Styled for the weekend: Sleek ponytail

A sleek ponytail offers such a versatile weekend look – it would equally suit a night out, or a night in.

Australian Hairdresser of the Year, Brad Ngata says: "I still think the classic ponytail is the best way to give yourself a stylish update for an evening look. It looks smart and dressed with a ribbon, hairclip or barrette."

To create this style, Kimberley starts by gently backcombing hair at the roots all over the head.

She then sections off a horseshoe of hair on top of the head (imagine the ends of the horseshoe at the front of the head and the round section pointing towards the back) and secures it with a hair clip while she works on the lower section of the ponytail, brushing it back and securing it with an elastic, making sure it is firm and even. "I then backcomb the horseshoe section slightly more to give it increased height and give the ponytail itself a softer, more sophisticated look," she says.

Kimberley gently pulls this hair back into the ponytail and secures it with fringe pins. She then takes a piece of hair and wraps it around the ponytail to cover the elastic.

The result is slick, sexy and sensational.

Photography: Corrie Bond.  Hair: Kimberley Forbes.  Make-up: Nadine Monley