Minimum lengths for updos

[DollyDagger]

Hey Everyone,
Im curious to know at what length did you start wearing hair up alot. I cant make a decent looking bun but i can do that peacock updo. Would it still provide protection or any kind of advantage if the ends are still exposed and flapping about.
Would it still be okay to be wear it mostly down as i approach BSL.
Ive been experimenting with french/dutch braids on dry hair but it seems to cause a lot of hair to come out as im manipulating it into the braid.
thnx DD

[Gamma Vector]

I really started wearing my hair mostly up when it got to be somewhere between waist and hip. That was when it started to get in my way a lot, and also when I learned to do pinless buns. For me, wearing my hair up was less a matter of hair protection and more a matter of convenience.

Now that I'm at waist again, I'm wearing it mostly down. But my hair is pretty tough, and can take a lot of crap. If your hair is more delicate, you might want to think about protective styling more than I do.

The peacock twist is more protective than wearing it totally down, but less protective than wearing it in a "proper" bun.

As for when you "need" to start wearing it up, there isn't really a specific length. It's just a matter of when it starts becoming an issue when it's down. If it's always in your way, or tangles like crazy, or eats people (I have curly hair, and it has eaten small children before) it's time to start wearing it up more often. But until then, don't worry about it. :)

[amino]

As soon as my hair got to a ponytail length or a comfortable braid length, I started doing braids. I also did a lot of messy buns. But that's me—I don't like having hair in my face and I concentrate better when it's out of the way. I also don't play with it!

I do however wear it down a bit every day or so to relax. :)

[missrandie]

Frankly, I've worn my hair in an updo the majority of my life. As in I started wearing updos when I was a third grader. Yeah.

As soon as my hair is long enough to be up, generally collarbone-ish, it is up and stays up except for occasions. But, that was personal preference.

I think as long as you are mindful, you can wear it down as much as you wish. Just be aware of how your hair feels, and if it needs more protection, put it up more.

[bte]

I started wearing a ponytail as soon as I had enough hair to do so, which took about 5 months. After about two years, which for me was just below shoulder length, I experimented with an occasional braid. When my hair put on a spurt last year so that it is now the male equivalent pof BSL, I finally grasped that it was long enough for a braid, and in rcent weeks I have started wearing one all the time, day and night. I am still very envious of those with enough hair for really long styles, but even if I could wear a bun, I wouldn't want to - I only like styles (on me particularly) which demonstrate all the length.

[lazuliblue]

I think I was about APL or a bit longer when I started wearing my hair in a lazy wrap bun.

[DollyDagger]

I can hardly wait for a proper bun! :) thanks to everyone for the responses and anecdotes.
Wearing it sometimes down and in Pony-tails and peacock updos will do for now. I will exercise caution and be extra gentle considering im more on the fragile end of the spectrum.
Case in point-I was over-zealously attempting to french twist with a chopstick the other day and i heard some snaps..! rather i felt them in the pit of my stomach. oops

[Arctic]

You can do tons of styles at your length. When you have enough posts to see the blog section, have a look at my blog for some examples. I've been collecting some sort of inspiration pages of hair styles for shorter hair.

As you practice braiding, you'll get better with it and break less hairs. It takes a mindful effort, but it's possible. I break no hairs anymore when I do familiar braids, but if I practice new ones I might break few before it becomes familiar again. It's a matter of gentleness and practice.

It depends much of your hair type, condition, and goals (and preferences) whether you need to wear your hair up a lot. Your hair specs seem to be on the finer and thinner side, and your goal length seems to be some distance ahead still, so this suggests that possibly you could benefit from hair friendly up styles.

[DollyDagger]

You can do tons of styles at your length. When you have enough posts to see the blog section, have a look at my blog for some examples. I've been collecting some sort of inspiration pages of hair styles for shorter hair.

As you practice braiding, you'll get better with it and break less hairs. It takes a mindful effort, but it's possible. I break no hairs anymore when I do familiar braids, but if I practice new ones I might break few before it becomes familiar again. It's a matter of gentleness and practice.

It depends much of your hair type, condition, and goals (and preferences) whether you need to wear your hair up a lot. Your hair specs seem to be on the finer and thinner side, and your goal length seems to be some distance ahead still, so this suggests that possibly you could benefit from hair friendly up styles.

Thank you ..I will definitely have a look at your blog when im able to. Im already flabbergasted and blown away by the pictures i am able to see..I can only imagine what ive been missing.

[ravenreed]

I didn't worry about it until I hit waist, and didn't consistently wear my hair up everyday until I was at tailbone. It can be difficult to recommend updos at certain lengths because a lot depends on hair type. I started out with a Lazy Wrap and had the hardest time getting a Figure 8 to work. One hairstyle I regret not trying when my hair was shorter was the Gibson Tuck. I think it is so elegant, and I can't make it work now, no matter how I try.

[Hairkay]

I've only started wearing my hair up this year. My hair is dry and the ends prone to breakage which is why I've been stuck at BSL for as long as I can remember. I've seen progress since keeping it up.

[battles]

I can start wearing mine in stick buns around APL. As soon as I'm able to do a full peacock twist or french braid is when I start wearing it up frequently.

[Groovy Granny]

I tend to like the feel of my hair down in cooler weather; I just pay attention to be sure it is not getting too much friction when down (on my back etc)
As soon as the humidity kicks in here, it is UP...I hate it in my neck when it is hot and sticky :p

I grew out from chin length, so I got a variety of hair toys to start with ...claws and barrettes for twists, scrunchies and no damage ties for pony tails, a couple of forks and pairs of sticks (sticks were the hardest for me because my hair can be slippery).

Varying lengths, textures, thicknesses all affect your success ~ just keep trying as the weeks go on.

You will come to know what you hair does best....and with what hair toy.

What I used early on I now use for half ups, so NOTHING is wasted in my hair toy collection!

Happy growing and styling :)

[vpatt]

I wear a bun sometimes even tho it is sooooo tiny. I like a French Twist the best right now and I find it easy with a French Twist comb. But I do practice braiding often so that as my hair grows I will be able to do a decent braid. I still wear it down a lot, tho.

[Frankenstein]

I started wearing mine up at APL and even more so at BSL/beyond. But by up I mainly mean ponytails... this was a few years ago, pre LHC. Nowadays at BCL my hair is up anytime I'm not out somewhere. I hate having it down when I'm just sitting around my house, it annoys me.

[lapushka]

It all depends on how thick your hair is. I'm a iii, so I could wear it in a bun at waist/hip, thereabouts.

You should be able to do buns a lot faster, even at BSL this is an option, I think!

[meteor]

I didn't know how to put hair up before the LHC at all, so even when my hair was at TBL, I used to wear it loose or in a braid / pony / half-up with a claw. When my hair got too unruly/heavy, I used to just chop it since I didn't know any updos. :doh:

Now, thank goodness for the LHC and YouTube, it's so easy to learn some simple updos. But before about hip-tailbone I couldn't really put it up comfortably & relaibly, and, before classic, I couldn't do more than 2 basic buns. The more length (or the less thickness) and the more texture, the more variety of doable buns, I would think.
It does depend a lot on skills, tools, texture, thickness, etc. Sometimes you just need more length and sometimes you need to watch many, many videos and learn different tricks (e.g. sectioning, doubling, braiding...) for adjusting common buns for your specific needs and for your hairtype. :) It's a fun journey! :D

[ShadowBritt]

My hair is basically BSL and I wear it up when I'm doing things like household chores or in the car or other things it would get in the way for. I'm obsessed with wearing my hair down but when it gets in the way up it goes. I can manage a lot of styles with a hair stick and a single bobby pin to shove those ends where they belong. So your almost there! I also has slippery fine thin hair, so you might not even need pins depending on how obeying your hair is. (Mine I think purposely ignores me).

[endlessly]

Up until roughly five years ago, I very rarely wore my hair up (if ever, if I'm being completely honest). Within the last two years, I've worn it up mostly every day and my hair fluctuated between tailbone and classic for the longest time. The reason I never wore it up very frequently before? I didn't feel it was long enough. My hair actually never felt long to me until I was sitting on it, so I just never thought I needed to wear it up. Now, I've more than learned my lesson!

[RavenRose]

I have fine thin, easily damaged hair, that is just above APL- I am trying to wear it up more often, and in styles other than a basic pony or messy pull through pony bun thing I have a tendency to do. My hair is having a lot less breakage now.

I have been able to do a cinabun, a french twist, french braids, English braids, half ups, and basic pony/pig tails along with a mock pretzel bun, and chignon using a ouchless pony as the base. Sometimes I will do some vintage inspired updos with curls. I just got my first hair sticks the other day, so I am experimenting with some other buns, but my hair is not long enough for many of them- or they take a bunch of bobbies to hold in place.

[Wildcat Diva]

When you can do updos totally depends on thickness.

I could totally always do them very early when compared to others.

[Eastbound&Down]

I read your previous post, so based on that I would say definitely keep it up and protected as much as possible. If all you can manage is a peacock twist, then do that and leave it alone. Before you know it, it'll be long enough to try other buns or braids. You may want to look in to getting one of those foam "sock bun" makers from walmart or anywhere if you want some variety. I wear them when I'm in uniform and they are really quite comfortable and look very nice.

Best of luck and happy growing!

[Seeshami]

His highness still at fingertip ish will still not tolerate the figure 8 bun. I have come to the conclusion hair styles demend on how compliant or in my case horrendously evil your hair is

The naughty mess says, "I need a macro key that automatically yells at slave girl I. DO. WHAT. I. WANT."

[MoreAutumnForMe]

Hair scarves and headbands are also great options for protective updos. Especially nice silky ones. Great DIY project :o:knit:

[alexis917]

All dependent on your thickness. I can't get a ponytail gping that doesn't stick out/pull a ton until past APL (ideally BSL). I couldn't do many buns at WL, either. Unless they were deathly tight. Nooo thank you, hehe.

[Imalath]

I started wearing my hair up at about collarbone...first in very loose ponytails, then short squatty braids. My favorite style from about APL to BSL was a Gibson Tuck. I can probably still manage one at waist, if I'm careful. Haven't tried in a while. I tend to go the simple route, so I don't vary my routine much. I have been wearing simple cinnabuns in different places on my head for almost two years now. It works well with the headgear of my work uniform, although I am about to switch to wearing a ball cap daily instead of a hairnet, and will start trying to braid my hair and drop it down the back of my shirt to protect it. Wearing it up daily has done a lot for my length retention. I am seeing significantly less breakage, and going longer between trims for split ends.

[elea]

Indeed, it depends on thickness. Fine hair can do buns much faster (length wise) but then it is... turn, and turn and....(insert a cup of coffee)...turn... whilst thicker hair does 2 rounds and done.
Small braids tied to head with bobby pins used to keep my bob-length going all over the place when i needed my hair put. Maybe it could work for you.
Shorter hair does not tangle/catch etc... so much normally.
It should catch-up the length before you start getting it stuck in your jacket zipper or knot around your pyjama buttons in bed (enjoy looking forward to these 2, I let you ponder about nutritional value of the end of a braid in your morning cereals).
All the best.