You have spent the last ten minutes wrestling with a hairdryer, two clips and a prayer – and your hair still looks like it lost a fight with the weather. Meanwhile, somewhere on a rain-slicked Copenhagen sidewalk, a woman steps out of a downpour looking like she just left a runway. Her secret is not expensive extensions or an hour in front of the mirror. It is a styling approach so deceptively simple that, once you understand the mechanics, the whole thing takes under five minutes.
Why Copenhagen’s style set keeps coming back to the slick-back
If you have been paying attention to Copenhagen Fashion Week in 2025, you will have noticed a pattern. Gleaming buns, swinging ponytails and sculpted waves have dominated the street-style photography all year – not as a passing seasonal moment, but as what is fast becoming a seasonless signature. The look survives sudden showers, sweaty commutes and long days that stretch from desk to dinner without so much as a strand out of place.
Copenhagen-based backstage veteran and celebrity hairdresser Cim Mahony explains that slicked-back hair endures because it shapeshifts. It can read as fierce, sporty or classic depending entirely on where you place it and what product you use. That adaptability, paired with a very Scandinavian sense of practicality, is exactly why the style refuses to fade. It is rain-wicking, sweat-resistant and surprisingly versatile – a taut ponytail for precision dressing, an unbothered bun for the days between washes.
Three ways to wear it this summer
The slicked-back ponytail is arguably the single hairstyle worth mastering in 2025. It sculpts the face, resists humidity and transitions effortlessly across occasions. A high, taut version delivers an instant lift, while a low, sleek variation leans into quiet luxury. Columnist Verona Farrell has been spotted giving it a swinging 1960s spin, proof that the silhouette absorbs personality without losing its clean lines. Mahony notes that he always reaches for a bungee elastic, which requires a little practice at home but produces a professional-looking result once you get the hang of it.
Then there is the slicked-back bun – less flashy than the ponytail, but every bit as sculptural. Perched high on the crown or nestled low at the nape, it is practical, protective and ideal for high-stakes days where control matters. Mahony recommends braiding the hair tightly, either wet or with gel, then coiling it into a bun for a polished finish in minutes, even when styling solo. At Copenhagen Fashion Week earlier this year, street stylers took the bun further by braiding in ribbons, tying in scarves, or even tucking in a paintbrush – proving there is genuinely no limit to personalising a simple knot.
Beyond those two staples, the options multiply. Cropped cuts can be slicked back without an elastic and sculpted into intricate fingerwaves. Half-up, half-down configurations offer balance without rigidity. And curly-haired wearers can smooth only the face-framing layers or the top section for a playful, polished twist that preserves natural texture.
The five-step method for a glossy finish at home
A lasting slicked-back look begins with prep. Start by blow-drying hair in the direction you want it to lie, taming flyaways as you go and applying a heat protectant if any hot tools are involved. Curly or coily hair can be lightly straightened or blown out for a smoother base, though a touch of natural texture adds beautiful dimension. Next, detangle completely using a wide-tooth comb or boar-bristle brush. Mahony says he uses a Mason Pearson brush to slowly add product while brushing, emphasising that patience is important and prep is everything.
Once your base is smooth, choose your placement – high for a lifted effect, mid-level for versatility, or low for subtle sophistication – and decide on your parting. A centre part is a classic, but a deep side part or retro zig-zag can inject personality; a fine-toothed comb carves the cleanest line. Then load up on hold. Whether you prefer gel, pomade, mousse or hairspray, the goal is a sleek, stay-all-day surface. If you are using hairspray, spritz it onto your brush rather than directly onto hair to avoid residue. For firm grip, apply a strong-hold gel or pomade at the roots and distribute evenly. Mahony warns that one of the biggest mistakes is not getting the hair smooth enough before securing the elastic and not eliminating flyaways. He recommends the Mascobado Gel from Less is More, a natural formula that brushes out completely even after a total wet look.
Secure the style with a bungee elastic for ponytails, bobby pins for buns and half-up looks, or pin-by-pin placement for fingerwaves. Wrap a slim strand of hair around any visible elastic and tuck it underneath. For final flyaway control, Mahony uses a natural-bristle toothbrush on the edges and a hairdryer’s flyaway attachment to smooth everything down. Curly hair responds well to being slicked while wet with gel, then dried with a diffuser to preserve texture while keeping the hairline and crown clean. To prevent flaking, apply an alcohol-free gel to damp – not dry – hair and finish with a light oil or serum before setting with hairspray.
The bottom line
Slicked-back hair is not a trend you need to chase – it is a technique you refine. You now know it can take on at least three distinct silhouettes, that prep and product choice matter more than speed, and that a bungee elastic and a clean toothbrush are genuine game-changers. To protect your scalp, rotate the placement of your ponytail or bun, use snag-free elastics, and finish every wear with a scalp massage to restore circulation. Mahony adds that a clean or natural gel can even double as a soft treatment once you take the style down. Think of it less as a hairstyle and more as a system – one that works in any weather, any season, any city.
