Ahh, I'm at that stage now where ALMOST all of my hair will fit into my ponytail (I don't like to pull it all back that tight, as it's uncomfertable). I was just in a theater production, and again I had to straighten my hair, and keep it in a ponytail. Not just a ponytail, but a low ponytail which leaves one heckuva lot of hair out of my ponytail.
Well, I discovered a way to keep the loose bits of hair out of the way!
Take the lock of hair at your temple, and the lock of hair right behind it. Twist the two together(towards your haid i.e. if you're on the left side of your head, twist to the right) just a couple of times. Then take more hair, working your way backwards, twisting in a couple of times, until you've reached the back. Put it in an elastic, then repeat with the other side of your head. Then take elastics off of both, and combine for one ponytail. TaDAA! No more annoying locks of hair coming out of ponytails!
NOTE: This works if you put your hair into a ponytail while parted, not sure how to do it without a part.
As Always,
That "Ball" Guy