Updos and the Woods

[Naiadryade]

I haven't been around a lot in the last few weeks because, well, it's finally spring! And I've been spending more time outside. Which is totally delightful, but this spring has come with an unexpected challenge.

It's just this past winter that I've really started being LHC-good and wearing my hair in buns much more of the time, at the very least when I'm doing any wild and crazy or tangle-city things, like work. I work teaching wilderness living skills and nature connection to kids, so I'm in the woods a lot--both with the kids and on my own. This has all been well and good for the winter--I figured out some flattish buns to fit under winter hats, and I've been happy as a clam. But we are now decidedly out of hat season, and buns are becoming a problem.

See, when I'm working my way through dense woods off-trail, I keep getting my hair caught in the branches of small trees and bushes. The sticks quickly shove themselves under the hair that is going to the bun, and pull in a sometimes painful way--and I have to stop, and carefully extract myself, which distracts from whatever moment we're having. At best, this leaves crazy bumped pieces that have been pulled just a few inches out of my bun. But with my fragile hair, I can't imagine that it's not tearing and breaking my canopy and scalp hair.

This wasn't a problem when I let my hair flow fancy free in the forest. Sure, sticks would get in my hair--but most of the time, they would just glide through to the ends and I could be on my way without getting hung up on a tree. And yeah, before long I would look like a wild mess with my hair full of twigs and leaves and flowers... :silly: but I honestly really liked that part. The one downside was the tangles afterward.

My logical brain knows that the most damage-free option here would be to bun my hair and then cover it with a bandana or scarf. But I don't like the way I look with all my hair totally hidden! It just doesn't feel like me. Maybe I'll do this if I'm alone in the woods with no one to see me, but I don't like the idea of doing it whenever I'm with others.

I'm honestly really tempted to go back to leaving my hair down in the woods most of the time, embracing the wild look and feel, and just detangling very carefully afterwards... This would make me feel more like a fairy/nymph too. Would that be a total hair sin?

Perhaps my standard twin braids are just the way to go? I don't think they have this issue as much, for some reason.

Does anyone else have this problem? What's your solution?

[door72067]

when I'm in the garden I use a bandana as a sort of headwrap (do a triangle, then tie below the bun and tuck the triangle pints under the knot...hope that makes sense) to keep my hair covered...maybe that could work for you?

[jasper]

I used to work an Outdoor Education job. It was always hat season, because if it wasn't to keep the head warm, it was to keep the scalp from getting sunburned. But anyway, are you really off the trails all that much? Can you just pack a bandanna along and bundle your hair into it when you are heading into brush?

[katsrevenge]

I do the scarf thing too.

I do it mostly to keep bugs out. I've had to comb ticks out of my hair and just no... I will cover it up.

You could just bandana the front half that catches, if covering it 100% bothers you. Leave bits loose and show the bun.

[Chromis]

For backpacking and canoe camping I love Pony Scrubs or similar. For regular hikes I find the log roll has the lowest profile and doesn't catch on things. I don't like sticks and forks as much hiking because sometimes they hit my backpack if I turn my head the wrong way!

[Rosethorn]

I do the scarf thing too.

I do it mostly to keep bugs out. I've had to comb ticks out of my hair and just no... I will cover it up.

You could just bandana the front half that catches, if covering it 100% bothers you. Leave bits loose and show the bun.

Oh. My. Epic shudder. :agape:

That being said, your job sounds awesome. Personally, I think the braids sound like a good option.

[Naiadryade]

Thanks for your help, folks! Keep 'em comin!


I used to work an Outdoor Education job. It was always hat season, because if it wasn't to keep the head warm, it was to keep the scalp from getting sunburned. But anyway, are you really off the trails all that much? Can you just pack a bandanna along and bundle your hair into it when you are heading into brush?

Yeah, I'm really off the trails a lot. I always bring a few bandanas because they're handy for 1000 things, and I suppose I could take one on and off throughout the day... better than nothing! But I try my best to do my hair and be done with it until the end of the day, and not have to fiddle with it much... that's a big part of why getting caught on sticks and having them pull pieces half-out is a problem.


I do the scarf thing too.

I do it mostly to keep bugs out. I've had to comb ticks out of my hair and just no... I will cover it up.

You could just bandana the front half that catches, if covering it 100% bothers you. Leave bits loose and show the bun.

Yikes about the ticks! I've had plenty of ticks on me, but never in my hair. I'm not too worried about that at the moment, but I understand your caution!! I really like your suggestion, though. I will experiment with that... perhaps folding the tip of the triangle under once or twice. Thanks!


For backpacking and canoe camping I love Pony Scrubs or similar. For regular hikes I find the log roll has the lowest profile and doesn't catch on things. I don't like sticks and forks as much hiking because sometimes they hit my backpack if I turn my head the wrong way!

:laugh: I don't even own any sticks or forks for pretty much this very reason! I'm way too active and all up in the bushes all the time for hair toys that stick out of my hair to be practical almost ever. Maybe someday if I have a really fancy event to go to I'll get one. I'm a spin pin enthusiast most of the time.


Oh. My. Epic shudder. :agape:

That being said, your job sounds awesome. Personally, I think the braids sound like a good option.

Yes, it's the best job ever! :rockerdud

And you're probably right. I was trying to bun because I'm worried about the braids leaving the ends exposed, but they are probably a lot better than leaving it loose as far as damage and tangles go... my braids have even been starting to look sort of long, or at least not dinky and short, to me lately. I could even combine them with a bandana for maximum benefit. The downside is they do end up rather fuzzy because of all my layers... except for preventing tangles, they don't really feel all that protective a lot of the time. Maybe that's in my head though?

[HumanBean]

Well, I'd say whatever keeps your hair from being a distraction to the lesson you are teaching is the way to go, even if doesn't make you feel as attractive. You said you teach to kids, and that could mean a pretty wide age range, but I would think little ones and teens alike might be distracted by how much junk is getting caught in your hair, or how many times you had to stop to extract yourself from a bush. They aren't likely to be thinking...she looks like a wood nymph...so NOW I'll pay more attention to this edible plant lesson (or whatever the lesson is).

Unless its a teenager who has a crush on you and dotes on very word you say in an effort to appear super interested...

[Naiadryade]

Well, I'd say whatever keeps your hair from being a distraction to the lesson you are teaching is the way to go, even if doesn't make you feel as attractive. You said you teach to kids, and that could mean a pretty wide age range, but I would think little ones and teens alike might be distracted by how much junk is getting caught in your hair, or how many times you had to stop to extract yourself from a bush. They aren't likely to be thinking...she looks like a wood nymph...so NOW I'll pay more attention to this edible plant lesson (or whatever the lesson is).

Unless its a teenager who has a crush on you and dotes on very word you say in an effort to appear super interested...

:rollin: I don't think any teens have crushed on me since I was a teen.

You're totally right. This is a big part of why the buns were a problem... When we're running through the woods, and all of a sudden I have to stop because my hair is caught, that's just not cool. I hadn't thought of them getting distracted by things being stuck in my loose hair, though. My hair is only just past BSL at the moment, so it's not all that impressive or distracting on its own... It probably depends on the kids: coming from mainstream families, sticks in the hair might be a cause for distraction. With the homeschoolers I'll be with all day today, most of whom are very used to being in the woods, I doubt they'd give sticks in my hair a second thought.

I don't expect them to be thinking "she looks like a wood nymph," but I DO think that if I manage to come off as something of a magical being, they might be more interested in what I have to say. But maybe my hair doesn't have much to do with that... I dunno.

I'm going to try wearing my hair down today as an experiment, since that's what my heart is calling me to do. If it's really getting super tangled, I'll throw it in a fast bun and cover it with a bandana at lunch. I'll let y'all know how it goes!

[torrilin]

Sure, sticks would get in my hair--but most of the time, they would just glide through to the ends and I could be on my way without getting hung up on a tree.

Actually, they weren't just gliding to the ends... it may have felt like it, but chances are they were snagging and shredding at your hair. Just your hair is M to my F, so it's a smidge sturdier, and it looks from your profile that your hair is still relatively short. I *will* wear my hair loose in the pixie to APL range, and on me 23" is still APLish. 27" is bra strap covered. With hair in the past BSL range, the damage from leaving it loose gets fairly noticeable on my fine hair. Detangling is pretty much the number 1 reason my hair breaks.

One part of the solution is to pay attention to what you're doing. Do not just walk through the branches, move 'em out of the way so they don't snag on you. It's not good for the plants to lose twigs and leaves to getting caught on you any more than it's good for your hair to get yanked out by the roots. The other part is wear a hat. You can go for just a bandanna if you like them. I don't. As a teen, my out all day hat was an all mesh baseball cap, as a sort of compromise between the unbearable dorkiness of a straw hat and the unbearable heat of a regular baseball cap. The loosely woven texture of most straw hats makes them a sort of natural air conditioner. Your head is shaded, but if there's even a hint of a breeze, it can get in to keep the air your head has heated up circulating out. For some reason unknown to me, it's fairly tricky to find cloth hats where enough of the crown is mesh that you get the same effect. Very annoying since I loathe how most straw hats are made in a cowboy style, and straw hats are really inflexible about fitting if you swap between bunned hair and braided hair. On the up side, hats make the braids vs buns thing somewhat moot. If your loose braid(s) are in the way, tuck 'em up under your hat, even if they're too long for tucked French braids and too short for a folded braid to stay well.

As far as buns vs braids... eventually it's a moot point because you're making a braided bun or wrapping the twin braids around your head a time or two. You're probably able to do Heidi braids now, or fairly close to it too. It will get more secure as your braids wrap further and further around your head, but at relatively short lengths it doesn't *need* to be super secure.

Mostly, I'd focus on working out a set of comfortable solutions for yourself. You're 100% right that having a tree trying to eat your hair is uncomfy :).

[jacqueline101]

I'd wear a bun cover with a snood then put a bandana over it.

[furnival]

I have this problem too and it does my nut in! It's not as bad as when I had dreadlocks, as twigs caught in the hair near the scalp were nearly impossible to remove without ripping out chunks :( but if you hear a howling and cursing in the woods it's probably me dangling from a branch by my hair... :p
I tend to wind a thin scarf around my head when I'm planning to head into the undergrowth, but I know you don't like doing this- maybe you could wear twin braids with a hat or summat, so your hair is still visible?

[young&reckless]

I am all about the buff. I love the head sleeves for all my outdoor activities. Starting to search for scarves and hats for less "into the wild" adventures.