10 Updos That Don't Need a Hair Elastic, According to the Pros at NYFW

Updated on Sep 17, 2016 at 6:05 PM

Unless you're sporting a pixie cut, slapping a hair tie onto your wrist in preparation for a midday updo is just another step in your daily routine. However, sometimes there just isn't enough time in the morning to hunt down one of those elusive elastics, and while the thought of an elastic-free hairstyle might seem daunting, the pros at New York Fashion Week just proved it's simpler than ever.

The secret? You can replace a missing hair tie with, well, almost anything. While backstage, hairstylists were grabbing whatever they could find to style their models' hair into something runway-worthy. From ribbons to belts (yes, belts), we rounded up the most creative ways stylists chose to put hair into updos without having to resort to a plain old hair elastic. As a bonus, you won't have to wait until spring to give these hairstyles a try, they work perfectly for holiday as well.

No hair tie? No problem. To re-create the look from the Creatures of Comfort runway show, simply begin by splitting your hair into two sections and twisting them around each other. Then, fold the twists up and tie the ends around the hair at the nape of your neck to keep the style in place.

Using a belt as a hair accessory was probably the most unexpected beauty trend to emerge from NYFW, but truth be told, it can totally be pulled off. By looping the belt into itself and pulling it tightly around your hair, you can instantly create a stylish low ponytail. Or just preorder this one from the actual Tibi runway.

While the croissant bun spotted backstage at the Lela Rose runway show is one of our favorite options for styling second-day hair, it's also the perfect look to try if you're missing a hair tie as well (talk about a win-win). Even though this look originally featured a small hair elastic to bring the hair into a low ponytail before rolling it into a bun, you can skip that step entirely and choose a bandana to hold the hair in place and achieve the same effect.

The hair accessories spotted backstage at Rodarte were every indie bride's dream, but the unspoken takeaway here was that you can gather lace, feathers, beads, or any other craft-worthy fabric to pull your hair back into an ethereal style sans hair elastic in five minutes flat.

If barrettes are your thing, try this double accessory look from Custo Barcelona. Just tuck your hair up over itself, fastening the first barrette at midlength. Then, tuck the top ends of your hair back behind the itself before fastening the second barrette.

For an undone look like this one spotted backstage at the Josie Natori runway show, pull hair into a low ponytail, fold half of it up towards the base, and wrap a small section of hair around the loose ends. Then, secure with a bobby pin for extra hold.

As a rule of thumb, when hair is wet, it's easier to wrap it up into itself. For a visual, imagine all those times when you've wrapped your hair into a bun after getting out of the shower or a pool without using a hair tie (re: the "twist and tuck" method). You'll have a sleek updo, like this one from the Thakoon runway show, that's strong enough to hold itself up without having to search for a hair band.

No need to dig through your vanity for a hair tie if you have a few leather chokers laying around. Instead of wearing those stylish necklaces on your neck, wrap them around a high ponytail for an edgier look like the one seen at Brandon Maxwell.

Forget about the fact that bows are worn by most preschoolers — the ribbon-tied hairstyles seen at Monique Lhuillier were anything but juvenile. To make this look appear more grown up, add extra texture to the pony for an undone, imperfect appearance — totally opposite from those tight pigtails that children wear.

While the models didn't actually wear this giant hair pin while walking down the runway for Pamella Roland, it's still a great way to keep your hair in this twisted bun IRL, although there's no need to use such a statement accessory like the one pictured. Instead, use any lengthy pin (even a chopstick could work!) to pull your hair into a ponytail, twisting it until it begins to spin into a ballerina-bun shape and securing it with a pin. As a bonus, with your hair folded up into itself like that, you'll be setting yourself up for the perfect bun drop video (if you feel so inclined).