Ariana Grande Bow Ponytail: How to Get Her Focker-In-Law Look
E! News reckons Ariana Grande has been saying yes to her high ponytail for around 14 years. So when she turned up at the New York premiere of Focker-In-Law on 11 November with a short, low-slung version tied off with a cream ribbon, people noticed. The Ariana Grande bow ponytail is now one of those looks everyone wants to try, partly because it is so doable. Here is what she actually wore, how to recreate the hair with a bob or shoulder-length cut, and how to translate the whole mood for an Indian winter wedding or a night out.
What happened at the Focker-In-Law premiere
The film is the fourth chapter of the Meet the Parents series, with Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro back and Grande joining the family. The world premiere was held at the Beacon Theatre in New York, and according to Page Six it was her first step-and-repeat in almost a year, after she had stepped back from public appearances. It was also her first red carpet with boyfriend Ricky Álvarez, which E! News reported as their official debut as a couple.
Then there was the hair. On 22 October, Grande posted selfies showing a neck-length bob with a flipped-out end. E! News reported that the cut and colour were done by her longtime hairstylist Brandon Pietsch, who wrote on Instagram that “the ponytail is taking a hiatus”. The hiatus lasted about three weeks. At the premiere, the ponytail was back, just shorter, lower and finished with a cream bow.
The dress: ’90s Badgley Mischka, found by Law Roach
Her stylist Law Roach went vintage. Page Six describes the gown as a 1990s Badgley Mischka piece in grey plaid silk, floor-length, with spaghetti straps and beaded flowers at the bust. Roach told Extra that he spotted it a few months ago and liked it because it felt like the late ’90s and early 2000s, when the original Meet the Parents came out in 2000. In his words, it “felt so Ari”.
That is a clever bit of styling. A plaid gown at a comedy premiere winks at the film’s era without turning into costume. Hoop earrings and full glam makeup finished it, per Page Six. Put the soft fabric, the slightly prim check and that ribbon together and you get something that reads as sweet but grown-up.
Our take: why this ponytail works better than the old one
The famous high pony was always a statement, and a high-maintenance one, with all that length and height to keep up. This new version is the opposite. It sits lower, it is shorter, and the bow does the work that length used to do. It is a lesson for anyone who has recently cut their hair and feels stuck: a bob can still be tied up, and a bit of ribbon turns a quick fix into a choice.
It also suits the moment. Bows have been everywhere on runways and on Instagram for a couple of seasons, but plenty of them look twee. Grande’s is a neutral cream, tied at the nape rather than the crown, against dark hair. That restraint is the whole point. We would happily copy it.
How to get the Ariana Grande bow ponytail at home
You do not need her length. In fact, a bob or a lob is ideal for this. Here is the method we would use.
- Start with second-day hair. Freshly washed, silky hair tends to slip out of a short ponytail. If your hair is just washed, mist a little dry shampoo or texturising spray at the roots and through the lengths.
- Blow-dry smooth, not flat. Use a round brush to smooth the crown and the sides, keeping a bit of lift on top so the shape does not look scraped back. If your ends flip naturally like Grande’s bob, leave them; they look pretty peeking out of the tie.
- Find the right height. Brush everything back to just above the nape, around the line of your ear lobes. Too high and short layers will fall out. Too low and it reads as a work bun.
- Secure with two elastics. Use a small, hair-coloured elastic first, then a second one over it for grip. Shorter pieces at the back of the neck can be pinned up with bobby pins crossed in an X.
- Tame the flyaways. A drop of hair serum or a little gel on an old toothbrush, brushed over the sides, gives that polished, red-carpet finish. Leave one or two soft strands at the front if you like a gentler look.
- Tie the bow last. Take about 60 to 75 cm of satin or grosgrain ribbon about 2 to 4 cm wide. Wrap it once around the elastic, tie a simple bow and let the tails hang. Trim the ends on a slant so they do not fray. A ready-made bow clip works too, but a hand-tied ribbon looks softer and less costume-like.
If you have very thick or curly hair, which many Indian women do, you may need a slightly higher placement and a third elastic. Curly hair can stay curly; a cream bow against a cloud of curls looks lovely. For fine hair, back-comb lightly at the crown before tying for volume.
Wear it the Indian way
The bow ponytail is surprisingly easy to bring into Indian occasion dressing, especially this wedding season.
- With a saree: pair a low bow ponytail with a grey, silver or checked silk saree for an evening reception. Ivory ribbon picks up zari beautifully. Keep jewellery to hoops or small chandbalis so the bow is not competing.
- With a lehenga or sharara: swap satin for a strip of matching fabric, or a velvet ribbon in a jewel tone. It feels fresher than another low bun with gajra.
- For a party: a slip dress or a plaid midi, small gold hoops and a winged liner get you close to the premiere look. Check fabrics, particularly in grey and cream, are the easiest nod to her gown.
Hair accessories are having a moment here too. If you liked our guide to hairlets and festive hair jewellery, the bow is the simpler, everyday cousin. And if you want the lifted, glossy crown before tying it back, our step-by-step on the bombshell blowout at home covers the blow-dry part in detail.
When can you watch Focker-In-Law in India?
Paramount Pictures announced back in April, as reported by PTI, that Focker-In-Law will release in Indian cinemas on 27 November 2026. Ticket platforms such as District already list that date. The film is directed by John Hamburg. There is no word yet on its streaming date in India, so for now this is a big-screen outing.
FAQ
Did Ariana Grande grow her ponytail back?
No. She still has the bob she debuted in October. At the Focker-In-Law premiere, the short hair was pulled back into a shorter, lower ponytail and finished with a cream bow, which is why it looks different from her old signature style.
Who styled Ariana Grande’s Focker-In-Law look?
Law Roach styled the outfit, a vintage 1990s Badgley Mischka gown in grey plaid silk. Her bob was cut and coloured earlier by her longtime hairstylist Brandon Pietsch, according to E! News.
Can you do a bow ponytail with a short bob?
Yes, if your hair reaches at least the jawline. Tie it low at the nape, use two small elastics, pin shorter pieces with bobby pins and add a ribbon over the elastic. Texturising spray helps it hold.
One last thing: the best part of this look is that it costs almost nothing. A length of ribbon, a couple of elastics and ten minutes with a hairbrush. Try it before the wedding season gets busy, and keep the bow cream or black if you want it to look expensive.
