"Clubbed" hair

[Joette]

I'm a huge fan of sci-fi/fantasy books and I often run into references about men in these books who have long hair that they keep in a "club" at the nape of their neck. I've tried and tried to find something online about what that might be, but all I get is Hair Club for Men. Help! Does anyone know what a club is and how to do it?

[Madame J]

It's basically a folded ponytail, mostly worn by soldiers to keep hair out of the way. Here's a forum topic that I found that has pictures in the response: http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81832

ETA: I'm reading Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, so I'm encountering a lot of clubbed hair in my reading, too!

[Joette]

As popular a hair style as this is for men in fiction, it's damnably hard to find any pictures of it on real live people! My husband's hair is long enough that, unless it actually looks really girly, this might be a great style for him in addition to the queue, which I've done for him on occasion.

[Wanderer09]

I always thought it was just a tight bun at the nape of the neck.

Currently reading the Kushiel's Legacy series, and Joscelin's a character who's described as wearing his hair in a club much of the time. At least in the first book. ;)

[SHELIAANN1969]

I am now snickering at the *Hair Club for Men* reference, when you said *Clubbed Hair* I wondered if someone just took a bat/club to their hair and whipped it into a style, insted of using a comb/brush. :rollin:

I now know what clubbed hair is! ;)

[enfys]

Interesting! I've never come across this phrase before, talking about hair.

I don't think I read books set in the right era...mine are a bit too futuristic.

[Masara]

I suppose this is one of the advantages of having a father whose hobby is military uniforms. :) Thanks for the link, I'll send it on to him because he's always looking for details. Although I'm trying to work out how those this mitre hats kept their hair up.

[Madame J]

So I tried this yesterday for my kettlebell workout, and it's surprisingly stable and comfortable. I slept with my hair clubbed last night and it's stayed the neatest of any sleep hairstyle I've tried. I may try it for running today or tomorrow.

[Fiferstone]

My husband wears his hair clubbed when we reenact (18th century, british army). It holds like a rock, doesn't pull in odd places, and also keeps the hair on the nape of the neck from tangling too badly. To do it, I simply wrap the hair around my hand until I've wrapped all the the length (he has enough for 2 1/2 turns), I pull the "tail" in to the center of the loop, and then put an elastic around the loop, in the middle of the loop (it looks like a sideways "bow" when done). For reenacting, I cover the center of the club (with the hair elastic) with a black silk ribbon, just wrapped around to cover the elastic and then tied into a small bow. For just knocking about the house, I leave it as is.

I wear it myself sometimes. It's a great, non-girly style that's comfortable to wear and doesn't scream "spinster librarian" the way a bee-butt or other type of standard bun can.

[gmdiaz]

This is very interesting! I've seen these hairstyles in movies.

I love to see historical hairstyles and learn how to reproduce them. . .I like to wear men's long hairstyles myself.

[Wavelength]

I've just tried to club my husband's hair according to Fiferstone's directions and failed miserably. It kept sliding around when I tried to put the elastic on and wasn't stable at all. His hair is pretty long (nearly waist-length) so that's not the problem.

Not really sure what I'm doing wrong. Do you have to tie off the ponytail first before you fold it? Do you wrap over your hand or under? Do you twist it at all? What happens when you get to the nape -- fold it up once more or tie it off where it's hanging? :confused:

[Madame J]

I just got back from a 3-mile run and the club stayed in place the whole time. It did bounce a little but didn't wiggle its way out of the hair tie. I like that it's a looser style but still stays -- most hairstyles that I lose while running come out in the first <1 mi., so I'm pretty sure this will stay through longer runs. It's a happy thing to have a hair style that uses up length and stays through vigorous activity. It might also be good for yoga, since when I was stretching, I noticed the club stayed nestled in the curve of my neck and wasn't uncomfortable while lying down.

ETA: To make the style in my APL+ iii-thickness hair, I grab my hair in a low ponytail, fold the ends in and then fold it in again and tie in the middle. The cartoon picture I linked earlier shows how I do it.

[Fiferstone]

Hi Wavelength. I do mine both ways (in ponytail first, or no ponytail first at all). From what you describe it sounds like the elastic wasn't quite in the middle of the folded hair (?). You can also try putting it into the ponytail first, and then rolling it up from the bottom in a loop. Having it ponytailed first will add more stability. I've never hada problem doing it either way and I'm at hip-length. My husband's at waist length (coarse textured, wavy hair) :shrug:.

[Joette]

Thanks to everyone for the further explanations. I'm going to have to try this for sleep tonight, because I have trouble sleeping with speed bumps (buns)!

[RavennaNight]

When I saw the title I thought that someone's hair had a horrible experience at a club. Like maybe liquor got spilled all over the hair and it was sweaty from dancing or something. Or worse a drunk person at a club puked upon the hair. :rollin: The hairstyle sounds interesting and may be useful to wear at work.:)