I can't get this super easy hairstyle to work! Help?

[saskia_madding]

I've been trying to do this for ages and I just can't get it to work.

http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/instruct/hair-roll/

The instructions there aren't detailed enough I don't think. There must be a "trick" to it that I don't know, because whenever I add sections of hair, it ends up looking like I just grabbed the bottom in a ponytail and twisted that. Do you have to add the sections of hair at a specific angle or something?

I tried to search for it, but I'm not even sure if there is a specific name for the style. And searching for "hair roll" brings back a TON of threads and posts, aas you can imagine.

So ... does anyone have any tips? Any tutorials they know of or links to blogs, videos, or other instructions?

[Themyst]

I tried that (using the same instructions from that website) some time ago on my daughter and it didn't turn out right. I don't get it either, so I'm subscribing to this thread just in case someone else has the answer! :)

[teela1978]

When I get it to work right, its almost like french or lace braiding... but twisting instead (if that makes any sense). Getting the tension right is difficult too. Too tight and its just this weird flat thing, too loose and it doesn't look like much. You have to do pretty small additions and just keep going.

[danacc]

I second the "small additions" statement.

I found another set of instructions here: http://shaunellshair.blogspot.com/2009/08/2-side-twists-to-low-braided-pony-5-7.html and detail on how to start the twist here: http://shaunellshair.blogspot.com/2009/08/full-side-twist-3-to-4-min.html.

[Coriander]

:lol:

I have tried and failed to do that one.

[teela1978]

Also, when you add, you add it over the current roll if that makes any sense. So the new piece is wrapping around the larger hunk of hair.

[klcqtee]

It's like a french rope braid on either side of your head. I do this all the time to spice up my gibson tuck. It's not really very tough, once you understand how to do it.

[GlassEyes]

For me, that's sort of a 'layers fail' situation. You can't really do it with heavily layered hair without some industrial strength hairspray, or something.

I tried pulling something similar off for a half up and it made me look like a porcupine from the 1800s, and worse, a silly looking male porcupine from the eighteen hundreds. :D

[saskia_madding]

Wait - french rope braid? From the original link it looks like they are just adding sections of hair to the original piece. Granted, they add hair from under and wrap it over, but it still seems to be adding to one main strand.

Also, one link indicates that the strands you add in are from the crown on your head, along the hairline, but the other seems to indicate you take hair from the top of your head. Which one is it?

Thanks guys. I feel so lame for not being able to figure this out on my own. I'm a very visual person and was hoping I could find a youtube video to watch.

[Redheaded Raven]

Yeah it is much more of a french rope braid, my mom used to do it to my hair, but I don't know how to do it to my own. I have done it on others though, I just am uncoordinated at self french braids, much less self french rope braids. :p:rolleyes:

[above_rubies]

OK, I looked this up in my hairstyle book. I discovered something when trying to do it on mine. When you are adding the new section of hair don't lay it up over the first section and then twist. Just add it alongside of it and then twist does that make sense? Let me know if that works. You will be holding the first section in your left hand then you will bring the next section up just until it meets the next section, then twist up. There is a similar style in the book that looks pretty. I'll come back with directions for that.

ETA: The book says "If your hair is very fine you can pin the roll in a few places to hold it secure." So maybe it doesn't hold as well in fine hair.

[above_rubies]

In my book this is called the Reverse Roll. It looks sort of like a french rope but it is easier.

1. Begin by dividing your hair into two sections just as you did with the basic roll. Center part from forehead to nape.

2. Pick up a small section of hair from just in front of your right ear. Give this section of hair several downward twists. Hold this twist in your left hand.

3. Pick up another small section of hair, twist it down a few times, and cross it over the first twist. Drop the first twist so you can hold the new one in your left hand.

4. Now pick up the twisted strand that you just dropped along with the next section of hair to be added.

5. Twist this now-slightly-bigger section of hair down as you cross it up over the twist held in your left hand.

6. Hold the new twist in your left hand, letting the other one hang free.

7. Repeat steps 4-6 until all the hair on your right side has been gathered and twisted.

8. Clip the twist up on the right side of your head to keep it out of your way while you repeat these steps on your left side. Remember to twist the hair down.

9. Unclip the right side and gather the two sides together, securing them in a ponytail with an elastic band or a barrette.

This may give you the look you want and hold better in your fine hair.

ETA: OK, I just tried this style while still sitting in my recliner. My hair was uncombed, damp, and unparted. It obviously needs some tweaking, like combing and parting so that the right side won't be bigger than the left. :) But I like it.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4072&pictureid=55346 http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=4072&pictureid=55347

[teela1978]

hmmm... I've never done it like a rope braid. Just sorta added pieces to the main twist as I went. Similar idea, taking pieces of hair from the hairline and adding to the larger piece of hair, but mine looks more like this (old picture, this is done on layered hair slightly past shoulder)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e117/lchamber78/4-25-06sidetwistandbun-back.jpghttp://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e117/lchamber78/4-25-06sidetwistandbun-back2.jpg

[Ven]

Wow, that is so pretty! Thank you for sharing all the instrucitons everyone. I am gonna practice this one!

~Ven

[above_rubies]

hmmm... I've never done it like a rope braid. Just sorta added pieces to the main twist as I went. Similar idea, taking pieces of hair from the hairline and adding to the larger piece of hair, but mine looks more like this (old picture, this is done on layered hair slightly past shoulder)


That's very pretty teela! :) The instructions that I gave above were for a different hairstyle for the OP in case she wanted another option. I did give her a tip on the hairstyle she had the question about in my first post. Sorry for the confusion. :hmm:

[bushytailed]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=80 it's similar to this.

[teela1978]

That's very pretty teela! :) The instructions that I gave above were for a different hairstyle for the OP in case she wanted another option. I did give her a tip on the hairstyle she had the question about in my first post. Sorry for the confusion. :hmm:
ahh, gotcha :)

[saskia_madding]

Thanks for the tips and suggestions everyone. I'll be trying this out again tomorrow for school and work and I'll let you know how it goes. :)

[mimi1153]

I wanna join the "I can't get it to work group". I have tried, and tried, and tried. I fianlly gave up and just did a "stitch" and clipped it with a mini-clip and then did another and clipped it, and so forth. This has encouraged me to keep trying. I WILL get it!~ :mad:

[saskia_madding]

Holy epic failure, Batman! I tried it this morning but I ended up twisting the hair strands the wrong way around each other. It still looked fine-ish, so I clipped it and left it while I tried to do the lower half of Yvaine's hairstyle.

Epic fail there! And when I tried to redo it several times, the rolls just got looser and disappeared into my hair. UGH!

I tried a new product today and it made my hair gross and tacky while it was still wet, so next time I will try this on damp hair with different product. But it worked at first ... kind of. I have been inspired to keep trying!

[teela1978]

Twist away from your face, twist tight, use more hair... that's all I've got... could help though :)

[saskia_madding]

Okay, still an epic fail on this, but I'll keep trying.

Another easy hair thing to do that I can't manage is a tucked braid. How do you tuck the braid under? Doesn't it get bulky and itchy? I can't figure out a comfortable way to do this.

Thanks!

[Redheaded Raven]

I am sorry for your "epic failure" but I do understand. For me it is the exhausted arms that makes it a failure for me. I just run out of umph before I run out of hair.... :rolleyes: :D

[forgetmenotak]

I too have had trouble with this hairstyle- it's so frustrating. I was looking around on youtube, and I'm thinking that I found something. This looks like the hair roll.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOlmRc5Uk68