The latest and greatest hair accessory has been designed to do more than merely hold back hair into a ponytail or bun.

A German college student on her way to a costume party, Sophie Trelles-Tvede was looking for a hair tie alternative, one that would keep her hair up for the night but wouldn’t yield a headache, something she often experienced when wearing a ponytail or bun. Spying an old telephone cord, she grabbed it to do the job. The next day she realized she was headache free and her hair was no worse for the wear (no kinks in sight.)

Soon after, Sophie sought out developers who came up with a tieless hair ring made of artificial resin (polyurethane) designed to leave hair free of kinks and creases. Indeed shaped like an old-fashioned telephone cord, the invisibobble, as it came to be called, distributes pressure onto several concentrated points within the ring, allowing for hair to hold securely without being too snug or too loose. The design allows for the invisibobble to be worn swimming or while exercising, and if it ever gets too stretched, hot air from a blowdryer for several seconds will return it back to its original shape.

What makes invisibobble different from other hair ties is that it is as much a styling tool as it is a hair tie. Subsequently, Germany-based hair stylist Denise Bredtmann created a handful of how-to videos showing various invisibobble updo techniques, including how to create a fancy ponytail, a braided updo, a side pony and a retro bun.

Invivisbobble, which is now sold on website lockandmane and in Urban Outfitters in the US and Canada for $8 for a box of three, is available year round in eight core colors including black, white, clear, brown and red.

Seasonal colors are promoted throughout the year; summer’s 2015 colors are in a limited edition Wild Whisper collection, which were inspired by the jungle and come in green, orange, baby blue and tan.

Sold in more than 50 countries, including Sephora outiside of the US, invisibobble is looking to be the next big thing in your hair—and on your wrist—in 2015 and beyond.