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RancheroTheBee
November 5th, 2009, 11:33 AM
I used to think that chin to shoulder was terrible awkward. And it is! I couldn't put it up, it would flip about all over the place, but I still got to deal with tangles and dryness. Now my hair is brushing shoulder, and I find I feel exactly the same. It flips about, I can't really do any cool styles, and I still think it looks stupid down (even though now I have to deal with the threat of my hair getting stuck under/rubbing against my collar).

It frustrates me because I don't want to cut or trim it, but as Tom Petty put it, the waiting is the hardest part.

For those of you that started really short, when did you hair stop feeling awkward and hard to deal with? Do you have any tips for weathering the stage between shoulder and... not shoulder?

Shermie Girl
November 5th, 2009, 11:42 AM
Ugh! I recently went through that stage, myself. It was the pits and I thought my hair would never get past it! But it did. I am now nicely below shoulder headed rapidly for APL and can do a cinnabun. :D

Patience, headbands and high ponytails (I found that high ponytails looked fuller and longer on me than low ponys) got me through. Once my hair was long enough to pull into a high pony, it lived that way for many moons. Those little snap clippies are fabulous for clipping up the hair in the back that doesn't gather into your ponytail.

Hang in there. I know how awful the wait can be. And I know how tempting it is to just say, "Scr*w it!" and grab the scissors. But, one day, suddenly, you will discover to your immense delight that you are past that awkward stage and well on your way to long hair. :D :D

Yozhik
November 5th, 2009, 12:37 PM
Headbands :)
I had both the nice fabric-covered, more rigid kind and the elastic work-out ones.
My hair went through this phase about half a year ago, and the strange thing was I didn't realize how awkward it looked until I went back and saw pictures . . .
I also recommend the high pony. I had hair falling out all over the place, but at least it was (mostly) out of my way!
Good luck.

KajiKodomo
November 5th, 2009, 12:49 PM
When I was at that stage before (I've gone through it many times, haha), I either did double french braids, or a french banded ponytail thingy (basically pull 1/3 of your hair back from the top with a hairband, then pull the next third out, and band it together with the top third, then pull the rest of it into a ponytail at the nape of your neck, and band it all together).

Low pigtails also work. :D

ETA: I'm actually almost at that stage now, haha.

RancheroTheBee
November 5th, 2009, 01:09 PM
Headbands :)


:laugh: I'm actually in the process of unloading all my bands in some way; they just look bad on me. The high pony does, too, actually. Instead of laying flat, my hair tends to get really... uh, 3-D on me whenever I put it up higher than the middle of my head.

I think I'm just stuck with ponies and twists now. Which is better than 3-4 months ago, where I was stuck with just half-ponies. All I need to do is not trim until like, February or March and then maybe I can graduate to buns or something.

MemSahib
November 5th, 2009, 01:40 PM
For short hair to get on longer it just has to go through this. I'm sorry but nearly every one of us here at LHC did it, too. I got by with half-ups a lot, although it's not my best look. I would also curl the ends then do a high pony so that the ends turned back under like a smooth ball. Usually those were then pinned down. I guess it has a bit of a retro 60s look. ???

RancheroTheBee
November 5th, 2009, 01:47 PM
The retro look might work.

Also, I can do the tinest of braids. :D Mostly it just makes me feel better knowing other people have gotten through this stage as well.

Katurday
November 5th, 2009, 01:54 PM
I coped with bobby pins, half ups, ponytails when I could manage them...Basically pull it up, out of your way, and stop thinking about it.

Just now, past my shoulder, I'm past that stage. I'm still patiently waiting for my bangs to catch up. Ugh.Frustrating.

But yeah. Big load off of my shoulders.

lapushka
November 5th, 2009, 01:56 PM
For me the awkward stage stopped at about APL. I'm between APL & BSL right now.

jojo
November 5th, 2009, 05:04 PM
My hair stopped being difficult at BSL, now I am not far off waist and the awkwardness is back again!

heatherdazy
November 5th, 2009, 05:07 PM
Any length can look cute if you're willing to have your cut shaped a little (or be awkward with the wrong layering/style).

RocketDog
November 5th, 2009, 05:11 PM
I felt that my hair was 'awkward' until it was a good few inches past shoulder - shorter than that and it clumped up at the back of my neck in funny ways due to my hair's texture. I got through it by wearing my hair up and focusing on making sure the dinky length I did have was in good shape (gave me something to fret over instead of the length, which was helpful since I'm the kind of personality that obsesses over every little thing)

Once I was skimming APL I started noticing that my hair was hanging better, the curls were starting to clump in a pleasing way (instead of making little almost-dreadlocks) and wearing it down is FUN now at longish APL!

maskedrose
November 5th, 2009, 05:13 PM
APL was when things stopped being awkward. I can't remember exactly what I did with it before then...it was awhile ago. I think I just did a lot of pony tails and messy buns. Good luck!

Yarn Muse
November 5th, 2009, 06:40 PM
I don't have any advice--I'm new--but I sympathize! I'm brand new here and have shoulder length hair. I can French braid it (except for my bangs) but it starts falling out by the end of the day. I think I will try the high pony tails and half-ups for a while.

Hang in there and be patient! You are not alone.

Roseate
November 5th, 2009, 07:11 PM
I liked a tucked-under French braid a lot at that length; it collected all the wispies well and felt like a real updo, not just something I was cobbling together. I have an album called "collarbone-length updos" that I made at the time, if you want to see.

clairenewcastle
November 5th, 2009, 07:49 PM
:flower:I'm at the state you're at now so I understand exactly what you mean. :flower: The frustration of waiting to get enough hair to do something with is driving me mad. :(:uhh: Reading this thread has given me a few ideas about what to do with it however.

Wind
November 5th, 2009, 08:15 PM
I just went from chin to shoulder, so I totally commiserate. French braiding was a lifesaver, putting it up damp helps hold it all together, and just tuck that little tail under. Peacock twists, held either with bobby pins or a small clip works great too. I also did a low sort of faux sock bun pouf thingy. That sounds clear as mud lol. :p It looks like a sock bun, but with no sock, so it's just a pouf held with bobby pins. I don't know if that makes sense, but I can post a picture. It holds amazingly!

ZenBird07
November 5th, 2009, 08:33 PM
The retro look might work.

Also, I can do the tinest of braids. :D Mostly it just makes me feel better knowing other people have gotten through this stage as well.

Bandannas(SP?)...seriously. Take the part you tie and put it under your hair and tuck sides behind your ears with the rest of your hair. Almost like a babushka but not as long and concealing. It still shows hair and keeps it out of your face...:)

Bene
November 5th, 2009, 09:29 PM
I've been there several times :( It didn't start being non-awkward until it started brushing my shoulders.

I resorted to blow drying it straight until it was long enough to put in a ponytail. Because of my texture, sometimes I'd just blow out the front so it wasn't frizzy, then tuck behind my ears, and let the back get curly. It didn't look too bad.

MadHatter
November 5th, 2009, 09:52 PM
My hair feels awkward to me, and I'm at hip. It just seems to want to twist together (not because it's damaged, though) fall into whatever I'm doing if I incline my head. It's a real PITA to wear my hair down because of the twisting.
I know this post doesn't help you OP, but I thought it was worth it to say that even long hair is awkward.

RancheroTheBee
November 5th, 2009, 11:23 PM
Any length can look cute if you're willing to have your cut shaped a little (or be awkward with the wrong layering/style).

:laugh: I just did get it cut, actually. But I was so excited about getting it cut that I neglected to mention to the stylist that I have naturally curly hair, so he gave me layers meant for straight hair. I think the only thing I can do is wait, simply because I think what my texture requires is weight. Before I had it cut, it was laying down very nicely, so in another few months, it should have the weight back. :p I just have to deal with looking stupid for a bit.

MadHatter: It gets awkward again? Awwwww. Oh, well. I just hope that hip-awkward will be more fun than shoulder-awkward.

RancheroTheBee
November 5th, 2009, 11:41 PM
I just went from chin to shoulder, so I totally commiserate. French braiding was a lifesaver, putting it up damp helps hold it all together, and just tuck that little tail under. Peacock twists, held either with bobby pins or a small clip works great too. I also did a low sort of faux sock bun pouf thingy. That sounds clear as mud lol. :p It looks like a sock bun, but with no sock, so it's just a pouf held with bobby pins. I don't know if that makes sense, but I can post a picture. It holds amazingly!

I tried it. Here it is!

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/emagdalene/23.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/emagdalene/24.jpg

:laugh: Of course, from the side you can see my bun is pathetically empty. But I think I can perfect this eventually.

jojo
November 7th, 2009, 06:29 PM
Thats a fat bun, looks as fat as my buns and my hair is nearly waist!

viking_quest
November 7th, 2009, 06:36 PM
I knew how to do french and dutch braids by that length and I lived in braided styles until I could finally bun my hair. My hair also tamed itself by the time I got to collarbone.

shadowclaw
November 7th, 2009, 07:11 PM
During the summer between 7th and 8th grade, I cut my hair just below my ears. Which was really dumb. I also decided to grow out my bangs. So I had two awkward things going on. Hair clips were my best friend for dealing with my lengthening bangs, and bandanas helped keep everything out of my face. At that length, the most the could be done were half-up pony tails and pig tails.

My hair stopped being awkward for me as soon as I could get it into a pony tail. That was all I wanted to do... get it out of my face without using clips or a bandana. Had I known how to do a french twist, that would have also been a good option, which I suggest to you. It should work on your hair :) So would a Gibson tuck and probably a flip-through.

I have no idea how to french braid, but I used to do a cheater one. I got three scrunchies and sectioned my hair into three sections from the top of my head down. The top section I put into a pony tail, and then I gathered it into the next section below. I then put that section into a pony tail, and repeated with the bottom. It created the illusion of a french braid with the different sections and it looked cool.

clairenewcastle
November 7th, 2009, 07:26 PM
I tried it. Here it is!

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/emagdalene/23.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/emagdalene/24.jpg

:laugh: Of course, from the side you can see my bun is pathetically empty. But I think I can perfect this eventually.

I think you're well on the way to perfecting it already....thanks for posting this for my hair is at a very awkward stage so to see this gives me hope. :cheese:

shadowclaw
November 7th, 2009, 08:25 PM
Oh, and I also agree with Jojo. Your bun is fat indeed!

Wind
November 8th, 2009, 08:20 AM
I tried it. Here it is!

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/emagdalene/23.jpgYes! This is totally it, you are awesome. I am still doing this at just past shoulder length. And it is just as big as my waist length buns were. :D

marikamt
November 8th, 2009, 10:03 AM
For me the awkward stage stopped at about APL. I'm between APL & BSL right now.

Me too.... I think just past shoulder it became bearable, and I really liked it from there until BSL.... I think I survived w/ pony's, half-ups and hot-rollers/ curling iron (obviously, that was pre-LHC)...... I did make the mistake of having layers cut in at this stage too, which I loved at the time but regret now...... oh well.

RancheroTheBee
November 8th, 2009, 11:55 AM
:D Thank you, everyone. My hair is very 3-D, so it makes many buns look quite thick.

By the way, here's some other shoulder-length success updos, in case anyone needs inspiration/some ideas.

This here is a real bun; just the twisting at the base and pinning. No socks were used in the process! I even called my mom about it. :p She asked if I did the 'bun-dance', referring to the success of getting one's hair into a bun, finally. I did dance, by the way.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/emagdalene/hair014.jpg

This is two braided pigtails that have been pinned up with a flower clip. It's fancy, and very stable.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/emagdalene/hair015.jpg

marikamt
November 8th, 2009, 12:00 PM
:laugh: I just did get it cut, actually. But I was so excited about getting it cut that I neglected to mention to the stylist that I have naturally curly hair, so he gave me layers meant for straight hair. I think the only thing I can do is wait, simply because I think what my texture requires is weight. Before I had it cut, it was laying down very nicely, so in another few months, it should have the weight back. :p I just have to deal with looking stupid for a bit.

MadHatter: It gets awkward again? Awwwww. Oh, well. I just hope that hip-awkward will be more fun than shoulder-awkward.


It DOES get awkward again... but one thing I am noticing on my journey past BSL, is that the awkward stages go by WAY faster.....

Great looking bun, btw!

RancheroTheBee
November 8th, 2009, 12:03 PM
It DOES get awkward again... but one thing I am noticing on my journey past BSL, is that the awkward stages go by WAY faster.....

Great looking bun, btw!

Thank you! :)