Damaging hairstyles

[Amenahh]

When I'm at home, I usually either braid my hair, or put it in a sort of French twist to protect it. However, these styles don't look very flattering on me (although not unflattering either).

I look way better with my hair up. I can manage a high ponytail now (I'm almost at APL). I also look nice with a high bun. The only one I can manage at this stage is the one where you start putting your hair in a ponytail, and at the end, you just pull it halfway through, and it forms a loop. I don't know if it has a name.
I wanted to know if this bun or a ponytail are damaging if the scrunchie itself was soft and not super thin.

If so, are there any similar hairstyles for this length (between collarbone and APL) that would not damage the hair?

[lapushka]

A peacock twist, or "tails up" as Flexi8 used to call it is a nice way to style it.

[Horrorpops]

I've found braids to be good at shorter lengths to keep my hair away from my face and somewhat protected.

At shorter lengths I also liked plaiting my hair (one or two plaits) and then using hair pins to pin them up in a sort of braided bun. It looked tidy and cute for work, and let me get all the layers and things tucked in. Luckily your hair may be a little less thick than mine which means you'll be able to do more updos sooner! :o
But anyway that's basically all I did with my hair through chin to BSL haha!

ETA: I also uses a claw clip/octopus clip (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=octopus+clip&client=ms-android-telstra-au&prmd=ivsn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjkxIDQnc3MAhWINJQKHZdHCjkQ_AUIBygB&biw=360&bih=511#imgrc=p31AaOKq9q3yEM%3A) to put my hair up in a bun too. That was really handy at shorter lengths actually and so quick! I just gathered my hair, twisted it up and put the clip on, easy and presentable! :p

[Cg]

Those octopus clips worked great until my hair was long enough for sticks and forks. They were the only thing other than elastics and lots of pins that kept my buns intact. They would likely work for you too.

[Breanna]

Double french braids work really nice for shorter hair and look really cute! And I agree with Cg, octopus clips are the best things ever.

[Arctic]

Check out my blog, I did a project a while ago trying to gather lot of different, doable styles for us with shorter hair, often with instructions or links to instructions. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?u=11704&blogcategoryid=3445 (Link goes to a sub-category of my blog called "Styles, Tutorials, Instructions".)

And as a replacement for your current pony loop, try my hair friendly version of fan bun: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=136761

[Ophidian]

I second Arctic's recommendation to check out her blog. Tons of creative ideas!

[AJNinami]

I'd say the ponytail bun is damaging. A woman in class had wonderfully smooth almost APL length hair, and then she started wearing a ponytail bun every day. I had always admired her hair, and would look at it when I didn't feel like paying attention in class. Well, I watched her slowly gain more and more wispies and that part of her hair slowly became frayed-looking. She had the most perfectly-smooth hair I'd ever seen. I think she realized it, though, since she doesn't wear them anymore.

It would probably be less of an issue when using a very gently band, but I would recommend using a topknot with short spin pins until you can achieve other styles. (You are looking for high styles, yes?)