We knew Amanda Batula was going to spark conversation at the Summer House reunion, but we couldn’t have predicted how much of that chatter would center on her hairstyle. The softly undone pony-bun divided the internet almost instantly. Behind all the memes and critiques is celebrity hairstylist Olivia Halpin, who has created countless standout looks. We asked Halpin to share the backstory behind the now-infamous pony-bun. Because love it or hate it, we have a feeling you’ll be seeing more of the look this summer.
You captioned your recent Instagram post, “The bun you love to hate.” What was your reaction to the internet’s response?
“The caption was really me having a sense of humor about it. As artists, we put our work out there knowing not everyone is going to love every look, and the internet can be incredibly passionate. What I found most interesting was seeing so many people talking about a hairstyle. I think it sparked a conversation about beauty, trends, personal style and what glam is supposed to look like, which is interesting in itself.”
Where did you get the inspiration for the pony-bun?
“I can’t take credit for creating the look. We’ve seen versions of it on Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber and on the runways of major fashion houses. We took inspiration from those moments and adapted it to match Amanda’s signature effortless, chic style while balancing the femininity of the makeup and outfit.”
Amanda has worn a version of this bun many times on Summer House, and you’ve done a ton of gorgeous styles on her over the years—what made the pony-bun feel like the right look for this reunion?
“It has been so fun to create so many hairstyles with Amanda in the past couple of years that we’ve been working together. As a hairstylist, it’s always my goal to make my clients feel like the most confident and beautiful versions of themselves, ready to take on whatever lies ahead of them that day. For the reunion, it was important for it to be a style that would last through an incredibly long day, create a cohesive look head to toe and also stay true to Amanda’s personal style.”
Effortless is so often the goal with beauty and hair, so how do you respond to the idea that the look reads as unfinished or effortless in a negative way?
“The reality is that the soft, understated, effortless aesthetic is very much a deliberate choice, and one that my clients request every day. For me, effortless doesn’t mean unintentional. Every detail is considered, but the goal is to create something that feels natural, modern and authentic to the person wearing it.”
For someone who wants to try a pony-bun at home, what’s your approach?
“The key to this look is creating the right foundation. I started by building body and texture with a thickening spray—I used R+Co Bleu Magnifier Thickening Spray ($42)—then created soft, lived-in waves throughout the hair before pulling it back into a mid-height pony with a ghd Iron ($249-$389). The placement and texture are what make the look feel effortless. Finish with a texture spray—I used Living Proof Dry Volume and Texture Spray ($36)—to add separation and dimension to the pony bun.”
