S/O hair - big girl hair

[sudokufan]

Help me up my game a bit, will you?  Make up is a lost cause for me, I generally look like this when I put some on:

so I've given up.

But hair I might be able to do something about.  I wash it twice a week and put it up wet, the other 5 days I give it a good brushing, then put it up.  But I'm looking for some variety; right now "up" means I do a lame french twist thing and secure it with some kind of giant plastic clip.  Some days it gets to be 4pm before I realize I gave myself an inadvertent duck tail   I have super straight mid back length hair, and not much in the way of manual dexterity (ie, I cannot braid as much as I like the possibilities it would bring).  So hit me with your favorite easy "up" styles, tutorials, or tips and tricks, PLEASE.

I'm in IT, so I've got by for a loooooong time looking almost the same as I did in college, but I think I'm old enough and at a spot in my career where I need to look more put together to get taken seriously by people who don't know my track record.  I have nice new clothes that go with that new image, but my hair.  Well.

[saraml13]

Apr 4, 2016 12:29:10 GMT -5 privacy said:

How long is it? And are you committed to keeping it long and wanting more up-dos vs. going for a lower maintenance cut?

I second consider going short.  I am similar to you in that I am terrible at doing anything fancy with my hair.  I can't braid my own hair and to me even a messy french twist type thing is impressive.  I finally switched to shorter hair with layers and I love it.  I cut it just long enough that I can barely get it up in a pony tail if I use some small clips for the short pieces (I do like to get it out of my face for exercise or cooking), but wear it down 90% of the time.  It looks best if I blow dry it, but it dries pretty quickly.

[sudokufan]

Apr 4, 2016 12:29:10 GMT -5 privacy said:

How long is it? And are you committed to keeping it long and wanting more up-dos vs. going for a lower maintenance cut?

Mid-back; think about bra strap length.  It's not so much that I'm committed to keeping it long, as I know myself and I won't go back for trims often enough.  I hate getting it cut.  I've gotten 2 cuts since my son was born, and he's 3 next month.

I'd like more up-dos in my arsenal; pony tails, buns, what have yous.  I tried a chignon yesterday, that was ok but I need a ton more practice.  I have about 15 minutes to mess with it on the average morning.

[mommyatty]

Sock bun! Best thing ever. Once you get the hang of it, it takes about 3 minutes with the little donut thing you can buy at CVS.

Here's the tutorial that I liked.

[anakah]

I rotate through buns, pony tails, and braids. I have one of those perfect bun maker things for when I want a "fancy" bun. I usually just twirl it around and stab some bobby pins in though. I know you said you can't braid, but maybe a ton of you tube videos and some practice would help?

[helenahhandbasket]

I was also going to recommend a sock bun.

Other than that, if you'd like to keep it long, but want to look a bit more polished, I'd maybe try to blow it dry in the mornings and then smooth it in between washes with a flat iron.

Another look to try is a low side pony tail. If you decide to try braiding, you could do a low side braid as well.

[doodler]

I know you are looking for up-do's, but could you get some long layers put in and run a flat-iron over the bottom to curl it in and frame your face? That is what I do. I just throw a little bit of product in(mousse or gel while it is wet) and then one spray of hair spray on the bottom after I run the flat iron over it. It is so fast and easy.

[librarychica]

I'm fond of the messy bun. Pull into a high pony, split hair into two sections, twist in opposite directions as I wrap around the base of the ponytail, pin.

I recently found this low bun too. It's easy, blog.lulus.com/beauty/lulus-how-to-chic-low-rolled-bun-tutorial/

I also just wear my hair down with the sides clipped back a lot.

[Deleted]

I don't really style my hair that much. Right now it is short, so I wear it down about 1/3 of the time. The rest of the time it is in a pony tail.

When my hair was longer I tried a lot of thing in braid books or on pinterest for hairstyles. I prefer lower styles rather than top of the head type things. Low pony tail, double pony tail (half up) then at the base. Or just half up (gets it out of your face) but not all the way up. For braids the easiest is just a simple braid that starts at the base of the skull. Or pull to the side and just hang it over your shoulder. More child like, are 2 low ponies hanging down the back or to the side or 2 low braids hanging down the back or up front. That will be a more cutesy look, so maybe not what you are going for for work, but you could do at home.

Braids were my "craft" project one fall. I taught myself to french braid, dutch braid, and fishtail. I'm still not that great at it, and cut my hair, so I don't do them much, but it was fun while it lasted. I just googled or looked on pinterest for tutorials. I found something on pinterest where you wear a headband and tuck the ends back over it which was kind of cute. I get lots of compliments, but its too short now to do much more with it.

[mlee116]

When my hair was around the length you are describing, I used to do one of these styles:

-blow dry, straighten the ends and wear it down
-same as above, but tease the crown a little bit for volume (I have super flat hair) and wear it half up, half down with a little clip. This is perfect if you haven't washed it in a day or two.
-low ponytail. I got my stylist to cut some longer 'swoopy' bangs and I'd just run a straightener over those to make it look a little more polished.

I suck at braids or any updos other than a ponytail, so those are pretty much out for me

I got mine cut about a year ago into a lob and I really like it. It's really easy to style it in the mornings if I want to wear it down, but I still pull it into a ponytail.

[sudokufan]

@clarypax, I've found a few good hair tutorials through Pinterest, but I'm coming to hate that site a bit; so many people link to a picture that's a link to an article that links to another article that finally links to the source. It's like panning for gold. I did this funny twist thing with my pony tail this am that I learned from pinterest. I need more practice, but at least it's not boring.

mlee116, I really need to learn how to tease, don't I? It keeps coming up in tutorials...

[tas1883]

I've used this site before when I need inspiration.
therighthairstyles.com/
I've done this side pony then loop it through like a topsy-turvy for a twist on a normal ponytail.
My hair is the same length and I tend to do braids, pony tails, and messy buns. Every time I say I'm going to try and do something different it doesn't work and I get frustrated.

What is super frustrating is I can style and do all sorts of fun things on other people's hair including DD but can't do a thing with my own.

[liziz]

I have zero hair skills as well, and wear my hair in a pony or messy bun most days. My go-to slightly fancier style is twisting hair from the front on each side (adding in hair from the bottom as I go) and then making it into a pony or bun (depending on my current length) at the back. I like to think it's a retro look - and I promise, I can't french braid my own hair!

ETA: Here's a picture of the type of thing I do
.

[mlee116]

sudokufan , teasing works wonders for my flat, fine hair. It doesn't take much at all (no Snooky bump here, lol) to give my hair some life and freshen it up. I just mist my roots with hairspray, tease a little with a fine tooth comb and smooth over.

[Deleted]

Apr 4, 2016 15:25:03 GMT -5 sudokufan said:

@clarypax , I've found a few good hair tutorials through Pinterest, but I'm coming to hate that site a bit; so many people link to a picture that's a link to an article that links to another article that finally links to the source. It's like panning for gold. I did this funny twist thing with my pony tail this am that I learned from pinterest. I need more practice, but at least it's not boring.

mlee116 , I really need to learn how to tease, don't I? It keeps coming up in tutorials...

If you don't feel like using the internet, this is the book I used from my library www.amazon.com/Braids-Buns-Twists-Step---Step/dp/1452124841/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459861810&sr=1-1&keywords=braids+buns+and+twists.

[sudokufan]

@clarypax, thanks for the book recommend, that looks like an awesome reference for me!

[mayuyou]

liziz

I have zero hair skills as well, and wear my hair in a pony or messy bun most days. My go-to slightly fancier style is twisting hair from the front on each side (adding in hair from the bottom as I go) and then making it into a pony or bun (depending on my current length) at the back. I like to think it's a retro look - and I promise, I can't french braid my own hair!

ETA: Here's a picture of the type of thing I do

Hairdo on the picture looks amazing...I want to learn to do something like these thehairstyledaily.com/top-updos-for-medium-hair/ but I just have CURVES hands
And that book from link above...is it helpful??

[sdlaura]

I agree with the PP who recommended long layers. Then it will look more adult/professional even when it's down. Beyond the first cut to get the layers done, you don't really have to go for cuts any more often than you do when it's all one length.

[helenahhandbasket]

Throw the plastic hair clips away.

I wear my hair down 99% of the time, but it's wavy, so I either scrunch with some curl cream or blow dry and flat iron ends smooth.

What about some long layers or an asymmetrical lob/bob

[judyblume14]

I am HOPELESS. My hair's uniform is a messy bun.

But I second the sock bun! It's my go-to style for weddings, and other "fancy" outings. But it would totally work for the office, too.

[2chatter]

Sock bun FTW.

Also, I put mine in a high pony then divide it into 15 or so
Little sections and twist them and pin them to my head - kind of a fancy messy bun look. Play with bobby pins and see what happens.

[sudokufan]

Wow, zombie thread. I saw this and thought, gee, I don't remember posting about my hair LOL.

But, I ended up following ya'lls advice on some long layers, and ditching most of my plastic clips in favor of either spin pins or decorative hair forks. I have not yet mastered the messy bun, but I have hopes. I've gotten a lot of compliments on my french twist dos though, since I got the cuter accessories.

[somebabiesmom]

Here's 25 ways to wear a ponytail.

ETA: That is so weird. I didn't notice this was from almost a year ago. Lol.