EJAE's Double Ponytail Braid Proves That Two Braids Are So Much Better Than One

Is this braid-maxxing?

ejae attends the met gala wearing chunky neck jewelry and silver hair accessories
(Image credit: Getty Images)

I love throwing my hair into a nice, fancy updo every now and again, but I think EJAE just convinced me that I've been doing braided ponytails wrong this entire time.

The singer and K-Pop Demon Hunters star was a guest at the 2026 Gold Gala on May 9, where she served mermaid glam in a strapless, baby blue gown with floral embroidery and a basque waist. To match her satin dress, she wore a pearl manicure with a milky white base color underneath a blue-ish chrome powder—but her glazed nails weren't even the best part of the look. She wore a dark winged eyeliner and a nude lip, and she pulled her black hair back into a high ponytail that was separated into not one but two long braids.

a woman wears a white gown and poses on a staircase with her back turned

EJAE attends the 2026 Gold Gala wearing a braided ponytail.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Spring has been pretty big for ponytails, and EJAE isn't the first star to give hers a high-fashion upgrade for the red carpet. Back in March, Tracee Ellis Ross attended Celine's F/W '26 runway show during Paris Fashion Week wearing a stunning triple ponytail with long, bone-straight extensions that were butt-length. Even Oprah Winfrey hopped on the ponytail train in Paris with a loose bubble ponytail.

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The ponytail is one of those hairstyles that have been around for longer than any of us can remember, but this year it's evolving, and more celebrities are finding unique ways to customize them and make them look slightly more dramatic for red carpet events. "The power of the ponytail is that it can give structural angles as well as a snatch," celebrity hairstylist Adir Abergel previously told MC.

To get EJAE's simple, double-braided ponytail at home, read ahead.

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Danielle Jackson
Senior Beauty Writer

Danielle Jackson is the senior beauty writer at Marie Claire. She has nearly a decade of experience covering beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment and was previously the senior beauty editor at Women's Health, where she thoughtfully covered topics related to skincare, haircare, aesthetics, and wellness. Before that, she spent three years as an assistant beauty editor at PS, and in the years since, her work has appeared in titles like Vogue, InStyle, Glamour, and more. Danielle graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in English, and has lived in Brooklyn for almost ten years. When she's not writing, you can find her reading romance novels and talking about sunscreen. You can find her on Instagram @danielleknecole.