Updo help

[newbeginning]

My hair is coarse, collarbone length, layered and usually a 2a/2b but is straighter due to using a tangle teaser. I have looked up youtube videos and tutorials online but I cannot find a good style that contains my layers and stays up. My hair (at this length) does not hold with bobby pins very well (and when longer I need to use many bobby pins for my hair to hold) and somewhat okay with claw clips (though they seem to slide out as well). I need to use cones (which is probably partly the cause of my hair being slippery). Does anyone know of any updos that would work....I'm getting pretty frustrated (especially with summer coming up I'll want my hair off my neck). I'm not comfortable posting a picture of my hair so hopefully my post contains enough information. TIA.

[SerinaDaith]

Join the Shoulder to APL come grow with me thread. We have tons of updos for your length, some of us have layers some of us don't, some of us are further in our journey some of us are right where you are. LillithMoon on youtube has some vids for shorter hair which may help. If you can ponytail then a gibson tuck may be worth looking into, if you can french braid two pig tail style braids worked well for me at that length. Also if you can french braid, lace braids along the hair line from where ever you usually part your hair, then tuck the ends on opposite sides so the tail of your left braid would tuck under your right braid and right tail would tuck under your left side, that does take a couple of pins though. Piggy tails work work well too. Good luck and seriously look us up, we are all in your boat!

[newbeginning]

I tried a tucked french braid today (with a ton of bobby pins) and it keeps falling out. Even when my hair was longer I couldn't get accent braids to work. A gibson tuck didn't work with longer hair either. I can do 2 or 3 stacked (lengthwise) buns but I need a ton of bobby pins and the pins are uncomfortable against my scalp. Even if I attempt a ponytail my layers fall out.

[SerinaDaith]

Just straight up french braids may work. Also seriously look into lace braids, even if you just have to pony tail them at the ends they would be up. Or just leave your braid down from your french braid. Give yourself a couple more months and you'll have a bit more length to play with. And play with your hair. Do a couple of twists from temple to ear then do an x with your pins to lock them in place, then finish off with pigtails. Damp (not wet) styling goes a long way with my 2c/3a hair as well. I also would use a ton of the smaller claw clips and kind of twist the hair off of my neck. I really do hope some of this helps you out!

[newbeginning]

Yeah I can't wait till it gets a bit longer so I can do more updos that I know actually hold (even with a ton of pins) for me. I'm pretty frustrated right now with getting it to stay up (as anyone who is reading my posts can probably tell). Thanks for the responses so far.

[heidi w.]

I'm, just about to hit end of neck length or a bit more and then I can updo my hair again.
It's hard when it's short.
I just wear a ponytail every single day; although this evening I changed the hair part from center to left side.
Looks okay.
heidi w.
PS: and yes, braiding often works very well on short hair, and a braid often is a lot easier to updo and have it hold all day. Use long hairpins.

[Justy]

Try Amish hair pins if you can find them. These longer stronger pins work much better with my slippery hair. The crimped style are my favourite! They work just like mini forks so I don't have to worry about trying to get a bobby pin to open up while I hold the hair in place and hope it stays. Good luck!