Conservative objects to ponytail (6)

I believe the answer is:

stuffy

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'conservative' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps you can see an association between them that I don't see?

I don't understand the remainder of the clue.

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(Other definitions for stuffy that I've seen before include "Staid - airless" , "Old-fashioned" , "Airless; unadventurous" , "Lacking fresh air or excessively conventional" , "Close - conventional and dull" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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