updos

[oddoneout]

I''m not sure how many of you out there have long hair but I''m sick of wearing my long hair (down past the middle of my back) in a ponytail, braid or bun because I have no other updo ideas. I wear my hair up all the time in the summer so some variety is welcome. What are some (easy) ways to wear an updo?

Thanks

 

[somethingshiny]

When my mom had long hair she would frequently french braid it and then tuck the tail up under the braid (nearly to the start of the braid from the underside) and pin it with a bobby pin. It was a completely different look than a standard braid.

I have very thick and wavy hair and when I wore it long, I used a quick french twist and secured it with a pin. I also did a real low and messy "bun" or did a pony and turned it "inside out" (put your finger in the center of the tail and push all the hair back down around the band and secure with a second band.)

My little sis will french braid up one side and down the other (like a headband) with like a third of her hair and leave the rest hanging down her back. She also randomly braids small pieces and then does a regular ponytail so that it has braided "streaks" through it.

We''re all very fast braiders so these fall into quick and easy for us, but if you''re not a quick brader, the twist and inside out pony would still be quick and different.

 

[Circe]

Got chopsticks? My easy, on the go solution is to just twist the hair into a knot and skewer it in place with whatever is most readily available (I believe the more sophisticated may use "hairsticks," but really, they''re generally just two sticks with some shiny stuff attached - and a pair of pencils will work in a pinch). Alternately, I braid it and then use the sticks to tuck it atop my head. Scunci makes some nifty updo thingies - I have one that''s basically just a long, tapered marquis shape with a hole through the middle and loops at both ends that lets me twist my hair into a bun facsimile that stays up forever, and I get compliments whenever I wear it.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Depends how long it is, but if it isn''t too long, a french twist with a clip is easy and attractive. My hair is way too long for a french twist, so I twist it up like I am starting one, then bring it back down, twisting it together and then secure it with a clip on top.

A half back where you pull just the hair around your face into a ponytail, braid or clip in the back is very pretty too.

 

[Elmorton]

Okay, I just realized by the length of this post that it's time for me to get a haircut. I have WAY too many updo ideas, which means I've been doing these too often!!

I am so guilty of pulling my hair to the base of my neck, making a ponytail, and then looping my hair through the last loop of the ponytail holder - like a ponytail but not pulling my hair all the way through to make the tail - so it's a half bun, half pony. I usually tuck the ends back through the loop of hair. If your hair isn't really long, it can be cute, but with long hair it might look messy.

Another one that I used to do for my sorority's semi-formals for a sleek look: Make a decently high ponytail and then you do a topsy-tail upside down (ponytail and then you push your pony underneath and behind your the base of your ponytail) - you get a pony with some major 60's like volume. Then I take the ends and bobby pin them under the pony base, sides get pinned to the back of my head, so it looks like I have some complicated sleek horizontal french twist.

Another - tie your ponytail in a knot and then secure it some bobby pins so it stays.

DH used to love it when I'd pull back (what are now my) bangs and secure them with an X of bobby pins at my crown (that's the point where a tiara would sit, right? That's what I mean..) and then pull it into a ponytail.

OH! And sometimes I pull the bags to the side, x with the bobby pins, and then pull it into a pony. Just changing up the hairline makes the ponytail look more interesting.

I LOVE the french braid just through the bangs look that LC and Hayden Pani..whatever and the Olsen twins sometimes do...but it looks REALLY silly and young on me.

I also will do a low pony and then pull a section from the ponytail and wrap it around the holder sometimes, secure it with a bobby pin. Looks prettier than a normal ponytail.

There's also dressing up a ponytail by wearing a headband with it. There's an Elmorton signature look, haha! It's like my baseball cap when I skip a day washing my hair.

Sometimes doing your pony with a pretty barrette adds something too...that's how I do ponytail days when I want to look professional.

I second the chopsticks - those are great if you have textured or really thick hair. It won't work for straight, fine hair I don't think.

If you have curly hair, make a ponytail, and then pull little sections, make a loop, and pin them down every which way next to the base of your pony. Keep going until your whole pony is in a curly pinned up updo. That's cute, too, takes about 5 mins if that.