Simone Biles's Curly, Waist-Length Ponytails Are Sending Fans Into a Frenzy

Nicola Dall'Asen

We're used to seeing gymnast Simone Biles in one of her two signature hairstyles — either her go-to gymnastics updo, a high and tightly braided bun, or her sleek, straight, off-duty look. They're both timeless and practical, which is exactly what one would expect from a very busy 22-year-old with numerous Olympic medals, a best-selling book, and millions of followers to boot. Biles, however, has been itching for something completely different, as evidenced by her latest Instagram and Twitter posts.

"Underestimate me.... that’ll be fun," Biles captioned a November 7 Instagram post, showing off a brand-new, very long hairstyle. The slideshow of photos reveals two feed-in cornrows tied near the nape of her neck, giving way to loose, waist-length curls cascading over her shoulders. Given how good she looks, her playful smirk and confident caption are more than warranted. She loves the new look so much, she posted the same photos to her Twitter feed and wrote, "Somethin a lil different ;)."

Biles's fans are not taking this change of pace calmly... not in the slightest. Scrolling through the hundreds of Twitter responses to her post is a whir of all-capital sentences, heart-eyed emojis, and GIFs of smitten cartoon characters. "I said OOOOOH yes then I saw the second pic and I said OOOOH YES YES," writes one of Biles's Twitter followers. Another says, "I mean......STUN." And our personal favorite comment: "Holy smokes!! You look dangerous in the best way!"

Another thing Biles's followers noticed? She pierced one her of nostrils, something gymnasts aren't always permitted to do. The bad news is that some fans think all this new flair could be a signal of Biles's upcoming exit from professional gymnastics, which has been a huge subject of discussion during the most recent world championships. But it seems the bright side is that Biles is enjoying the freedom to play with her appearance to her heart's content.

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Originally Appeared on Allure