Leave It To Gabrielle Union To Totally Transform The High Ponytail

Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wade, seem to be on a never-ending (and highly successful) quest to be the cutest couple on Earth. Fine, so they’re just vacationing in Europe, which they’ve adorably dubbed #WadeWorldTour2021 — but it’s essentially the same thing. All month long, fans watched the loved-up couple traipse around Italy, manicured hand-in-hand, zooming through the Mediterranean on decked-out yachts before coming to rest to celebrate their wedding anniversary in Paris. For the occasion, Union donned a breathtaking Valentino gown, but it was her hair that really stole the show. The actor’s braided ponytail, hoisted high and wrapped with hair-tie-concealing bits of braid for a combo ponytail-bun effect, might just be the single greatest ponytail of all time.

Union’s haute couture Valentino dress, starting as a strapless black bodice before giving way to swirling, baby pink skirt, was the perfect backdrop for the ponytail which was constructed by Union’s longtime braider, the mononymous Larri, and hairstylist Larry Sims. Throughout her European vacation, Union’s worn Larri-styled braids in a classic pattern down to her waist, switching up the looks for various activities: jaunty pigtails for a day of water fun, a sweet half-pinned back moment for dinner, and a deep side part for a night out in Sardinia — the anniversary ponytail is basically in a galaxy of its own.

One-part fairy princess thanks to the length and height and one-part Hollywood royalty with the ultra-stylish illusion bun, it’s the ideal combination of sweet and sophisticated for the occasion. The rear view of the style is particularly lush, where both layers of hair meet for a continuous flow.

Of course, being the megastar she is, there’s no way Union could get through such an important evening without a spectacular wardrobe change to match. For the latter part of the evening, Union slipped into a drapey Beauty and the Beast-yellow cocktail dress that looked equally incredible with the ponytail:

While it’s still unclear exactly which products Union’s glam team used for the artful ponytail, it’s safe to say more than a few of them were likely pulled from Union’s own top-rated hair care line, Flawless by Gabrielle Union. One thing’s for sure, though: the only thing cuter than Union and Wade gazing into each other’s eyes amid the Eiffel Tower’s glow, is the never-ending parade of envy-worthy hairstyles with which she’s constantly blessing the timeline.

We only include products that have been independently selected by TZR's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.