Whether you’re working with thinner hair or not a whole lot of length, it can be tricky to fake a voluminous ponytail. To pump things up, stylists recommend propping up the base of the pony with some pins, teasing it in different directions, or wrapping the elastic in a section of hair. Of course, extensions can also help.

Speaking of extensions, these days it is extremely easy to pop a set into your own hair and make your puny ponytail look a whole lot bigger. Clip-in extensions work well with updos and give you instant volume, and these days there are a lot of really great options on the market that aren’t super expensive.

To use them, begin by brushing your hair and then sectioning it. Next, clip in an extension to each section of hair from the nape of your neck to your crown. Finish by brushing hair out and styling it into your ponytail of choice.

These examples go to show that almost *every* short hairstyle can be pulled into a ponytail—but there are, of course, some exceptions. Generally speaking, the question of “how short is too short” depends on how you style your ponytail (e.g. a low ponytail can work with shorter hair lengths than a high ponytail). To be leave your styling options open, stick with shoulder length hair, which should give you versatility with your looks. For instance, with shoulder-length, pieces won’t fall out when styling hair into a high ponytail.