How to estimate how long your hair needs to be for hairstyles?

[macguffin]

I have read many of the threads on here and it's clear that thicker hair is harder to do styles with until it's longer. My hair is getting close to BSL for the longest bits now but I am still unable to do a cinnabun (though I am getting close I think) or a braid that looks like more than a stumpy lump of hair. So I've been left with messy bun types deals and ponytails for the most part for presentable options. I've really been looking forward to both those styles for a while and was wondering if there was a way based on hair type or something to estimate how long it needs to be? In the end I know I just need to stick it out, but a timeline would make it easier. In the meantime I have been attempting to learn to french braid as some here suggested, but that's not been making much progress. Thanks!

[Corvana]

How thick is your hair? I believe that a iii generally needs waist for most stuff? But ymmv.

Have you tried other buns? There are tons, and if you've got a trusty hair fork you might be able to do one now. Or a couple pencils or something to try them out. My hair is only on the thicker end of ii, 3.5" pony circ, and I can only do one loop of a cinnabun and only if it's held by a scrunchie.

But my circ could probably do a nautilous bun at bsl.

Anyway I keep seeing most iiis say they needed waist or hip at least before most stuff was doable.

[lapushka]

How thick is your hair? I believe that a iii generally needs waist for most stuff? But ymmv.

I'm a iii, I needed waist length for sure, but hip length to be able to do a bun *comfortably*.

OP, all you need to do is measure your ponytail circumference. You make a ponytail and measure around it (don't measure on top of the elastic, but that's about a given). We can then give you estimates based on that.

[Simsy]

While I'm not sure how to estimate length for certain styles, I can give you a few options for getting to try them a bit earlier.
-for wrapped buns, wrap the hair around 1 or 2 fingers instead of the whole hand
-try the style as a half-up and wrap the second half around the base of the bun
-if a style is absolutely not holding even after using the last 2 suggestions, you might need another inch or two. Use the wait time to practice the hand movements.

On the subject of cinnibuns; I have fairly thick hair and I couldn't do a respectable cinnibun until after hip. For me, cinnibuns are a bun that only seems to suit certain types of hair and certain thickness. You may have more luck with a Vortex Bun
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aRhVn1n8gpM

Wrapped buns are a little easier to manage at shorter lengths, if only because you can reduce the number of fingers and "divide to conquer". I'm a fan of the Nautalis, many people like the Lazy Wrap Bun. By all accounts, they are the same bun with a twist added for the Nautalis. You will need to try them and see if you have a preference.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SZvXrEOfJ4w

[unheardletters]

it depends on other factors too. How long your torso is and how tall you are. I'm tall with a long torso. So instead of saying body markers, I'll say that last time I had long hair I needed at least 39" (measured from hairline at forehead down to back), to even attempt a proper bun. I do modified versions for shorter hair, but even those do not work well yet and need to be redone every hour.
Can you manage a peacock twist or a French twist? I struggle with these, but I can do them.

[Nique1202]

Yeah, unfortunately because of body measurement factors (longer and shorter torsos mean that saying a body marker like "waist" is meaningless when it comes to length required) and the myriad factors that go into being able to do a style (it's not just thickness, after all: slippery hair needs even more length, whereas grippy hair can sometimes do things much earlier) it's not practical to predict when you'll be able to do x, y, or z style. Heck, some styles are doable or not for different people with the same hair texture and length, like some people can do a nautilus but not a lazy wrap, even though someone else with seemingly the same hair has the opposite problem.

Instead of focusing on when you might be able to do different styles, it might be time to focus on what you can do now. French and dutch braids are a good start, and peacock twists and french twists and gibson tucks are solid go-to styles at shorter/thicker lengths.

[meteor]

Simsy's suggestions on how to get those buns to work a bit earlier are excellent.
There are really no hard and fast rules with when a hairstyle might finally work, unfortunately, quite a lot depends on the thickness, but also quite a bit will depend on slight modifications and technique.

All I can say is that I simply sucked it up and bunned the stubby braid I had. It wasn't exactly a bun, more like a folded braid pinned up with a claw or stick. Over time, it started looking more like a bun, but frankly, most people don't notice. The braided intersections add enough "interest" and the stubbiness of the braid is completely hidden by the bunning. If the braid is too stick-like and hard to bun easily, just braid it more loosely to make it softer and more "malleable" for bunning.
One more thing, at that length, I really needed an accent braid or a few braids starting from hairline and then adding them to the rest of the hair - this helped create some grippy base for the bun to attach to more easily.

Good luck! :D The more you play with hair updos (within reason, try to avoid excessive manipulation), the more you'll be able to adjust hairstyles that are available on TLHC and YouTube to your own needs. I'd say, about 95% of updos I see on YT don't work for me, and the remainder I can possibly do with heavy modifications only. That's OK and enough to get hair up and out of the way. Variety can be created with additional accents (braids/twists/sectioning) rather than completely new styles.


Instead of focusing on when you might be able to do different styles, it might be time to focus on what you can do now. French and dutch braids are a good start, and peacock twists and french twists and gibson tucks are solid go-to styles at shorter/thicker lengths.

^ Totally! :agree: Plus, you might miss these styles later when you outgrow them. Those styles are gorgeous and elegant and yet we tend to outgrow them extremely fast. :flower:

[DweamGoiL]

I teeter between iii and ii. Solid iii when I was younger and a full ii now, but I have fine hair. I was able to do most buns except a figure 8 at MBL-WL. Before that, I could manage a cinnabun by first doing a ponytail and then inserting the stick behind the elastic. I also had to hold up the bun with hairpins. No one else could tell that the pins were actually holding up the bun. French twists and Gibson Tucks are great suggestions as well and if you can do them now enjoy the heck out of them, as your hair grows, they are really challenging to do with longer and heavier hair. As you know, our hair is heavy to begin with and that increases with length.

[PixieP]

Have you tried a Chinese bun? You might need a bobby pin or two to hold the ends :)

It's all about finding what works for your hair!

[Robi-Bird]

I wore french twists all the time when my hair was bsl to waist, I couldn't do any buns until waist length, and only the disc bun for a long time. At BCL I can only really do a handful of buns, I can't get enough twists, or loops for the most complex buns. Which is why my goal length keeps getting longer!

[macguffin]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I did my best to measure the ponytail circumference and get somewhere between 4.5 and 5 inches (probably because I have a big head). So sounds like I'll have to wait a while at least for some things :( I'll try figure out how to try some of those other things you suggested though! I like giving new things a try at home.

[macguffin]

Thanks again for the suggestions everyone. Stopped by the store yesterday and picked up some bobby pins and a few other helpful items and spent yesterday and some time this evening trying different styles and seeing what I could make work. I think I needed the extra push. Anyway I managed to get a chinese bun type of style to work with some bobby pins! Pretty excited about that. Also after a many attempts got a nice looking bun using 2 ponytails like someone else suggested. Also got a class clip at the store and was working with that and it's pretty convenient, though I probably will just use that at home. Thanks for the support.

[PixieP]

That's great! :D

[Cherriezzzzz]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I did my best to measure the ponytail circumference and get somewhere between 4.5 and 5 inches (probably because I have a big head). So sounds like I'll have to wait a while at least for some things :( I'll try figure out how to try some of those other things you suggested though! I like giving new things a try at home.

I have a big head too and measure right around 4.5 to 5 cm too! My tail bone length will be 36 in probably have to wait till closer to classic length (39 in.)

I think I'll repeat the good advice NIQUE1202 already posted and say enjoy your hair NOW, rather then what it may be later! Find some cute styles and post for us! Thick hair is well loved at LHC!

[lapushka]

A sock bun, let's not forget that one. You can do that one pretty early on (even though I preferred my peacock twist ;)). All you need is a cut-up, rolled up sock or a donut from a beauty supply store. The donut is easier if you want to stick bobby pins in.

[embee]

Do make a point of enjoying French Twist while you can, so classy and so classic! Many find that one much more difficult when hair gets *long*.

[Hairkay]

Do make a point of enjoying French Twist while you can, so classy and so classic! Many find that one much more difficult when hair gets *long*.

I tend to get the French twist and the Gibson tuck mixed up.

[spidermom]

At your length, french twist and peacock twist. There's also the one where you gather hair for ponytail, lay a stick alongside it or under it, then spin the stick, gathering hair on it, then turn the stick with the point going under the scalp hair, flipping it 180 degrees.

The second one is like I was talking about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtnYn1BHyEY