Looking for understated formal styles without sticks

[Handel'sWig]

I perform frequently in orchestra or other settings where I have to follow concert dress code. :violin: It’s fairly strict- everything has to be black, formal, and simple. As for the hair, I need to have it pulled out of my face otherwise it interferes with things. It has to be simple. Accessories that don’t match a black outfit or that act as dangerous weapons when you’re moving around in close quarters are pretty much a no; i.e. - none of my sticks work for this.

For now my go-tos are a cinnabun secured with pins, a simple half-up braid, or a French Twist with pins. But I’d like to find new styles. Also as my hair gets longer (I’m nearly at hip) I won’t be able to do the French Twist anymore. I’m tired of cinnabuns and I don’t always want to mess with a half up. I want to dress up my hair without it being over the top. I’m a bit at a loss.

Does anyone have any suggestions for formal hairstyles that are long hair friendly, fancy yet understated, and stick free?

[neko_kawaii]

Vortex Bun springs immediately to mind as fancy, understated, and stick free. Also, last months Style of the Month. Scan the Hairstyle Thesaurus for styles that don’t include sticks or other stickyouty things. I’m sure there are many others.

[Eastbound&Down]

I was thinking perhaps a French/Dutch braid, with the tail wrapped into a low bun. You could secure it with an elastic, ribbon, or pins.

[Cg]

I was thinking perhaps a French/Dutch braid, with the tail wrapped into a low bun. You could secure it with an elastic, ribbon, or pins.

I agree with the French braid. French braids look soft and elegant (whereas Dutch are more sporty and tighter to the scalp). Any bun you can secure with a stick you can secure with invisible pins, or with pearl u-pins or any of their dressy cousins.

[Handel'sWig]

Vortex Bun springs immediately to mind as fancy, understated, and stick free. Also, last months Style of the Month. Scan the Hairstyle Thesaurus for styles that don’t include sticks or other stickyouty things. I’m sure there are many others.

Hmmm, a vortex bun... that’s one bun I’ve never been able to figure out. :hmm: For whatever reason it will never hold in my hair. I’ll try it again- maybe I have the length for it now.


I was thinking perhaps a French/Dutch braid, with the tail wrapped into a low bun. You could secure it with an elastic, ribbon, or pins.

Braid with ribbon... I love that idea! I should get some black velvety ribbon and tie a cute little bow or something. That’s an example of an accessory that would be very appropriate.


Any bun you can secure with a stick you can secure with invisible pins, or with pearl u-pins or any of their dressy cousins.

Is that true? I was under the impression that certain buns ( e.g. nautilus, disc, LWB) could only be held with a stick, or something like it. I haven’t tried holding my everyday nautilus- variation with pins. Maybe I just need to get a few U-pins because I’ve only ever used Bobby pins, which I love.

[Chromis]

A black Ficcare Maxima would work well for that too. Nautilus works well with them!

[Cg]

.... Is that true? I was under the impression that certain buns ( e.g. nautilus, disc, LWB) could only be held with a stick, or something like it. I haven’t tried holding my everyday nautilus- variation with pins. Maybe I just need to get a few U-pins because I’ve only ever used Bobby pins, which I love.

I can't imagine a bun that it wouldn't hold true for. I use pins only quite regularly. There used to be people on this forum, and perhaps still are, who never used anything except pins, no hairtoys ever.

[Wavelength]

A black Ficcare Maxima would work well for that too. Nautilus works well with them!

I second the Ficcare. Those things hold like a rock.

[neko_kawaii]

I can't imagine a bun that it wouldn't hold true for. I use pins only quite regularly. There used to be people on this forum, and perhaps still are, who never used anything except pins, no hairtoys ever.

Spidermom's Bum would be awkward to do with pins, but yes, most of them can be done quite handily with pins.

[MusicalSpoons]

Ooh a figure-8 bun and the related orchid bun would probably hold well with spin pins. I wanna say treble clef bun because it would be *so* apt but I'm not sure ... I guess a sturdy U-pin might hold the top bit? (Sadly I've not seen or dreamt up any other clef bun :lol:)

I don't know if a braided bun would be simple enough; it's fancy and something just slightly different.

A slim stick or fork matching your hair and the same length as your bun is wide could maybe work too, especially e.g. for twisted buns where you won't get parts of the hair slipping over the ends. I'm thinking something like a natural wood Ketylo or ... well actually I can't think of any particular forks. Just a thought though :shrug:

[baanoo]

I do both regular and French braided cinnabuns, as well as nautilus buns, with spin pins all the time. You may find those to be a good addition to your hairpin collection!

[LittleHealthy]

My first thought was a braided cinnabun with the braid 'bumps' pancaked. Second thought was an orchid bun held with spin pins, simply because it's elegant!

[Deborah]

I second the spin pins. They hold like a rock and don't show.

A French twist is a nice style that is simple and elegant.

[Handel'sWig]

A black Ficcare Maxima would work well for that too. Nautilus works well with them!


I second the Ficcare. Those things hold like a rock.

Oooh! :magic: I'll have to check it out


Ooh a figure-8 bun and the related orchid bun would probably hold well with spin pins. I wanna say treble clef bun because it would be *so* apt but I'm not sure ... I guess a sturdy U-pin might hold the top bit? (Sadly I've not seen or dreamt up any other clef bun :lol:)

I don't know if a braided bun would be simple enough; it's fancy and something just slightly different.

A slim stick or fork matching your hair and the same length as your bun is wide could maybe work too, especially e.g. for twisted buns where you won't get parts of the hair slipping over the ends. I'm thinking something like a natural wood Ketylo or ... well actually I can't think of any particular forks. Just a thought though :shrug:

I would love to be able to do the treble clef bun but sadly I don't have quite enough length for it yet. Can't wait until I do:blossom:!

Yes, braided bun would be cool especially with ribbon like suggested above.

Hmm... I'll have to look. Probably hard to find a plain black or brown stick that isn't very long. :hmm:

[MusicalSpoons]

Oooh! :magic: I'll have to check it out



I would love to be able to do the treble clef bun but sadly I don't have quite enough length for it yet. Can't wait until I do:blossom:!

Yes, braided bun would be cool especially with ribbon like suggested above.

Hmm... I'll have to look. Probably hard to find a plain black or brown stick that isn't very long. :hmm:

Have fun experimenting! :D

Sticks advertised as shawl pins tend to be shorter, if that helps :)

[Cg]

Spidermom's Bum would be awkward to do with pins, but yes, most of them can be done quite handily with pins.

I do these by first anchoring the center part and then moving to each loop. Takes 10 Amish pins with hair ~ 65" long.

[PeonyBlue]

A Gibson tuck type arrangement is my go-to for formal events...they always look so elegant and are a nice change from a bun.

[KokoroDragon]

Milkmaid braids? You could do hair taping to help secure them, that would dress them up a bit.

[Nini]

Having spent a decade plus in a symphonic orchestra and having played the fiddle thirty plus year I can't help but wonder how long you wear your sticks ;)

I've been wearing Ficcare Max'es, forks and sticks or braids for all my gigs the last 15 year. My go-to bun is the Cinnamon, but I don't tire of it which means I haven't really branched out and properly learnt any others.

[Iyashikei]

You could try a nautilus bun with a ficcare. I'd also imagine a simple English braid to work well with the aforementioned ribbon

[Handel'sWig]

A Gibson tuck type arrangement is my go-to for formal events...they always look so elegant and are a nice change from a bun.

Huh! Can’t say I’ve tried a Gibson Tuck.


Having spent a decade plus in a symphonic orchestra and having played the fiddle thirty plus year I can't help but wonder how long you wear your sticks ;)

I've been wearing Ficcare Max'es, forks and sticks or braids for all my gigs the last 15 year. My go-to bun is the Cinnamon, but I don't tire of it which means I haven't really branched out and properly learnt any others.

Hahaha, well it’s more about the not-matching-the- outfit thing then the sticking out, I was partly just being funny there. But partly I do have a bit of concern because of a recent incident when my stand parter complained about my stick “almost poking her in the eye” when I leaned forward to mark something in our shared music. My sticks are 7” and my bun isn’t that huge so there is always a couple inches sticking out. And we were in a pit (dress rehearsal) so it was fairly close quarters. But if we had room to bow it wasn’t near enough to poke her. She was obviously uncomfortable with a sharp object even that close. Honestly I think she was just being a drama queen. You tend to get that in the arts world sometimes lol. I just apologized and took it out because one has to get along with one’s colleagues.

You didn’t need the whole story but there it is anyway. I mostly just need to find a few accessories that match black. :shrug: I don’t have many hair toys at all yet.

I like going to this forum to brainstorm new hairstyle ideas for things even if there’s not a big reason to. It’s not a big concern, just fun to talk about. Because literally nobody else cares haha.

[BuddhaBelle]

Huh! Can’t say I’ve tried a Gibson Tuck.



Hahaha, well it’s more about the not-matching-the- outfit thing then the sticking out, I was partly just being funny there. But partly I do have a bit of concern because of a recent incident when my stand parter complained about my stick “almost poking her in the eye” when I leaned forward to mark something in our shared music. My sticks are 7” and my bun isn’t that huge so there is always a couple inches sticking out. And we were in a pit (dress rehearsal) so it was fairly close quarters. But if we had room to bow it wasn’t near enough to poke her. She was obviously uncomfortable with a sharp object even that close. Honestly I think she was just being a drama queen. You tend to get that in the arts world sometimes lol. I just apologized and took it out because one has to get along with one’s colleagues.

You didn’t need the whole story but there it is anyway. I mostly just need to find a few accessories that match black. :shrug: I don’t have many hair toys at all yet.

I like going to this forum to brainstorm new hairstyle ideas for things even if there’s not a big reason to. It’s not a big concern, just fun to talk about. Because literally nobody else cares haha.

I bought one of those cheap wooden hair sticks off ebay and sawed the top off so it fits completely to my bun. It's only about 1cm either side and works really well for a LWB