ask alise: messy bun alternatives

Q: Dear Alise,

I’m on the verge of a Kerri Russell, Felicity Season Two hair meltdown. I’ve always wanted long locks, but growing it out is making me crazy, especially in the midst of the making of a Bay Area indian summer. I’ve done every version of my Sunday-in-sweatpants top knot that I can think of and I am out of ideas. I need suggestions for some styles that will get all of this hair up and off of my neck that doesn’t include a pair of shears!

Yours,

Cranky and Close to the Cut

A: Calm yourself Cranky,

You’re not the only one who’s been driven to renege on your plans to achieve Rapunzel-like length once the dregs of summer rolled around. Before you go and do something you’ll regret, put down the scissors, pick up a hair tie, and take a peek at two of my favorite updo options that are pictured below. There are so many divine ways to get that mane of yours to be a little more manageable in the summertime, even when the weather is anything but.

A few bench notes:

1. Get yourself to your local drugstore and pick up some bobby pins and hair ties in a color that suits your locks {that is, blonde if you’re blonde and brown or black if you’re a brunette}.

2. Any manipulation of your hair {with the exception of straightening/blowing it out} is easier to do on day two {or three, or four, etc.} after a wash. Especially if you have very fine hair, you will find that your hair’s natural oils will give you some more grip the further out from a shampoo that you are. If you’d like to style on the same day as a shower, mimic your hair’s unwashed texture by adding a little bit of product! A few shots of hair spray that you brush through the length of your hair or some volumizing powder will do the trick!

3. Have fun with your hair baubles! Once you stabilize a style with your standard pins and ties, add a little interest with some bejeweled options! Your neck, ears, wrists and fingers shouldn’t have all the fun with the accessories! I love the pompom hairtie options that Viv&Ingrid offers and their beaded bobby pins add a sweet bit of polish to any ponytail.

HOW TO: Gather the three or so inches of hair that falls along your hairline {or just behind you bang line, if you have ‘em} and, using a round brush or teasing comb, back comb the underside of it. This will add a nice little bump to the top of your pony to keep the overall look from getting too severe. Once finished, sweep up the rest of your hair to join the back combed portion so it sits just below the crown of your head; gather it into an elastic and secure it firmly.

If desired, add a little more oomph to the back combed section of your hair by picking up two small portions at the top of your ponytail and pulling up and out {like you’re drawing bunny ears on yourself}. Set with a bit of hairspray and embellish as you see fit! I think the row of metallic bobbies I used here above one ear adds bit of texture and keeps this high ponytail from looking too sugary sweet.

HOW TO: Fancy, huh? This undulating updo looks tricky but is easy to put together. The trick is twisting – and lots of it. Start by separating your hair into three sections – no need to make hard part lines. You just want two sections that start an inch or two above each ear {and then follow more or less the same distance to the hair line at your neck} and the third section will be all of the hair from your hairline to the nape of your neck. Loosely section off the sections you’re not working on with a hair tie or clip.

Start with one of the sections by your ears. Begin rolling it in towards your head, pinning it once every inch or so with a bobby pin. Continue rolling until you reach the end of the section at the back of your neck. With the remaining hair, continue twisting until your hair begins to coil in on itself. Use additional bobby pins to attach these coils to the back of your head. I like the to leave the very ends of your hair out to keep the style from looking too done. Repeat this with the other section of hair above your other ear. For the last section, simply smooth the hair back over the top of your head and gather it at the nape. Coil just the bottom portion to mimic the other sections and pin in place. Again, I leave the ends out to add that keep hair looking easy instead of overworked.

To finish, add a few mists of hairspray. I like to hit the coils for a little extra hold and then the hairline and by your ears where those baby hairs tend to pop up. For this demo, I also went ahead and included a scattering of some pretty pearl mini bobbies to one side of my twists for a femme finish.

xxoo

Alise