anne Hathaway ponytail of your dreams.
When doing sleek ponytails like this one, expect to use some heat. "To achieve this look, I blow-dried her hair with a heat protectant spray, and then I scraped her hair back in a very high ponytail as tight as possible," Pita says. My all-time favorite is the Oribe Gold Lust.
Another must-have for a snatched ponytail is a good-quality hair tie, like these from Amazon. Don't forget to double up if you have thick or curly hair so you can get that really tight, slightly ethereal effect.
Not only does a lot of gel help with slicking a hairstyle back, but having a styling stick like this one from Briogeo can keep flyaways at bay post-styling.
