Protective styles for shorter hair?

[bmcfarland]

Hello all,
I've been having some issues with thinking of ways to protectively pin up my hair. Right now, all I've come up with is two side french braids with my fringe french braided and combined into one of the side braids. Because my hair is layered, I have all kinds of hairs coming loose out of the braids. Is there any way to avoid that happening? Does anyone have a better idea? I'd really like to treat my hair better. Haha, I made my New Year's resolution to cut down my heat styling at least by half and amp up my protective methods. The damage isn't worth having straight hair, and I'm learning to embrace my waves. :) ...They're just always so frizzy!

Also, my hair ends at the nape of my neck (right on the vertebrae where the neck meets the spine). I haven't been able to figure out a bun yet, but I love braids! I can't wait until my hair is long enough to have a complete braid. :)

I haven't found a discussion on this topic yet, but please feel free to refer me to one if it you can!

[browneyedsusan]

I've grown out a pixie, and wore braids for a long while.

You might be able to manage a Gibson tuck (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebg9OX9Il-I) or French Twist (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHQwLBvwoZE)--link has a little advertisement, but tute is good--? (Depends on how slippery your hair is, and you might not have enough length.)
Since your hair is shorter in back, you might just have to make do by pinning up the front. I did lots of these (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCQJ7aenX1U).

Have you tried damp braiding? (Sometimes the ends just slip out, and there isn't any help for it. I never minded sticky-out ends.)

Good luck, and let us know what ends up working! You'll help lots of other people in similar predicaments!

[LadyCelestina]

One close friend has hair at the same length as you,and very layered.I can do pinned up dutchs braid on both sides,ended in a pony or with a tiny cinnabun,I can tuck the ends in as well.Also a doing a spiral bun,but that is too complicated to do on your own.Double buns.The above mentioned gibson tuck worked much better on my mom unlayered hair at the same length.A twist with a clip.Folded braid or braid pinned up.Bun made by twisting strands and pinning them.

Generally shorter layered hair is more about using small pins and sectioning,not about buns made from a bulk of hair held by sticks.

Anyway your hair is only neck length,I would not be too concerned about the ends once they are off your neck ( like,in a pony),they don't have as much to rub on or get caught in.

[Decemberrose]

My hair is at the end of the neck sort of... I twist my bangs and pin them back. I also twist and pin back the sidehairs and then tuck the rest of the hair in a Gibson Tuck. It may bee a little Tuck but it's possible. (with LOTs of hairpins!) ;)
Also half ups are great with sidebraids or twists. I usually do two small twists at each side, that way I can get all of the hair up. It is easier to get all the hairs up by twisting, the braiding is difficult if you have many layers. I know :( grow grow grow...

[bmcfarland]

browneyedsusan, I have actually watched that video before, the one with the 10 ways to pin a fringe. Lots of great ideas I had forgotten about! I'm thinking I may be able to pull off the Gibson tuck if I pin, pin, pin, pin, pin back those layers. I haven't tried damp braiding, but I'll give it a shot this evening!

LadyCelestina, is there a big difference between french and dutch braiding? I watched a video just now, and I think I may have been dutch braiding all along! Well then! I guess I don't know the difference... -newb-

I suppose to point of having these styles in my arsenal is to lessen my use of heat styling. If I can pin my hair, I won't feel like it needs to be straightened. On casual work days, I just french...er, dutch braid my fringe and pin it above my ear.

[bmcfarland]

Wow! Decemberrose, I didn't see your post before I sent out my last reply. I think we are on the same wavelength here! Haha, Pretty much everything I said was a reiteration of what you recommended. The twisting sounds like a great idea, too. That might even hide some of those flyaways from my layers, if I'm lucky? .... :)

[bmcfarland]

Just an update, I've found that I can also make two very small side-buns (and pin any stray hairs)...They look a little silly, though!

Does anyone have a recommendation for small hair ties? Right now, I have the pesky elastics. Regular fabric hair ties are way too large for what I'm doing...or, -attempting- to do. :p