I'm a hair idiot

[Periwinkle]

I do have long hair: not long compared to most people round here, but long nevertheless =] It reaches my back bra strap.

My main problem, though, is that I don't know how to do anything with it.

I tie it in a ponytail every single day, day in day out. I know how to plait and fishtail braid but that's it...I'd love to learn to French braid but I dont' know how to start. I know how you do it, but what's the easiest way to learn? On yourself? On someone else? All on one or one on each side? High or low? I really have no idea.

I'd love to get hold of some hairsticks or something that I could try, but I don't really have that much money to spend on something I might not even use. Does anyone know where I can get rubbishy plastic ones just to try out before buying some nice ones?

Could you please give me some ideas?

Thanks! =]

[ChloeDharma]

I can very much relate.....

I basically just put my hair in a simple bun or braid. Sometimes i do a version of a peacock twist which is just twisting it up and putting a claw clamp over it then letting the length flop over.

Claires accessories is an ok place for quite cheap hairsticks and i sometimes use those.

But generally i'm quite boring hairdo wise.

[Curlsgirl]

The way I learned to French braid was to start with my hair in a halfup with a barrette in the back toward the top. Then I just took a section in the middle back (at first just the hair in the barrette part and a little underneath it and separated it into three parts and did it that way with a very thick braid and few weaves at first. When I got more comfortable with that I did more weaves and smaller sections and then took out the barrette finally when I was more comfortable with doing it the other way. That helped me a lot because there wasn't so much hair hanging down in the front to have to handle while I was learning. Also be sure to detangle very well before you start and if your hair is slippery, dampen it a bit. Also don't wear any jewelry when you do it. Go as slow as you need to at first and just concentrate on crossing the sections right. Practice is what it takes really. Just practice a bit every day and you'll get good. Don't expect it to look perfect for a while or even worthy to wear out LOL!

[MemSahib]

Find some good instructions for French braiding, for instance, and start using that as your nighttime hairdo to keep your hair back. It doesn't have to look perfect to go to bed in, LOL. After a while your hands will become more adept at knowing what you are doing and you will be able to wear it as daytime wear, too.

[Shorty89]

They have good suggestions. Check out the articles section here too :) Also, if you have a dollar store near you they sometimes have hairsticks. I know I've gotten a number there myself. They don't always carry them, but check every so often and you can find some nice ones

[Anje]

Here are some instructions on how to French braid your own hair. (http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/braids/self_french.htm) If you poke around the site a little you'll also find instructions of Dutch braids (aka inside-out french braids), which I found a little easier when I first learned.

There are lots of places where you can get cheap and not-cheap-but-inexpensive hairsticks to try out. I don't see a location for you, but at least here in the US, there are lots of Claire's and Icing stores (same company) which usually have a small collection of cheap plastic and metal sticks. I also want to recommend VK Designs (http://www.vkdesignsandfindings.com/), which has inexpensive metal hair sticks that are quite nice. (Occasionally, the tip is a little rough -- easily dealt with by sanding or with nail polish.) You can also get good results with cut-down and smoothed chopsticks like you'd find at Pier One, World Market, or any asian food store, and with double-pointed knitting needles, which can be bent in half to make a very nice small hair pin.

[lora410]

Hairsticks do take time and patience. You should have saw me the first day expecting them to magically stay :lol: claires or icing will have plastic stick to give a whirl. I just bought a nice metal pair and said I am using these, I will learn, and nothing will discourage me from doing so. now I can hold practically all my styles with 1 or 2 sticks.

[ladystar]

I got some cheap hair sticks at the dollar store. =)

[happylynngilmer]

I learned most of my hairstyles from my brother. No joke!

He is a fashion guru, and taught me how to braid my own hair (french and fishtail) he taught me to make buns and IIRC he also bought me my first hair sticks.

But even with his help I still couldn't do many styles until I joined LHC (in high school I wore a pony everyday!)

The Article section is continuing to grow with instructions, and there are a few threads too if you do a search. It takes practice but with such good instructions as our members provide it's easy to learn!

Good luck :}

[FB]

I have used pencils and even real chop sticks that you get when you go out to eat.

[Periwinkle]

Wow! I never expected such a helpful response! That'll really help me. Thanks!

I had a look in Claire's this afternoon (we have loads of them here) and couldn't find any hairstick-type things, but there's several other similar stores round here, so I'll take a look there.

I did manage to get a thingy to make French twists easier, which seems to be quite simple to use.

Thanks guys!