Hair/Up-do inspiration - YouLookFab Forum

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Hair/Up-do inspiration

Runcarla

Veteran

10 months of growth has resulted in enough hair length that I can get it into a ponytail when I’m having a ‘bad hair day’. Unfortunately, a plain ponytail isn’t my best look. For those with longer hair, what are your ‘go to’ styles for those days when it doesn’t look it’s best down, or you want to get it off your face? Where do you look for inspiration?

General

16 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Anonymous

I wear hats of all styles

Synne

Veteran

Hair claws for me Also a bristle brush can do wonders on a bad hair day. It opens up new possibilities for styling, sleek or combed back etc. And dry shampoo is s great friend.

Roxanna

Veteran

I find with curly hair, Carla, updos are hard bc of the halo of frizz that investable results. When my hair was curly, I would keep it curly, tie a little ponytail, and then flip the ponytail up and tuck in for a kind of twist look. It I would use clips to clip it back up into itself so it looked like a big mass of curls, which looked nice.

Murph11

Veteran

My curly hair situation (and color!) is quite similar to yours, and I pull back the front in a half-up style. I initially did this for workouts, but have found it to be a nice soft and pretty option once my curls are mostly dry (I only air dry). I have a couple of little sparkly clips I will also add to one side.

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Cee

Veteran

My hair has always been kept short.

Jane

Veteran

My go to is to take a small section of hair around my ear and then twist, sometimes scooping up additional small sections as I go round. Then do the same on the other side.

I do also find dry shampoo great for styling.

I am wondering if a zig zag Alice band might work?

nemosmom

Veteran

Abby Smith is a youtuber with some great hair tutorial videos that are pretty easy to re-create. Her variations on low buns are my go-to when I am lazy or long-overdue for a cut.

Here are a few tutorials she has for shorter hair:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuSL8RhCNGg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f572X7PWzzk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxt0rR44_mo

And a fun one using head scarves!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....#038;t=50s

I think her various braid ideas would work, too, even though she demos them on longer hair. You just might need a few more pins for hold!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm too lazy to make time for any kind of updo, plus I don't look very good with my hair all pulled back tightly -- it emphasizes how small my head is. I think bangs complicate things too, as does the fact that I'm growing out the asymmetrical side of my hair, resulting in a really awkward length situation on the left, in which part of the hair is not long enough to make it all the way back into a ponytail or updo without the help of pins, and well, ain't nobody got time for that.

I wear hats, and sometimes just do a low, not too tight ponytail slightly off to one side so it's kind of visible from the front.

AndiB

Veteran

Oh I am the up do queen! My hair is frequently up, more so now because I’m growing out my color and and updo hides the demarcation line

My two faves
1. Pull into a high pony. Doesn’t matter if all the hair will stay in the elastic, just pin up loose and curly ends informally at the back of your nape. Take the hair in the high pony and muss it up, your curls are perfection for this. Randomly pin with Bobby pins for a messy but sophisticated look. I do this almost every day

2. Similar look but looser, pull up and back sections of hair to close to crown of your head. Clip with small or medium clips working your way from top front to lower nape of neck. I usually end up with 5 or 6 sections that meet in the middle back of my head and work their way down. Oh that can’t make any sense. I’ll try to take a photograph.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Same as Jane ,as well as clipping back the top section and plaiting around my head and pinning the ends under.

Minaminu

Veteran

My hair is below the shoulders, I like to do a french Braid or a side french braid.

Runcarla

Veteran

@ Roxanna - the Gibson Tuck (rolling the ponytail into a pocket, and pinning) is one I’ve done before - and a good one.

@ nemosmom - many thanks for the links!

@ Janet - DS#2 is growing out his undercut and I’ve been French Braiding his hair into two plaits. In the past two weeks the side and back hair has become long enough (and my skills good enough) to get them plaited in with the long top part.

Alas, @ minaminu - I haven’t mastered French Braids on myself - yet!

MsMaven

Veteran

I have fine slippery hair and lately I've had better success with clips and just this week, some nice velvet scrunchies I just bought. They are much more comfortable for me.

I can't stand a pony tail for more than 3 hours but the velvet scrunchies work much better. Like Janet, I don't like my hair all pulled back--sort of a pinhead look for me, but it's almost long enough to do the pony tail to one side and looks so much better. I'm going to start experimenting with braids soon.

Gigi

Veteran

When my hair was that length, I used a small claw clip. I would pull my hair back into a ponytail and then twist the ponytail tight. I would then pull the ponytail up on the back of my head and secure it to the back of my head with a claw clip. I don't know whether that hairstyle has a particular name.

I would sometimes use an elastic on the ponytail (before twisting) if my hair was being particularly stubborn.

Another go-to was to pull back the sides and put them in a barrette.

As for inspiration, I would usually just google "easy updos for short hair" or something to see what came up. It can be frustrating because some women think that shoulder-length hair qualifies as short, though!

Joy

Veteran

I pull it back, twist it into a bun or a French roll, and pin with one or two long Bobby pins meant to be used with hair rollers. A big hairpin is also good.

rachylou

Veteran

With your curls, Carla, I feel you could do vintage Lucille Ball (boy was she a beauty!).

I personally do double buns or victory rolls or milkmaid braids/twists, using tiny butterfly clips.