Hair Lengths and Bun Types?

[Medievalmaniac]

Forgive me if this is a repeat thread--I did a search but didn't see one, although I'm SURE there must be one or more floating around LHC somewhere!

I am wondering at what length certain buns become possible?

My hair is currently almost BLS in the back, but the front hair is right at my shoulders. I can do a cinnamon bun, and I've JUST begun being able to do a half twist securable by a Ficcare. If I really pull, I can get the longest tips through the hole for a Celtic knot, but it won't stay. I haven't even attempted any other buns because it's jut not long enough yet.

So-- do you remember at what length which buns became do-able for you? Will you share with me to give me hope that I'm not still a year or more from doing more with my hair than a cinnamon bun? lol

[darklyndsea]

The problem is that the length at which bun types become possible varies a lot. I know that there were buns I couldn't do at waist that others could do at APL.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

That depends a lot on how thick your hair is also. I know what helped for me when my hair was too short to do buns was that I could often do them as half ups, just section off the top part of your hair as if you are doing a half up, and use that portion of hair to do the bun. It works well that way and you are getting to learn how to do the different styles and be good at them as well.

[two_wheels]

Yes, what Sarahlabyrinth said, plus you can section and twist the lower half around the bun afterwards if you want it all up.

[alishaxmarie]

I did disk buns and lazy wrap buns and possibly even the infinity bun (not made from a bee butt bun, I do the cheater's version (http://s136.photobucket.com/user/Arylkin/media/infinitybun.mp4.html)) around bsl as well as the french twist and lots of different braids so I'm sure you could even do a braided bun but check out the hair style dictionary (http://hairstyledictionary.ztn.net/) for more ideas. :) Like others have said, thickness does affect your outcome but if you have the average thickness then you should be okay with some of the ones I named but also try what SarahLabyrinth mentioned since you could rock two buns at once that way! Almost forgot, you should definitely be able to do a sock bun by now since you can use smaller socks (or smaller donuts if you'd rather buy one than make one) if need be.

[anitacs9101]

I was able to do a nautilus right before I hit waist, I think. before that there wasn't any hair to wrap around. I can't think of any other style that didn't work the first time. Some I think I couldn't quite figure out, but not because my hair was too short.

[meteor]

I completely agree with the thickness factor. It also depends on texture and how much you are willing to twist your hair, the positioning of your bun or how loose you like your bun.

Being not yet at BSL in the back and around shoulders in the front, I think you can make French twists. It's a simple and elegant style.
Believe me, you'll really miss it when your hair gets longer. I certainly do! :)

You can also do this pinless bun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7-vQ4uI_K0, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N08Ikn5lcyA
It's a combination of cinnabun and French twist, I guess.

[lapushka]

You're i/ii, so buns at BSL should be no problem for you. I could (as a iii) only barely do a cinnabun at waist/hip, and a LWB.

[shutterpillar]

I was able to do a nautilus and lazy wrap bun at a bit past APL. I remember that very clearly, because the lazy wrap bun was my first ever bun that I could do with a stick. :)

[jupiterinleo]

I agree that thickness is an important factor. Even though my hair is at hip, I can barely do a nautilus. My thickness eats up a lot of the possible length I have to work with when it comes to bunning. My stick, which is the length of my hand, is only barely long enough to hold my hair in a disc bun; the bun is so large you can only see a few millimeters of the stick poking out. I can do a lazy wrap just fine, though.

[alishaxmarie]

I forgot to mention the gibraltar bun, which I actually just learned recently. It's super easy and is one step past the cinnabun (you wrap the first loop/twist/coil/layer of the swirl and push the outer coil/loop inside so that the part that is usually at the center of your cinnabun is now the outer wrap holding the bun), there are lots of youtube videos though :)

Meteor, can you really not french twist at tbl? (I'm going off the length you have under your avatar) I've seen some french twist videos and the videographers (idk what to call them?) seem to have hair that would be at least tbl and they still make it work. I'm actually very sad that one day I may not be able to do a lot of the braids that I've learned such as dutch, french, and lace braids :sad

[darklyndsea]

I forgot to mention the gibraltar bun, which I actually just learned recently. It's super easy and is one step past the cinnabun (you wrap the first loop/twist/coil/layer of the swirl and push the outer coil/loop inside so that the part that is usually at the center of your cinnabun is now the outer wrap holding the bun), there are lots of youtube videos though :)

Meteor, can you really not french twist at tbl? (I'm going off the length you have under your avatar) I've seen some french twist videos and the videographers (idk what to call them?) seem to have hair that would be at least tbl and they still make it work. I'm actually very sad that one day I may not be able to do a lot of the braids that I've learned such as dutch, french, and lace braids :sad

I think there's a long-hair french twist variant (my hair's so thick that even when my hair was short enough to do the french twist it ended up looking like some sort of parasite was coming out of the back of my head, so it's not something I've done myself).

Braids work fine at any length, as long as you remember to swing them out of the way.

[alishaxmarie]

Braids work fine at any length, as long as you remember to swing them out of the way.

I think the ends would tangle, especially when starting from the scalp and separating several chunks of hair, as I've read several complaints about this on some thread or another. But I guess I'll see if I have that issue in another million years when I actually have long hair, lol. :lol:

Plus, my arms will get tired from fixing all the pieces I mess up along the way.

[darklyndsea]

I think the ends would tangle, especially when starting from the scalp and separating several chunks of hair, as I've read several complaints about this on some thread or another. But I guess I'll see if I have that issue in another million years when I actually have long hair, lol. :lol:

Plus, my arms will get tired from fixing all the pieces I mess up along the way.

In my experience (and granted, I haven't made it to knee yet), it's not very difficult to keep the strands separated even when your hair starts to get long. There is a short period of adjustment when your hair first gets to the point that the tails don't separate on their own and you end up accidentally braiding from both ends, but you quickly get a sort of muscle memory for keeping them sorted out.

[Medievalmaniac]

I appreciate all of the responses! I tried and failed at Gibraltar and Nautilus a few months back -- it's not long enough for either. The problem is the front hir, which is at my shoulders. I took the advice to try a half-up bun, and managed a lazywrap with the top half of my hair, then wrapped the bottom portion around it -- this will take some practice, as it currently looks a MESS! -- but at least it gives me an option beyond the cinnamon bun. I was wanting something that didn't twist so much, so this is a good option for me until my hair is long enough overall to do other no-twist buns. Thank you!

[meteor]

Meteor, can you really not french twist at tbl? (I'm going off the length you have under your avatar) I've seen some french twist videos and the videographers (idk what to call them?) seem to have hair that would be at least tbl and they still make it work. I'm actually very sad that one day I may not be able to do a lot of the braids that I've learned such as dutch, french, and lace braids :sad
I couldn't even do a French twist at mid-back, let alone TBL. I saw a video of French twist on long hair, did the same and it looked like a giant beehive (not in a good way!) and fell apart immediately. Thickness and length works against you in French twists.

And yes, I've already stopped French braiding, because it's too much effort and can cause tangles on my hair. But I'm lazy and truly terrible at braiding, so I don't want to discourage you. :) Instead check out the Braid Thread for some mad LHC braiding skills at any length! :)

[HowDareDelilah]

Everyone who was talking about french twists for long hair, have you tried Rapunzel's Resource's method? http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/video-french-twist-for-long-hair/

[meteor]

I appreciate all of the responses! I tried and failed at Gibraltar and Nautilus a few months back -- it's not long enough for either. The problem is the front hir, which is at my shoulders. I took the advice to try a half-up bun, and managed a lazywrap with the top half of my hair, then wrapped the bottom portion around it -- this will take some practice, as it currently looks a MESS! -- but at least it gives me an option beyond the cinnamon bun. I was wanting something that didn't twist so much, so this is a good option for me until my hair is long enough overall to do other no-twist buns. Thank you!

Since you want to avoid twisting and know how to do a cinnabun, you could also try a braided cinnabun. Just do a French/English/Dutch braid and loop it around itself - easy, no-twist, holds like a rock.

[meteor]

Everyone who was talking about french twists for long hair, have you tried Rapunzel's Resource's method? http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2011/07/09/video-french-twist-for-long-hair/
Yes, that's exactly how I tried it (I used this video though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6cjaX_rUuE), but my hair doesn't get as compact or something or it's just my terrible skills. I think I was trying not to twist my hair too tightly (twisting may be damaging), but tight twisting seems pretty necessary for a French twist on long hair.

[lapushka]

Yes, that's exactly how I tried it (I used this video though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6cjaX_rUuE), but my hair doesn't get as compact or something or it's just my terrible skills. I think I was trying not to twist my hair too tightly (twisting may be damaging), but tight twisting seems pretty necessary for a French twist on long hair.

We can't manage one either! I have my mom do my hair, and she's not able to do it. She says my hair's too thick, and long, but mostly too thick. Now that I see that you can't do it either, and that you're a iii as well... maybe it has something to do with the thickness of the hair!

[oatmealpie]

Here you go!

Bun Progression List (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=82713)