Ready for the impending weekend—not to mention the official beginning of summer, which is just around the corner? You are now! Love Island star Olandria Carthen just set the tone for the season to come with her ready-to-party ponytail at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue launch party in New York City.
Carthen, who appears in the iconic swimsuit issue as one of the “Rookies,” attended the celebratory event wearing her hair in a cheerful, flirty high ponytail that absolutely brought the Barbie vibes—they don’t call her Bama Barbie for nothing!—and showed off her sleek, sheer one-shoulder gown with a hip cutout detail.
Carthen’s hair, styled by hairstylist Kaleel Joy, was gathered into a high ponytail right atop the crown of her head, with a portion of hair wrapped around the base. The lengths were parted in the center of the ponytail and curled at the ends for a playful, swingy finish. Carthen added bangs to the style with a set of extra-long, straight-across fringe that fell past her brows, just brushing her lashes. When paired with the bronze Bronx and Banco dress (and those bold metallic details across the bodice), a dewy highlight, and flushed cheeks, this whole look practically screams summer fun. Though her nails can’t be seen in the photo below, Carthen wore a metallic bronze French mani to keep the color story going.
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Carthen told Essence that she was surprised to learn she would be appearing in the magazine. “I was so shocked, but so grateful to be presented with this amazing opportunity, especially being a small-town girl from Bama,” she said. Carthen quickly became a fan favorite on Love Island and has since become a mainstay on the red carpet, serving up tons of beauty and style inspo every time.
You could wear a ponytail like this anywhere and everywhere, regardless of the season, but it looks particularly great with a summery statement dress like Carthen’s. The best thing about a ponytail is that the style is so versatile; there are so many different iterations, and each one has its own special magic. Take, for example, the bubble pony Oprah wore during Paris Fashion Week, or Nicole Kidman’s cool fusion of a twist and a ponytail. You can keep your hair off your neck on those hot, sweaty summer days and look cute too.