Updos for APL-ish hair

[night owl]

I've really enjoyed seeing all of the fancy updos and buns and braids of the ladies here with really long hair! I thought it might be fun for those of us with APL-ish hair to share some ideas for updos that will work for our length. This isn't meant to exclude anyone, just to provide some fun style variation while we're waiting for our hair to grow long enough to wrap around that bun four or five times. :)

Do you have a favorite style? Post a pic and share the instructions!

[Arachnid]

I'll be watching this thread, I'd love to have some secure updos that don't use hair bobbles.

[browneyedsusan]

I can make a disc bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y5sSEBy7HQ) and lazy wrap bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-CDSW1euU) if my hair needs washed. I wrap around one finger/thumb, and don't loosen the loop(s), and it holds.

My hair is layered. Those with thicker hair or no layers may have troubles with the LWB, but the disc bun should work pretty well.

Braids are always a comfortable option too. I wear folded braids often--make a French braid, fold the tail up, secure with a stick with an elastic pulled over it (like a flexi?), and fan the tail of the braid out to look pretty.

ETA: please forgive the lack of pictures. I can barely get one for my siggy-- notice the bizarre neck angle for Miss December '13. --sigh--
I linked up some tutes instead. :)

[WoolSweater]

I can do a killer French Twist at this length (actually I'm 1 1/2 inches away from APL). I find for my short length, aiming for more of a messy French Twist gets much prettier results than me trying to get a slick smooth one. Usually I scrunch it and spray it for some texture before I do the twist, which is held in with about fifteen bobby pins. :laugh:

You also can French braid your hair, then tuck the bottom braid under the French braided part which ends up looking very elegant. I really like this style because it's one where it looks good every time and takes little time to do!

[WoolSweater]

Here's the tucked French braid (photo, it's pretty self explanatory), I didn't want to edit my post because I heard too many edits gets you in trouble. 8(

http://www.frannyslonghairstyles.com/Braids/Tucked_French_Braid_Hairstyle_View_3.jpg

And here is the messy French twist!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1uWTLN4Kok

[oatmealpie]

My hair's just shy of APL. Here are some styles I can pull off:

Double Bun

1. Pull back the top part of your hair as if to do a half-up.
2. Twist it into a cinnamon bun and secure with spin pins or a hair stick.
3. Then take the remaining hair, twist it, and wrap it around the bun.
4. Secure with spin pins or a second hair stick.

Here's a photo from when my hair was shoulder length, so it took several bobby pins to secure. Now I can pull it off with two spin pins.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/76/1e/69/761e6960149ac0c78fde76e0fd3f82ed.jpg

Triple Bun

I improvised this semi-messy hairdo for New Year's Eve. It's similar to a double bun, but looks more complicated and dressy.

1. Pull back the top section of hair (down to about your temples) as if to do a half-up.
2. Twist into a cinnamon bun and secure with a spin pin.
3. Pull back the next section of hair (about down to your ears).
4. Twist this section clockwise and wrap it around the bun clockwise, securing with another spin pin.
5. Twist the rest of your hair counter-clockwise and wrap it around the bun counter-clockwise. Secure with a spin pin.
6. (Optional) Mess up the bun slightly with your fingers, and pull down a few tendrils.

Here's a very blurry photo:

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/f3/19/86/f3198677d501a46d69dde6ab008e7ced.jpg

Flipped Bun

This is my go-to style for around the house. I usually secure it with a Ficcare or fakkare. The link to Habioku's video tutorial is below. With APL hair I find there's no need to rotate the bun before flipping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBZBeEvzPHg

French Twist

This is another easy, reliable style for APL hair. You can secure it with a Ficcare or pins. Here's a video tutorial using a Ficcare (the actual tutorial starts about 58 seconds in). You can leave the ends sticking out, as she does, but I prefer to tuck them under the twist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t6Eia5Li1E

[lapushka]

If your hair's not superthick, a Lazy Wrap Bun (LWB), or pencil bun should be doable at this length. APL is probably too short for a Nautilus Bun, but it won't hurt to try. All these buns are searchable (and easily findable) on YT.

[oatmealpie]

Here's a video tutorial for a lazy wrap bun on shoulder-length hair: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-CDSW1euU

And here's one for a cheater's hairstick bun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyuEIkHJ9o

[chen bao jun]

Look up Southern Tease. It has no teasing involved and is very flattering. A blond lady, I think she might be an LHC member has a tutorial on youtube.

[lapushka]

And let's not forget that ever trusty "peacock twist" or "tails up" as the Flexi8 site calls it.

[QMacrocarpa]

I loved a folded braid at APL. Here's one version (http://frannyslonghair.blogspot.com/2010/08/hairstyle-how-to-folded-braid.html), the way I did it was to start with a low braid and fold upward. I think the tucked French braid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSBAqxQCNKk) is lovely, I miss it. The pencil bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0k3dD4qX34) was a reliable workhorse bun when I was recovering from a shoulder injury, especially secure when done with a Fakkare-type clip or an elastic slide so the hair is gripped. One of my favorite easy updo's until I outgrew it was to use a big octopus clip as a bun cage, and just gather my hair into a bun-shaped blob and fasten the octo-clip over it: simple and secure.