DD1 has hair down to her bottom which tends to fall out of pony's and be a bit flyaway around her face. I've found that the best method is to spritz with a water bottle to get it to stick down when making the pony or plait, then spray with a bit of hairspray when done. Hairspray is pretty good these days, the hair stays soft rather than going crunchy! Her hair is still messy by the end of the day, but at least She gets to school looking tidy!