Best styles for working outdoors

[Calypso]

Hi everyone! I'm off on excavation next week, and it'll be the first time I've excavated with long-ish hair. Last year it was around collar bone length and I just kept it in braids every day, but I think braids might get in my way more this year, as my hair's now mid back length. I'm not very good at buns and I worry that most won't be secure enough, with the exception of disc buns, as those are usually pretty sturdy on me. I thought milkmaid braids might be a good way of keeping my hair out of my face, too, but I'm not very good at keeping those secure either. Obviously I don't want it trailing through the dirt! Has anyone got any other ideas for sturdy styles when working outdoors?

[Arctic]

The hairstyle of this month, I think it's called interlaced braids. Many say it's very sturdy, comfortable and secure.

[Anje]

I tend to wear a brimmed hat when I'm outdoors for a decent length of time, so that influences my hairstyles a lot. For me, that means mostly braids and low infinity buns. If I'm just covering my sunburn-prone head with a bandana, ficcare buns are easy and stay better than anything held with sticks, forks, or pins. :jestor: <-- We're kinda hurting for smileys in hats.

[missrandie]

I always kept Mine in a barette or stick bun.. Mom has been wearing hers in a ficcare twist for everything, including outdoor work.

[browneyedsusan]

The hairstyle of this month, I think it's called interlaced braids. Many say it's very sturdy, comfortable and secure.

^this^

It is sturdy and comfortable! It takes a few minutes to get it put up, and doesn't always look very nice--look at my post in "hairstyle of the month" thread! lol!--, but it stays out of the way, and holds very well. :)

[parkmikii]

My hair is a bit past waist and to keep it out of my way by making a tucked in french braid. I always secure it with a few U pins. Here is a tutorial:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNd1TrbshXM

[neko_kawaii]

At mid back you aren't going to get your hair dragging in the dirt very much, unless you are lying on your stomach to reach the bottom of a large bell shaped pit. They do flop around from back to front which can get annoying. One solution I've seen to that is to do two braids and then use a band to tie them together just below your shoulders. One woman I've heard of but not met personally puts her floor length hair in a top knot braided bun that is flat enough to wear a hat over. Not so likely to work with a hard hat unfortunately because of the internal harness, but works well with any wide brimmed hat that has a large crown.

The styles mentioned above are good. Another one that I find to be very stable is the so-called Pinless Braided Bun secured with a large barrette. Make a single braid in any style you like. Clip a barrette a little above nape and then wrap the braid behind the barrette and secur the end with a pin or two.

Another tip is to wear a bandana between your hair and your hat to reduce fly always and snaggs on the hat.

Have fun, drink plenty of water, and remember that the less you fuss over your appearance (and hair) the more seriously you will be taken as a professional and that this is where you gain the contacts that will lead to future employment.

[Calypso]

Ooh, interlaced braids look great! I'll definitely try that one. Should be good under a hat, too, if I want to wear one. My scalp doesn't usually burn and my head gets itchy and hot if I wear a hat whilst digging, so I usually don't, but it's probably a good idea to help protect my hair.

Sadly tucked french braids don't work so well for me, parkmikii, my hair's too straight and slippery. :( But thank you!

Lots of great suggestions so far, thanks everyone! :)

Edited to reply to neko_kawaii's post - I meant more the effects of the dust in the air rather than literally dragging in the dirt, although that does sometimes happen when I'm trowelling! :P The dig I usually work on is on chalk geology, and I find chalk incredibly drying. Luckily, I won't be working on chalk next week, but I still don't want to take any chances! I also don't think we'll be needing hard hats, so I shouldn't have to worry about that. Thank you for the pinless braided bun suggestion, that sounds great. :)

[Anje]

One woman I've heard of but not met personally puts her floor length hair in a top knot braided bun that is flat enough to wear a hat over. Not so likely to work with a hard hat unfortunately because of the internal harness, but works well with any wide brimmed hat that has a large crown.

I envy people with small enough heads that they can pull this sort of thing off!

[Majorane]

I envy people with small enough heads that they can pull this sort of thing off!

Me too. I never fit into the nice looking fashionable and decently sized hats you see everywhere, even when my hair is loose. Head too big, hat too small, never fits. Let us laugh at the silly notions of stuffing our voluminous hair under a tiny puny hat, oh big-headed sister!

As for hardworking outoftheway styles, I usually wear a boring Lazy Wrap or a Cinnabun For Whimpy Shorties or a Baby Nautilus when I work (biking outdoors). With one stick for normal security or a fork when I jump around in the gym, or when it's stormy. Obviously, I can learn something from this thread.

What are you planning on digging up in that chalk?

[Lolino]

During fieldwork I tend to go for braids as well, either just plain down my back or a looped braided ponytail. Lately I've realised that wrapped (Heidi/Milkmaid/pseudo-crown) braids can be very sturdy as well, especially with claw clips or lots of bobby pins and normal pins, at least for me. It's easier to do it with smallish claw clips than pins to be fair :D Also keeps everything out of the way, and might work under hats depending how far back on your head you put the braids, and the size of the hat. It also stays out of any sunblock I might be using on my sun-hating skin that way.

Tying a bandana over the hair to keep dust and sun out is also handy :D Might help with dryness, depending on material, I don't know. I just dislike hats, they never fit me. Worked great in Italy last summer at least! Lets the air through so it doesn't get as hot and icky. Combined with wrapped braids it would pretty much protect all the hair at once too.

[Zebra Fish]

Buffs. They might not look pretty, but your hair is secured and not getting dirty. And you don't have to wonder about all kind of bug/parasites that could infiltrate your hair :p

And you also have buffs that block UV - practical if you are in the sun during the day.

[velorutionista]

Another +1 for the interlaced braids--I wore them for camping over the recent holiday weekend (put them up on Thursday morning and took them down on Monday night) and my hair was out of the way very securely the whole time (I have super slippery hair and I put these up on freshly washed & dried hair, which sometimes won't even hold a LWB). I wore a bandana over them during the days to keep my scalp from sunburning (blast my pasty complexion!) and I could easily see them fitting under a hat, too.

I also do braided buns when I need my hair to stay up securely--braided cinnabun, disc bun, or LWB holds well and is comfy for me for long periods of time.

[embee]

In my garden I wear a wide brim hat for sun protection. Bun choice is a single stick one, very low - so it won't interfere with the hat. Certainly a silk scarf over the hair (under the hat) will protect from dust and snags.

[Calypso]

Thank you for all the suggestions, everyone! This is really helpful. :)


What are you planning on digging up in that chalk?

Hopefully there won't be any chalk! We're digging a multi phase site, so not sure what I'll be finding. :)

[DreamSheep]

The hairstyle of this month, I think it's called interlaced braids. Many say it's very sturdy, comfortable and secure.

I'll go with this! :) (and also use this to say thank you for suggesting this to me ^-^ The forum wouldn't let me leave you a thank you note in the form of visitor message)
If you think you might struggle to dutch braid, anything braided and pinned to death / with clawclips / with hairforks will also be sturdy, as braids are grippier already :)

[trolleypup]

Buffs. They might not look pretty, but your hair is secured and not getting dirty. And you don't have to wonder about all kind of bug/parasites that could infiltrate your hair :p

And you also have buffs that block UV - practical if you are in the sun during the day.
Or pony scrubs. Bombproof, full barrier protection for your hair, and the cotton fabric soaks up sweat from your head...and pretty colors and patterns (including geeky options!)

[Arctic]

I'll go with this! :) (and also use this to say thank you for suggesting this to me ^-^ The forum wouldn't let me leave you a thank you note in the form of visitor message)

Oops, sorry about that. I accidently had my setting in very restricted visitor messaging. Fixed it now :) Thanks for letting me know!

[dancingbarefoot]

When I'm gardening or doing other outdoor stuff, I just do a single English braid and tuck the end in my back pocket. It usually stays put.

[Nini]

I didn't have time to read through the whole thread. What I've done, as a farmer, is to braid my hair in an English braid that I bun low and secure with a scrunchie. Over that I wear a buff, and on top I've got a cap.

I might not look too fancy, but it does the trick. And as I'm not too fussy about it I haven't had to wash my hair every day doing it this way.

[DaveDecker]

Or pony scrubs. Bombproof, full barrier protection for your hair, and the cotton fabric soaks up sweat from your head...and pretty colors and patterns (including geeky options!)

I concur 100%. Pretty much anytime I'm out in public, not just exercising, I'm wearing one of these. (And thank you trolleypup for gifting one to me so many years ago!)

[embee]

Wow, I never really looked at pony scrubs before - having no need for them - but if you cannot find a color/pattern you like you are *hard to please*! :D

[swords & roses]

If I'm working outside, I'm wearing a big floppy hat to protect the poor pale skin from the evil UV rays & imminent sunburn, so my hair goes into a LWB fastened VERY low (like, touching more of my neck than my scalp) with a Fake Ficcare type clip. That low, my hair spits out sticks, but the clips hold.

[lfbddjw]

Would a starburst crown braid work? Keeps my hair out of my face and nothing dragging along.

[trolleypup]

I concur 100%. Pretty much anytime I'm out in public, not just exercising, I'm wearing one of these. (And thank you trolleypup for gifting one to me so many years ago!)

You're welcome!


Wow, I never really looked at pony scrubs before - having no need for them - but if you cannot find a color/pattern you like you are *hard to please*! :D

They no longer have the sushi patterns. Other than that, pretty good selection!