"Did you do that yourself?"

[sparrowbirdd]

OKAY so I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this but I wanted see if other long haired ladddiiess experience the same stuff.
I work at a grocery store and every single day, no matter what I do with my hair, people ask me if I did it myself. They are always amazed.

Examples:

Hair in a loose french braid...

"Did you do that yourself?"

Hair in a bun with a hair stick...

"Did you do that yourself? Is that stick holding all your hair up?"


The best was when I wore a waterfall braid to work and costumers were physically grabbing me and spinning me around to show their shopping companions.

Among my fellow cashiers I have been dubbed The Braid Master. I think they're under the impression that woodland creatures fly in my window in the morning and attend to this stuff upon my scalp.

YUP. Any funny stories of amazed friends, family, or others?

[Katleen]

Yup, same here. My hair is really not long, I'm about an inch from BSL, but I put it up every day (my own little challenge until the new year :-) ).
Every time I try something a little more complicated than a standard bun, I get these remarks. Even with a simple braid, so you can imagine when I try crown braids, or updo's that are a little bite more complicated.

I work for an airline, and the flight attendants are required to keep their hair together when it's longer than shoulderlength. Some girls do have gorgeous long hair, but most keep it in a very simple ponytail all the time. If you need to get up for work at 2am, I don't blame them :p
But every now and then, someone shows up with a gorgeous braid or fantastic updo, and then we happily exchange tips and tricks.

[Bambi]

Yup, same here. My hair is really not long, I'm about an inch from BSL, but I put it up every day (my own little challenge until the new year :-) ).
Every time I try something a little more complicated than a standard bun, I get these remarks. Even with a simple braid, so you can imagine when I try crown braids, or updo's that are a little bite more complicated.

I work for an airline, and the flight attendants are required to keep their hair together when it's longer than shoulderlength. Some girls do have gorgeous long hair, but most keep it in a very simple ponytail all the time. If you need to get up for work at 2am, I don't blame them :p
But every now and then, someone shows up with a gorgeous braid or fantastic updo, and then we happily exchange tips and tricks.

I also work for an airline and I agree with everything you said! ;)

[browneyedsusan]

It's already started, and my hair barely brushes shoulder! Ear-to-ear headband braid, Gibson tuck, victory rolls... The receptionist at the doctor's office and lady at the deli counter always comment on my hair. --I'm a housewife.
I love the creativity I have with "longer" hair--I know it's not long, but after 15+ years with a pixie, it's as long as I've ever had it!

I'm excited about the new hairstyles I'll be able to twist it into as it gets longer! :)

[Ligeia_13]

The only time I've been asked that was this summer when I went to work with a crown braid. But they all asked that very same question :D

[Shebelina]

I work with horses so I always wear my hair in an english braid, nothing else will fit under my riding hat. I always get asked if I braid my own hair, quickly followed by 'how do you do that?' No one seems to believe that I can braid hair so long all by myself.

[Macaroni]

I don't do braids but often, when my hair is in a chignon, I'm asked "How long did it take you to style your hair?"

[flip-flop]

I also get the 'did you do that yourself?' quite often from my students. I usually say, 'No, my mom flew over 18 hours from the US this morning to do it...what do you think?' From the younger students I can understand (the first few times they ask), my mom or dad did my hair for school for me up to a certain age, and sometimes as a child it was hard to imagine ever being able to do some of the things my mom did with my hair as a kid, but the ones who are in high school should know by now that I don't have a teleporter so my mom can get to me Saturday morning before I go to work, nor do I wake up super early and go to a salon every day to get my hair done.

[jacqueline101]

I get that too when someone sees me with my hair in a bun. Its a plain bun but it thrills people.

[Gumball]

:rollin: I wouldn't mind a flock of hairstyling birds attending to my morning needs. Without their own brand of birdie conditioner. My routine is definitely not that natural.

I nearly never get asked if I did it myself or how it was done. Once in a blue moon I get "How long is your hair?", but that's about it. Alas! I must be "that weird guy with the bun". :scared:

[melusine963]

The last time I went to get my hair cut at an actual salon (nearly two years ago now), the hairdresser asked if I did my English braid myself. After she finished trimming she asked if I wanted it re-braided, but she didn't do a great job. Clealy she hadn't had much practice with hip-length hair. :)

[melusine963]

:rollin: I wouldn't mind a flock of hairstyling birds attending to my morning needs. Without their own brand of birdie conditioner. My routine is definitely not that natural.

Now I have images from Disney's Cinderella running through my head. :)

[TheMechaGinger]

When I first started wearing my hair in forks and sticks the majority of my family just lost it. "Are you telling me you're holding up all your hair with that fancy chopstick?!" I'd have people pull my sticks out and watch my buns fall out just to make sure haha :rolleyes: My grandma used to put her hair up with forks and pretty combs all the time so it was no big deal to her but my cousins (who all have apl and shorter hair) were just mind blown. They were also baffled that you could curl your hair with rags. Too funny. As far as hairstyles go I get questions about how I do buns sometimes but never my braids, I guess I need to work on those :o

[spidermom]

I have been asked that question before for a simple french or dutch braid. It's weird though. I know a few elaborate braided styles, and I always wish for somebody to say something, but the more complex and the longer it takes, the less likely anybody is to say something.

Gah! Comment on this style; it took me 2 hours!

[sparrowbirdd]

Haha, love it! Thanks for sharing everyone. :D
I think I take for granted the skills I've developed in hair styling. Most people never learn styles beyond ponytails and curling with heat. That must be why even a braid is fantastic. If their mothers were the only ones to ever braid their hair, it must seem crazy too think of someone doing it on themselves.

[Long_hair_bear]

I got that when I did the crownbraid on myself. Well, I'm not a Disney princess, so my animal friends didn't do it for me, and I'm too poor to have a personal hairdresser.

[W2]

Yup, gets that comment with even a lazy bun.

And when I do a crown braid, the crowd goes "whhhhooooaaaaawwwwww"!

And the answer to the question as to who did my hair, I answer DH ... and then ROFL! I mean no disrespect, but the thought of my husband doing my hair ... :rolleyes:

[melusine963]

I have been asked that question before for a simple french or dutch braid. It's weird though. I know a few elaborate braided styles, and I always wish for somebody to say something, but the more complex and the longer it takes, the less likely anybody is to say something.

I imagine for the more complicated styles it wouldn't even occur to the general public that anyone could do this on themselves, so they don't even bother asking. With simple braids, there's enough doubt for them to be curious. Not a very satisfying situation, really. :(

[ArienEllariel]

I get church members questioning how I do heidi braids.. like it's "oh so hard" to do on yourself.. lol.. two braids... pin on the top of your head.. not hard.

[piffyanne]

:rollin: I wouldn't mind a flock of hairstyling birds attending to my morning needs. Without their own brand of birdie conditioner. My routine is definitely not that natural. >snip<
I WANT IT TOO!

Also, you're only vaguely creepy, as are all self-respecting LHCers. :cheer:


Now I have images from Disney's Cinderella running through my head. :)
Me, I was thinking of Cinderella, Enchanted, Tangled... (I know Rapunzel doesn't have visible bird helpers, but SOMEONE musta taught her how to fly using her hair! :silly: )



I have been asked that question before for a simple french or dutch braid. It's weird though. I know a few elaborate braided styles, and I always wish for somebody to say something, but the more complex and the longer it takes, the less likely anybody is to say something.

Gah! Comment on this style; it took me 2 hours!
I've worn the Recamier (avatar and profile picture) to school and had everyone act like it wasn't even unusual.

Then again, people seem to Expect Great Things from my hair nowadays at school, ahahaha, I've got a clique of girls who get hairstyling tips from me. I steer them towards LHC, but I'm less time-consuming I suppose. :shrug:

[MintChocChip]

I get a few comments when I wear upbraided dos at work. I was so pleased with my first one from a colleague who said she liked my hair, when I thanked her she then went on to ask if I'd done it myself and then marvelled. :D

[Lostsoule77]

I've gotten that with english braids, french braids, & a cinnamon bun. Guess some people just can't conceive of doing styles like that on themselves.

[Sharysa]

People have commented a lot on my fishtail braid. Admittedly, it IS really tricky to get if you don't watch a video or practice a lot.

Unfortunately, my hair is pitch-black and thus hard to notice when it's French/Dutch-braided, but I will start seeing how people react when I walk around in various crown-braids.

[embee]

Yes, I have been asked. And then "How do you do that?" For anyone with longer hair I may pull out the stick and re-do the bun... Blows their minds! :D

[Seeshami]

When I do any kind of french anything down the sides and a bun in the back I get this. Also people ask about the rope braid 75% of the time I wear it. Generally I will take it down and show them how easy it is.

[Natalia]

I had that happen not too long ago. I went to the restroom to fix my hair since i didnt want to be stared at in the waiting room. All i did was take down my hair, finger comb, and put back up into a nautilus bun when a woman walked in half way through putting it back up and asked me if my stick was actually holding it all up. I said yes and she said "no way! no pins or anything? And you did it yourself?!?!" I had the urge to say no i have a fiend and her fairies hiding in a stall lol. But i just smiled and said yup one stick its not hard to do. It doesnt happen often so it still amuses me.

[jasper]

I got that question about a cable braid I wore to work. That's a really simple one: 4 rope braids twisted together. I wish I had thought of your snappy answer about thewoodlandcreatures flying in through the window.

[dwell_in_safety]

I get questions about my hair all the time! And compliments. I wear a hat to work, but outside of that, it's constant. Just for simple things, like a messy French braid... The general public has simply never been shown how to do anything outside of a simple ponytail, I suppose. I never knew how to do a darn thing with my hair until joining LHC. lol.

[Oldfashioned]

I've gotten that a couple times for my french braid and once on a french twist when my hair was bobbed so they didn't think I had enough hair for it lol.

[spirals]

Last week I had my hair in a half-up orchid stick bun. Admittedly, my half-bun is kind of big. My coworker asked if all that hair was held up only by the stick.

And Gumball, I think guys wearing buns is awesome.

[auburntressed]

10 thingy...........

[Becky9679]

In addition to 'did you do that' I've also had 'is that real' for a crown braid - the woman asking assumed that I was wearing one of those headbands that's made to look like hair. Where all my actual hair was supposed to have gone I don't know...

[piffyanne]

In addition to 'did you do that' I've also had 'is that real' for a crown braid - the woman asking assumed that I was wearing one of those headbands that's made to look like hair. Where all my actual hair was supposed to have gone I don't know...
:rollin:

I didn't know they were making pre-crown-braided wigs now! :silly:

[melusine963]

When I was in collage, there was a girl in my dorm who had hip-length hair, and she wore it in a ponytail ALL THE TIME. One time, I heard her talking about how her mother braided her hair for school every single day all throughout high school; but she could never figure out how to do it to herself. So that's why she went to wearing ponytails, because that was all she knew how to do. I was like... wow... you're in college now. You should learn.

That's kind of sad. I'm amazed her mother never insisted she learn how to properly style her hair herself. She really did her daughter a disservice by not helping her be more independent. :(

[sparrowbirdd]

When I was in collage, there was a girl in my dorm who had hip-length hair, and she wore it in a ponytail ALL THE TIME. One time, I heard her talking about how her mother braided her hair for school every single day all throughout high school; but she could never figure out how to do it to herself. So that's why she went to wearing ponytails, because that was all she knew how to do. I was like... wow... you're in college now. You should learn.

Oh man! I had a friend like that in high school. She had beautiful heavy black curls and all she ever did was wear it in a perpetual pony tail. Even in high school, I think you should be learning how to do your own hair (unless you can afford woodland creatures or maids). As for myself, I'm so thankful for youtube tutorials! My mom never really did my hair so I learned all I know from The Wonderful World of The Internet.

[Curly Hermione]

I feel so braid impaired reading this thread! My cousin usually does mine for me, my mum has never done it, but since i'll be going to university next year, I thought I had better start learning now. So now my Friday and Saturday nights are devoted to practising braids, and I am appaling, even a simple rope braid goes completely awry, and that's after literally hours of practise and countless different attempts. It's so frustrating! So, to answer the original question, no, nobody has ever asked me that! I am however not completely appalling at buns, so I have had a "That looks nice, but complicated" comment about a triple bun updo thing I did, which was ironic because that's one of my most simple updos. And the other day when I got to college the infinity bun I had just learnt and (so I thought) mastered the night before decided to fall apart, so I gave up and did a simple cinnabun, to the amazement of my friend "What, you're not using your hairpins? You're going to hold it all up with that stick?" That made me feel less of a hair failure! I do also somewhat enjoy the looks I get sometimes on the bus at the end of the day, whenever my hairstyle gives up the ghost and I have to do a quick bun with a pencil or two. :) All you guys are so talented! :flower:

[emilia83]

I feel the same way, Curly Hermione! I lopped off all my hair after wearing ponytails for years and finally deciding I was never going to do anything with it. I regretted it because I found LHC soon after. I only just got my ponytail back, and even that has to be pretty low keep it all in. I'm really excited for my hair to be long enough for forks and sticks. I need to practice my braiding so I'll be able to do glorious things once it gets longer. Everyone here is such an inspiration! :)

[sharonluvscats]

This happened to me at the post office this week. I was just wearing my same old boring Dutch braid, that take me 3 minutes to do. This lady was all "OMG did you do that yourself?!" It was actually kind of nice because she went on to say how perfect and pretty it looked.

[mermaid-nina]

Me too. Am just past BSL now (need a new profile pic!) and french braids, bun, and I do a kind of side plait french braided from one ear to the other side - don't know if it has a proper name! all get "who did your hair?" Have been asked if it's all my hair with braid and bun, and even with it all down - apparently my hair changes length all the time :confused: particularly from MIL who doesn't seem to get that if she sees me one day with it curled, when it's straight the next time it will look a lot longer!

[trolleypup]

And the other day when I got to college the infinity bun I had just learnt and (so I thought) mastered the night before decided to fall apart, so I gave up and did a simple cinnabun, to the amazement of my friend "What, you're not using your hairpins? You're going to hold it all up with that stick?" That made me feel less of a hair failure! I do also somewhat enjoy the looks I get sometimes on the bus at the end of the day, whenever my hairstyle gives up the ghost and I have to do a quick bun with a pencil or two. :) All you guys are so talented! :flower:
My limit is my lazy bun or in an emergency a stickless beebutt type bun...and braiding this much hair is a pain...especially when a strand starts pulling when you are just done!

Yes, I have been asked. And then "How do you do that?" For anyone with longer hair I may pull out the stick and re-do the bun... Blows their minds! :D
I do get both these questions (plus the bonus "how long...")...and the easiest answer is to just pull the stick and redo it-20 seconds-tops. Heh!

[melusine963]

I'm always amazed by how long people assume styling my hair must take each morning. As if I'd have the patience to spend more than two or three minutes on my go-to styles, start to finish! One friend in particular thought it must take at least ten minutes to make a simple English braid.