Messy or neat, high or low

[Pixna]

Hello, everyone. This is Pixna's monthly Bun Report installment thread.

This month, I'd like to hear your views and preferences on the following bun-related topics:

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

Many thanks! Remember, links, pics, instructions, and other helpful info are always welcome and appreciated! :flower:

[Kerynna]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
Neat. I like them very round, but not too tight. A few wispys here or there is okay.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
It depends what hairtoy I want to wear (usually determined by my clothing choice). If I want to wear a single stick: lazywrap bun. If I want to wear a fork: nautlius bun. If I want to wear a metal fork with several tines: cinnabun. If I want a comfy bun that I can wear with almost any hairtoy: celtic knot bun. Yeah, I'm complicated like that. :D

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Usually low, but if it's really hot out, then higher is better.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
See above.

[Sarahmoon]

Sorry I can't really give short answers to any of the questions.

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I think both look nice. I have trouble doing the standard messy bun with my hair length (let alone I don't understand how people don't end up with a tangled mess that way) so I wear neat buns most of the time, but I think I might have figured out a way to get a messier than normal bun.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
My neat buns are usually the rope braid bun which I think holds extremely well, and the celtic knot which holds pretty well too. But the rope braid bun is my favourite if I really don't want to risk hair falling out. It stays good the entire day.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I like medium or high, but I'm not sure if I can pull off high myself. Having lived my entire life with loose hair and low ponytails, I still have trouble wearing a medium or high bun the entire day anyway. So I often end up with a lower bun. When it's very cold outside it has to be a low bun, otherwise I can't wear a hat.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
I use two hair sticks for the celtic knot and a clip for all other buns. I try pins every once in a while, but it only holds if I'm not moving around much.

[naereid]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
Well, both can look awesome, but currently I prefer buns on the neater side.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
Still a newbie, so my favourites are the cinnamon (hair pins) and the lazy bun (fork). Quick and easy.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I do them low. I think it's because I read that high ponytails were a no-no, so I included buns in that definition, too...

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
Hair pins and forks are my favourite.
Ever since I bought my first forks last week, I haven't even touched my sticks. I never knew how amazing forks are! They hold like a rock. :inlove:
Hair pins are for when I need a secure bun, when I don't feel like having things sticking out of my head, and for buns that I can't secure with sticks/forks.

[Svenja]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I like them neat, but usually they turn out a bit messy due to my layers.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
I create neat bun by using as many pins as possible on order to get all the little strains tucked into the style. My hair must weigh a tone. Usually my buns become neater when my hair is not freshly washed.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
High, as they tend to disturb by head movement when they are too far down.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
As I said loads of pins :) - I secure buns mostly with a stick and mini claws... and yeah, did I mention the tons of pins? :D

[Loreley]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I prefer messy buns.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do?
I usually wear a bit messy cinnamon bun.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Low only. High buns cause headaches and burning scalp for me.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
Almost always with a stick.

[Amelia]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I like them both. What i do depends on my mood.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
Because my hair is at APL i can still do a messy bun without it hurting that much. I use a elastic band (without metal piece), start doing a pony tail and then in the next turn i don't pull all my hair through. I really couldn't be easier.

For more neat buns I've come to the conclusion that my hair (that has the strength of a bufalo) will look better if braided.
I like to bo a chinese braided bun with rope braids And lately i've been doing this one-->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BggWgh0Rd8Q&feature=related

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I would say in the middle of the back of my head. Very high I look like a lunatic, and too low gets on my nerves. i hate to have hair up that ends up on my neck. The whole point of putting the hair up is that it stays out of my neck :P

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

For the messy ones i used an elastic, for the others pins with sticks or pins with a fork. I use pins for two reasons: 1- my hair is very strong, and will come out of a bun if i don't put them. 2- my hair isn't long enough for a second turn in the bun, and i feel more secure if i add the pins.

[anna francesca]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I prefer neat buns, or neat ones where the hair can 'swoosh' like in a pony tail

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do?
I usually wear a nautilus secured by jaw clips which holds well, or a cinamon secured by hairsticks, Ive been using pins latley but they scratch and hurt my scalp :(

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I really like high buns although they have to be super neat, I also like a medium cinna or nautilus. Low ones dont tend to stay put.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
As said, mostly with sticks, combs and jaw clips. I alternate depending on my mood.

[growing2shine]

Well right now i'm in a bit akward stage were i'm trying to figure out what works for me and what doesen't. But I'll try to answer the best I can.

Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I deffenately prefer nice neat buns. And right now i'm trying out all sorts of buns.

To achieve your neat or messy bun, which style do you usually do?
Right now I mostly wear the more simpler buns like cinnabun or french or dutch braid and then bun it. But I like trying new things that I can't think of right now.

Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Mostly I bun like in the middle of the back of my head. When I do a more fancy bun I like it to be a little lower but not annoyingly low.

How do you secure your bun?
Right now I really like using three black plastic claws, and also I've just bought three different very beautiful hair pins. I don't have that much hairtoy YET! :D

[JenniferNoel]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I like messy buns. Depends on my outfit though, I always bun according to what I'm wearing.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
For neat buns, I like sock buns, they're so easy to do at my length, and so easy to super size. As for the messy buns, I make a loose, high pony, and pin the curly remainder up in random places giving it a messy, punky look.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Medium. Not super high, not super low. I have a weird shaped head so I have to get it just right.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
Hair sticks and for the sock buns, pony tail ties and socks. :p

[Peggy E.]

I'm having trouble getting this posted - keeps telling me it's "too short??!!!" So, see if this will make it "long" enough!


Hello, everyone. This is Pixna's monthly Bun Report installment thread.

This month, I'd like to hear your views and preferences on the following bun-related topics:

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

Yes. Depends on my mood and when it is I'm getting ready to do a bun. Usually it's at the end of the day and I do a really quick messy thing more to get the hair out of my way, if nothing else.


2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

If it's going to be a neat bun, I go with the Infinity, Karen's (most often) or use a rat to wrap the hair around and then pin.

For a messy bun, I simply twist and stick something through it to hold it semi- in place.


3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

I like to wear them a little lower, with the exception of the "flipped" bun, which lands up near the top.


4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

Again, it depends on the bun style. The "neat" buns get secured with pins and then one of the combs from my collection get stuck in for decorative purposes.

For "messy" buns, I either twist them around a prong (Quattro's are perfect!) then anchor them, or twist the hair and flatten it against my head, stick a stick, prong, ficcare (works great for this sort of thing for me....), etc. in just to keep it up. The messy ones are usually a bit more loosely set.

Many thanks! Remember, links, pics, instructions, and other helpful info are always welcome and appreciated! :flower:

[Night_Kitten]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I prefer my buns neat - messy buns just don't look as good on me

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
My absolutely favorite and most worn is the lazy wrap, though once in a blue moon I do a cinnabun or a braided bun...

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Usually I wear mine at the middle of the back of the head (about ear level), though sometimes I wear it low on the nape - depends on my mood and the look I want

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
The lasy wrap I always secure with a single stick, for other buns I use sticks or U shaped pins, depends on the bun (cinnabuns usually with U pins and braided buns with sticks)

[ravenreed]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I prefer neat buns, but with wispies and not so smooth up front, if that makes sense.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
I do a variety of buns, but the one I use the most is the nautilus.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
The only way I can do comfortable high buns is to do two. Otherwise, my single buns are mid to low.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
All of the above. I try to vary what I am using in my hair to keep from getting bored with it.

[spidermom]

I like messy buns better. I'm just not the all buttoned-up, every hair in place type. As for placement - whatever is comfortable that particular hour. Sometimes I re-do my hair about every hour because it keeps sagging, twisting, and pulling. I like forks and sticks. My favorite buns are those that don't require twisting.

If you want more information about the buns I do and how I do them, click on my username, go to my profile page, and view the album "spidermom tames the web."

[AgnesONutter]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
Neat buns, slowly loosening up but not quite having managed to become messy.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
For a really neat, controlled bun I do a figure eight or possibly a braided cinnabun. My favourite is the lazy wrap, however, or a nautilus bun but they are more inbetween neat and messy.


3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Medium. Not too high, since I have quite a lot of shorter neck hairs that escape if I do wear it too high. But not too low, either, because I always wear scarves and want the bun above the scarf edge.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
Usually I reach for my fork, since it is quick, goes with any style and holds well. Though, I love my ficcare too and my stick sees a good deal of use. It simply depends on my mood, what clothes I'm wearing, style of bun etc.

[restourceful]

Hi Pixna! :waving:

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I prefer neater buns, but my layers pretty much prevent that.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
My go-to bun is a cinnabun, but when my hair will perform, I like a gibraltar bun or a figure-8. I also occasionally wear french braids, folded or tucked, if I want something a little different than a bun.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I prefer mid to high since it incorporates my layers better and I think I look better with a higher bun.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
9 times out of 10 with a single stick, the 10th time a fork or a pair of ketylos. Amish pins when I braid fold or tuck or if there is a wonky stray from a bun that just will not cooperate. Rarely, I will use 2 or 3 Good Days pins if I want to bun with no stick (for under a scarf and hat, for instance) and it would take way more Amish pins to accomplish the same thing. Maybe I'm not using them correctly since most people prefer Amish pins to Good Days pins. I admit I have trouble pinching the tips together because of hand issues.

[jennifermarie12]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I like neat buns. I haven't figured out how to make a messy bun that didn't look ridiculous.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
For the neat buns, I either do a basic cinnabun, or I put my hair in a ponytail holder, divide it into 2, twist one half and pin around the bun and then do the same with the other section. I hope that made sense.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I tend to wear medium buns, or low buns. If I need to wear a hat because of the weather, I have to wear a low bun. High buns don't look right on me, I can never get the hair on the back of my head to smooth enough to make it look good. Lower buns hide that.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
I use Conair Velvet Touch hair pins for the big part of the bun, and use normal bobby pins for any little wispies that are bugging me. Sometimes I use a big claw clip. I really want to try hairsticks, I just haven't been able to find any in stores around here, and most of the ones I've seen on the net are expensive.

[Siava]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns? Neat.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!) I just twist, wrap, and secure. Nothing fancy.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head? High.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)? Jaw clip or scrunchie.

[Alcenaia]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I prefer neat buns, but I'd venture into messy territory if I could figure out how to do them without them being not secure.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
All styles are welcome! Today is lazy wrap. Tomorrow, who knows!

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
High! It seems more youthful.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
Usually with a stick, although I sometimes use my Ficcare or bobby pins.

[inertia]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I prefer messy buns with volume.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
This is basically what I've been doing lately:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCqFMUjNwyM
binosusume has a lot of tutorials for hairstyles that are fashionable in Japan. This particular type of big bun is so popular here that you can buy ready-made hairpieces to fake it.
http://www.prisila.jp/item/701.html

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
High.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
I use these big curved bobby pins from Kai
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/kai/000hc0375/
They're extra long and thick, and the curved shape is comfortable. These are the best pins for updos I've found here so far.
Then I might put on a fancy clip for decoration. Maybe just a pair of big earrings when I'm in a hurry.

[Ash]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
Only neat. If the hair on top of my head is mot completely smooth, I look awful and feel awful.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do?
I twist my hair and wrap it either into a spiral or around itself at the base.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I can only do low styles since my hair and ears are oddly shaped and I look like an idiot with my ears exposed.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
My buns hardly ever stay in. I usually wrap my hair tie around them or attempt to use a hairstick but if I had to be active and in public I would have to use a lot of pins as well.

[Masara]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
In theory, I like both. In practise, I can't actually manage a messy bun that doesn't fall apart or look like I've been pulled though a hedge backwards. I need my buns to stay in all day, so I do neat ones.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
I do a lot of braided buns; bunned French braids, rope braid buns... I've recently managed the cinnabun so I've been doing them quite a bit recently

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I prefer it on the higher side, without it being actually on the top of my head. I love the look of nape buns but they make my head feel heavy.


4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
It depends on the bun, on what I'm doing and what I'm wearing. I don't have any claws but otherwise, I vary from stick to fork to Amish pin to Ficcare.

[Arctic_Mama]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns? I prefer neat buns.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!) My defaults are a kind-of lazy wrap bun and a kind-of nautilus. Both lay nicely without a lot of twisting.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head? I generally prefer them mid-height or higher, aesthetically, but sometimes a lower bun is more comfortable.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)? I use sticks almost exclusively these days.

[Lielananna]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
It depends...when I'm going out and about, I like my buns to be neat, but if its just around the house, I usually just toss it any which way, but then I usually am having to redo my messy buns a lot during the day.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
My messy around the house buns are cinnabuns or bees butts, though I do do a modified celtic knot (pulling the length through towards the right instead of the left and putting a stick through that hole out the other side) when I'm wanting it to stay a longer period of time. When I want a neat bun its been a cinnabun lately.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
My messy buns are generally between medium and low. My neat buns I have to put kinda high (not at the actual top of my head, but at the top of the back) so that they'll fit on top of my car's headrest, otherwise my neck is at a weird angle while I'm trying to drive.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
I use sticks most of the time, though I'll use amish pins on the cinnabuns that I want really neat and it stay for a good long while.

[Tangerine]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

I am such a changeable person, it really depends on my mood. But since 'neat' buns tend to end up looking a bit messy on me anyway, I'll vote messy.
But if I were to define it myself, I think I would have gone for 'soft' instead.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

The styles I wear mostly, in terms of buns, are Nautilus, Lazy Wrap, and Split.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

I try and avoid smack bang in the middle of my head and go a little above that. I do like the look of higher buns than I usually wear, but they get heavy after a while.
Low buns can be visually nice, but I find they give me an itchy nape.

ETA: Funny. I looked at a few piccies and also made a new one of today's updo, and I realised that what I think is higher up my head is actually not the case at all. Most my day to day buns are actually lower than I think!

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

Either one or two ketylo sticks, or my Baerreis Nautilus fork. Sometimes I use Ravenslair decorated amish pins in a Cinnabun or Infinity (see siggy). Occasionally I'll use a Ficcare - but I tend to use those more for twisted updos.
For dressy hair I like to use my pearl Flexi in a Nautilus bun.

[GlassEyes]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

Both. Depends on what I'm going for that day. My favorite go-to stylle for second day hair is a messy sock bun without the excess wrapped.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

See the above. Sock bun, loose curls.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Higher, typically. I like low buns, but I have some breakage from low bunning I'm trying to grow out.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

A fork, typically, if I'm not doing a sock bun. Sticks work well too, as do pins. I use whatever. XD

[Liss]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

I love them both but it depends on the situation because messy buns look gorgeous in a casual atmosphere, but a neat bun is more appropriate for a work interview, for example.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

As much as I love messy buns, I can never do them. My hair type seems to only ever manage neat buns, so I'm left to admire other's messy buns. The closest I can get to a messy bun is by not slicking the little hairline whispies back. I think I'm the only one who ever notices that on my hair though.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

Out of pure routine, I just place it straight back about in line with my ears, so it's not high or low.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

Most of the time with a claw clip. I have a round shaped one that fits my bun into it completely so I don't have to think about it at all throughout the day. I will use forks and sticks if I'm going out for lunch or dinner, but if I'm just staying at home or running out for groceries, it will be held up with a claw.

[emmabovary]

Fun thread, Pixna! :)

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

Well, I like them both, but I am insanely jealous of everyone who manages to achieve super cool messy buns with what seems like no effort. I don't know, I just think lighter and straighter hair looks better messy. Even if I managed a messy bun it would just look like a dark curly clump. Anyway... I have layers so it's never really neat either. So I guess I'm on the fence.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

If I try to do a messy bun I will do some kind of half pulled through ponytail. I'm a bun newbie so I only know the cinnabun and chignon so far..

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

Depends on the occasion and the weather. Most days it goes somewhere in the middle.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

Depends on what style and how much hold I need. If I'm working it absolutely must not fall out so I often use one of those big clips/Faccares.

[FrannyG]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

I like neat buns for certain occasions, and messy buns for others. However, my buns usually end up looking fairly neat even when they're messy. It's a hairtype thing, I guess.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

For a messy bun, I usually do a hairstick wrap. I like how the ends stick out a bit. For neat buns, I like infinity buns, cinnamon buns and figure 8s. There are tutorials for all of these buns here at LHC, many of them in the archives.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

I wear my buns high, medium and low, depending on the style. I wear a figure 8 fairly high, a hairstick wrap in the middle and an infinity bun low.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

Sometimes I use a Ficcare or a hair fork, but 8 times out of 10, I use a single hair stick. I almost never use bobby pins unless I am including accent braids to an updo.

[tyrant1100]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

It depends on the style, but since my hair is very straight, neat buns look better on me.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

For messy, the nautilus and wrapped stick bun. My neat buns usually consist of the infinity, figure-8, and hypno-bun. I also wear the lazy wrap a lot for a neat style, but I'm not sure it counts as a bun.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

Medium and High only. My hair irritates the nape of my neck if it's styled to just rest there. I try to alternate between medium and high as much as possible so I don't stress out my scalp and risk getting bald spots.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

At work, I use claws since they don't need any adjusting once they're in. Everywhere else, usually sticks since I have more of them than anything else. I'd wear forks more often if I had more to wear.

[anrems]

I'm kind of a noob, but this seemed like fun so I hope you don't mind if I add in my answers!

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
Messy looking, but neatly created, if that makes sense? I like volume in my buns, but I don't like to just randomly shove my hair all over the place to create the look. I use a structured style to create the appearance of mess!

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

For a messier bun, my favorite is the sock bun, where the hair is rolled into the sock. I also like to do a chopstick bun, but that's a little neater in appearance (except when my layers misbehave!).

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I prefer to put it more in the middle, but I find that the extremes, either really low or really high buns are more comfortable. They don't tug as much :)

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
I use hair sticks a lot! Sometimes I use a giant claw clip if I'm lazy and want a super messy look.

[Chamomile betty]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I like both. It really depends on my mood.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)
I secure my hair in a safe elastic then form a bun.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
Low

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
Ficcare, Hairstick, and sometimes claw clips.

[otherarrow]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I love the look of messy buns but alas my hair will only alow for neat looking ones

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do?
I usually make a ponytail with my fingers and bend it so it forms a hole in the middle then I secure it.

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
High. As close to the top of my head as I can come.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
Usually clips and an elastic.

[sibiryachka]

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?
I aim for neat, but frequently end up with messy thanks to all my different lengths. I want to learn how to make buns that are messy on purpose, but also secure, because I think a bun that starts out messy looks better than a bun that becomes messy.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do?
Before finding LHC, cinnamon bun was the only one I knew how to do, and it's still the one I go to most often simply because I can do it without thinking. I can now also make a decent nautilus and lazy wrap. I learned how to do the Infinity bun too, but it doesn't look good yet; I have too much taper. It's like the clothes that hang in my closet, waiting for me to be able to fit them. I have no intention of stopping with these few!

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?
I like them low - right at the base of the skull, like a ballerina's chignon - even though "Jane Eyre" is not necessarily the most flattering look for me ;). Cinnamon is the only bun I can get to really stay there so far, though. I also like it at mid-head, for less severity; my perimeter wisps slip out more from that height. Nautilus and lazy wrap buns work fairly reliably at mid-head, and much more so up high, but I don't much like the look of a high bun - that's where I cross over into tight-bunned mean lady territory. I'm not even going to take an infinity out in public until I have enough hair to make it work at mid-head, because I don't like the way it looks up high at all.

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?
I've relied on Good Hair Days pins forever - I think of them as "spider pins" because they remind me of the little jumping spiders we have around here :p - for my cinnabuns. They're still the only thing I can make work when I wear a bun to sleep. I'm in love with 2-prong forks for cinnabuns and the rest, don't have enough hair yet to need more prongs! I've been wearing my swap-board Quattro Starlite almost exclusively since I got it. I am just more drawn to forks than to sticks. I don't care for the two-long-chopsticks look on me at all, and I think that may be why I've avoided sticks altogether in the past, but I'm learning to like single ones.

[Capybara]

This will be a very non-helpful answer, because my answers are, well, indecisive :flowers:

1. Do you prefer messy or neat buns?

Messy and neat. I like to contrast a neat bun with a slouchy outfit, or a messier bun with a polished outfit. I also like to wear neat buns with a professional outfit, and messy buns with a lounge-around-the-house outfit.

2. To achieve your messy or neat bun, which style do you usually do? (Instructions or links are welcome!)

I like variety in my buns, but the ones I do most often are the bee-butt, Chinese&Japanese, KarenLynn knot, Maki bun, and Nautilus. I've also been into a french-twist with a tail (not sure if it has a name?) In short, I like pretty much any bun!

3. Do you prefer to wear your bun high or low on your head?

If I'm doing something like a bee-butt or cinnabun, I put it higher up. Chinese/Japanese are mid-way on my head, and everything else is midway to low. So...everywhere? :D

4. How do you secure your bun (fork, stick, clips, pins, claws, etc.)?

Forks, if it's a half-up bun or a Nautilus. Sticks for pretty much everything else, claw clippies for bee-butt and (sometimes) maki. I'm not big on pins, but I'll use them if I want to secure stray bits of hair.

Great thread idea!!

[Cinnamon Hair]

First, just want to say I appreciate all the new threads you have been starting! They are inspiring.

1. Neat but not perfect. I like a few wispies to soften the look. Also, I don't mind if there are a few bumps in my scalp hair. That is an achievement for me, since perfectly smoothed back had been one of my pet peeves, but it required too much effort.

2. My fastest/easiest style is the cinnamon bun.

3. At the crown, so high, but not top-of-the-head high. Low buns feel strange to me and I don't like all that weight secured against my baby fine nape hair.

4. Fork, sticks, pins, ficcares, slides, and the occasional claw clip. Not all at once. ;)