At what length...?

[GoddesJourney]

I often wonder what length I would need for one style or another. Post here your "At what length...?" questions. Then to come tribute, add basic milestones you remember for your hair. I'll start.

For those of you with really long hair, at what length could you make double braids and tie them together behind your back, first passing in front of your shoulders like backpack straps? I saw an anime character with this hairstyle and I love it. I'm at tailbone and can't do it yet.

I remember getting a bun to stay dependably at BSL. That's also the length I feel good about my single braid. Double braids look alright to my eyes at around APL (on me). I needed at least shoulder length for a ponytail to stay. Most fancier bun styles didn't start working for me until somewhere between waist and hip. So hang in there if you can't get them to work yet and you're not at least to waist. Also at around waist, I found it was just easier to bun my hair with conditioner in the shower to keep it out of my way for everything else.

[lapis_lazuli]

My hair was done for bed, but I had to see what you were talking about with the backpack braids :p This is risky because written instructions and I do not mix, but is it something like this (https://i.imgur.com/g4KQWrU.jpg)? For that, based on the way it holds in my hair, you probably need classic-length braids at least in order to have enough tassel at the end... maybe longer, as I did a double knot, and it still wanted to slip down. It's a cool concept; do you have the reference picture? :o

This is a great idea for a thread btw :agree:

[Jools69]

Wearing hair down comfortably: between SL and BSL.
Ponytails and plaits: from SL.
Buns held with bobby pins and ‘bun makers’: from APL.
Basic bun held with a hairstick: from BSL/MBL.
More elaborate buns: from waist.

Agreed. A great thread!

[lapushka]

I couldn't manage a thing but a peacock twist, later with length: log roll, until I got to waist/hip, thereabouts. Well, waist was a little pulled back kind of harshly still, hip was more comfortable. But yeah, it took me that long to be able to bun it, and that is layered, because it was very much tougher with all-one-length hair. Hence the "tighter" at waist (it wasn't layered back then, when I first reached that milestone).

Yeah, it took a while. Don't envy the iii's out there, it's a pain in the bum to get styles to stay.

[bparnell75]

Started wearing mine up from shoulder. Back combed then pulled up and anchored with clippies. Then a small bun at back.
Apl. buns held with scrunchies, clippies or bun caages
BSL All buns this is the only advantage of thin hair.
Waist I invented the Spock bun

One thing I learned is that Flip buns do not work as well with classic hair for me. Now that I have cut back to just below TB and am using a Swerve I can do them again.

[Ylva]

At about BCL, I stopped being able to do cinnabuns. They would always protrude and become bee butt-y.

[bparnell75]

Started wearing mine up from shoulder. Back combed then pulled up and anchored with clippies.

[Finda]

I could do most buns comfortably around waist.
I was able to do something like an lwb around bsl, but I had to wrap the hair so tight I experienced a lot of pulling and instability.

I did my first dutch braid with hair around apl I think.

[GoddesJourney]

My hair was done for bed, but I had to see what you were talking about with the backpack braids :p This is risky because written instructions and I do not mix, but is it something like this (https://i.imgur.com/g4KQWrU.jpg)? For that, based on the way it holds in my hair, you probably need classic-length braids at least in order to have enough tassel at the end... maybe longer, as I did a double knot, and it still wanted to slip down. It's a cool concept; do you have the reference picture? :o

This is a great idea for a thread btw :agree:

That is both awesome and almost exactly what I was talking about. When I said tied together, I meant just fastened together with a hair tie. That said, your version is arguably cooler. Having a hard time finding an image that will link properly. The character is called Flare Corona from an anime called Fairy Tail.

ETA: Your sleep braids are epic.

[lapis_lazuli]

That is both awesome and almost exactly what I was talking about. When I said tied together, I meant just fastened together with a hair tie. That said, your version is arguably cooler. Having a hard time finding an image that will link properly. The character is called Flare Corona from an anime called Fairy Tail.

ETA: Your sleep braids are epic.

Ohh yeah I see now. I like that a lot too! Anime has such great long hair inspirations :)
and thank you! :D

[Shorty89]

I started my LHC journey at waist but I have a hard time doing a lot of buns when I'm shorter than tailbone. I find that my ends stick out any shorter or my hair just slips out.

[Kathie]

Ponytails and peacock twists from now- just above SL.

Cinna-buns from just past shoulder length (less twisting and more wrapping). Flip buns at this length too.

Lazy-wrap somewhere between SL and APL.

Double french and dutch braids approaching APL (I dont like how the ends flip out closer to SL).

I was happy with all these as I grew between BSL and WL.

Im keen to get more length this time around so perhaps I'll learn some new buns along the way.

[GoddesJourney]

At what length could you start/no longer do a tucked French or Dutch braid?

[princessaerin]

I can't for the life of me get a nautilus bun to stay at MBL. Is this just a me problem or is my hair really too short still? I remember being able to do all sorts of buns before I did a big chop to pixie back in 2019, and my hair was no longer than waist then. Luckily my hair grows moderately fast so I'm hoping to be able to do cool buns soon :D

[blessed_momma21]

I also would like to know the answer to this!

What type of buns were you all able to do between mid back and waist length besides a cinnabun?

[Ashtaroth]

I also would like to know the answer to this!

What type of buns were you all able to do between mid back and waist length besides a cinnabun?

Disc bun was good at MBL to waist for me.

I’m at hip now and was able to do my first knot bun today.

[Kathie]

I also would like to know the answer to this!

What type of buns were you all able to do between mid back and waist length besides a cinnabun?

A lazy wrap is the second bun after a cinnabun that I can do as my hair gets longer. You could also flip the cinnabun for a different look (flip bun).

[Kathie]

On a side note, I'm really amazed by how much the actual lengths can differ for people for the major milestones.

For example, SL on me looks to be around the 19-20 inch mark. In another members signature they mention that 20 inches is APL for them!! I pause every time I see their signature :blueeek:

[illicitlizard]

At what length could you do a nautilus bun?
It seems to be a quintessential long hair bun but I still can't do it on my hair!(~waist) It's the one I'm most eager to try

For my contribution: double dutch braids around shoulder?, cinnamon bun some time around APL with some finagling, disc bun around BSL, LWB past BSL but before waist.

[KokoroDragon]

APL - disc bun, but just barely. Tucked french/dutch braids.

BSL/MBL - disc bun holds better, can barely do a LWB. Starting to get too long for tucked braids.

Waist - disc buns become more comfortable, could do a LWB if my hair wasn't so slippy. Able to do double dutch/french braids crossed at the nape and sewed around the crown (hair taping), with the tassels ending at the top of my head.

Unfortunately there aren't a lot of buns I can do yet. My hair doesn't quite qualify as iii (it's about 3.5"), but it's all one length and still pretty thick.

[leafygreens18]

I might be an outlier, but I started cinnamon buns held by sticks at about APL, then a nautilus inbetween APL and BSL. These days, somewhere in the purgatory of BSL to waist (legitimately do not know how long my hair is these days, it curls so much and I have nape damage etc...) my cinnamon buns turn into beebutt buns as well

[MoonLady]

My contributions:

I could do double french and dutch braids even when I had a long bob, they were just stubby. They start looking nice just between CBL and APL

Single french and dutch braids just before APL

Cinnamon bun around APL

Disc bun between APL and BSL (first succeded at 21 inches, but never tried on shorter lengths & I have layers)

My hair is just shy of BSL and the lazy wrap bun is starting to work (it didnt work when I just got the disc bun, I think I might have an inch more hair)

I can just barely do a nautilus, modified to wrap around two fingers, but it doesn't hold itself up and needs a stick/fork

[Ylva]

At what length could you do a nautilus bun?
It seems to be a quintessential long hair bun but I still can't do it on my hair!(~waist) It's the one I'm most eager to try

I don't think I managed a nautilus until tailbone, but it could well be due to my general incompetence at hairstyles. Also, I think I'm shorter than you (5'4 - 5'5 or something).

[illicitlizard]

:scissors:
I can just barely do a nautilus, modified to wrap around two fingers, but it doesn't hold itself up and needs a stick/fork
I've tried modified nautilus options and they all pull so badly, if I can even get them to twist right. I also can't imagine my hair staying up without a stick or fork haha!

I don't think I managed a nautilus until tailbone, but it could well be due to my general incompetence at hairstyles. Also, I think I'm shorter than you (5'4 - 5'5 or something).
Thanks so much for the reply Ylva! I will have to be patient for a little while longer then :p (I'm 5'4 too!)

[GoddesJourney]

At what length could you no longer do a crown braid?

[baanoo]

At what length could you no longer do a crown braid?

I never learned how to do a crown braid when my hair was short enough to do one – so I am also curious about this question!

[AmaryllisRed]

I mean, at knee I'm pretty sure I could still do one. But what a pain the butt.

[baanoo]

I mean, at knee I'm pretty sure I could still do one. But what a pain the butt.
….But how? Where do you start?

[AmaryllisRed]

….But how? Where do you start?

My preference is to start with a deep side part and go across the front first.
This kind of makes me want to try it just to see how much of a disaster it would be. Am I a glutton for punishment or what? :lol: The detangling is the most daunting part of it for me.
I bet TatsuOni or neko_kawaii could manage it. (Those two off the top of my head but I bet there are others, too.)

[baanoo]

My preference is to start with a deep side part and go across the front first.
This kind of makes me want to try it just to see how much of a disaster it would be. Am I a glutton for punishment or what? :lol: The detangling is the most daunting part of it for me.
I bet TatsuOni or neko_kawaii could manage it. (Those two off the top of my head but I bet there are others, too.)

Now you are making me want to try - for some reason I thought this was one you couldn’t do long! I will bow down to your (or Neko’s or Tatsu’s) crown braid skills.

[GoddesJourney]

….But how? Where do you start?

I start as AmaryllisRed says with the headband area if I do a crown rope. This has all the hair not in the rope down and back as if I had it down and laid a rope crown on top of my head. If I do it with a Dutch braid, I do a middle part (saggital) and one that crosses perpendicular (coronal) at the back point of my head so that the four sections are relatively equal and the two parts cross in the middle of where the crown braid will be. I claw clip the three I'm not using and this helps me keep it even and not get tangled in hair.

I start with the back right one and braid toward the front, ending on the back left. This gives me the most balanced look as far as the thickness of the braid being more uniform across the front. The sections are fairly even and I find it surprisingly comfortable. The rope braid that I do where all the hair goes straight back is hard to weigh evenly for me and I'm likely to get a headache before long, even though it looks really nice and put together that way.

[mermaid lullaby]

For me,

BSL, I could do half-up hairstyles but I couldn't do braids because they would fall out. My hair was mostly down because I couldn't do anything.
At the waist, I can start braid hairstyles like a french braid, rope braid, or a regular braid and I can do a messy cinnamon bun if I hold it in with 8 medium claw clips. But I still cant do many hairstyles yet. My hair is on the thick end, of thick hair.

[Belgrade Beauty]

I was at bsl when I could do my first cinnabun.

[NaïaTheWitch]

Wavy its about mid back length
And straight almost waist length (one more inch to go)

[ipickee]

I can do higher simple buns now. I'm in between shoulder and APL. However, if I had at all trimmed my mullet I know I wouldn't be able to, so it was worth the few months of 80's look.
At about MBL, I should be able to do much better buns, and cute side braids, if my memory serves.