Some advice starting out?

[Tabihito]

Well, not so much starting as finally getting to a length where I need to do a bit more to take care of my hair. I've been growing it for about a year and a half now, out of a G.I. Jane-esque style, and am sort of at a loss for what to do.

I live in wonderfully humid Texas, and don't really know how on earth I can get my hair off the back of my neck without resorting to a ponytail- something I don't particularly like wearing. Also, I don't know if it's the humidity or what, but my hair's seemed almost obscenely frizzy, with little pieces going off in all directions but the one I'd like them to go in. I've got fine hair, and have been 'cone free for a long while now, but I'm wondering if I might actually need to weigh down my hair a bit.

So basically, how the heck do I deal with my hair in this sort of heat?

Also, did I type my hair correctly? I didn't touch it after washing it (and dang my hair takes a long time to dry if I don't touch it), so this is pretty accurate, only it looks like the front is considerably wavier or curlier than the back. This (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a127/meisrunner/Photos/Photo9.jpg) is a side view, and this (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a127/meisrunner/Photos/Photo10.jpg) is the back.

And any advice on buns I can do when I go back to school? I'd like to avoid using a ponytail holder to start, but it has to be a military-appropriate bun, which means that it has to have pretty much no visible means of keeping it together. Last semester I did a ponytail and then just twisted the length (what little I had) into a bun and held that together with another ponytail holder, but I don't know if I might have more options after a summer of growth.

[Kristin]

I'm not really the hair-typing expert, but if you need ideas for buns/updos, you should check out the articles. There are loads of buns and braids there.

[Nae]

My hair is about your length. I can do a pretty decent looking french roll with only these good hair day pins. http://www.gehmanscountryfabrics.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1139
They are really good!!! It only takes me about three of them to hold it up and it disappears into the hair so it should be good for military styles. Most of my other buns are held with hair toys so that won't help much. I hope someone else has some more great ideas.

P.S. I love your waves!!!

[Tabihito]

Yeah, I've been looking through the style articles, and the case with most seems to be that my hair's just a little too short for them to work with. The ones that do tend to be the double buns or braids, which I'm not so comfortable with because I tend to look a lot younger than I am to begin with, and I'd rather not be mistaken for my brother's younger sibling again (he's fifteen).

And thanks, I've only started really embracing them in the past couple years. When I was younger, I would use a straightening iron or just wear it up.

[SpinDance]

Amish hair pins are good. I was going to suggest a Flexi, but they are to flash for military styles.

[GRU]

There are a lot of bun styles that don't require a ponytail as a starter.

The Goody Spin Pins (cheap version of Hair Scroos) might be a big help to you when it comes to buns -- they hold like MAGIC and are incredibly comfortable.

A sock bun is "military grade" and pretty easy to do.

If you can French braid your hair, you can do a tucked version. If you're one (like me!) who can't French braid your own hair, you can do the Dianyla Braid (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=23652), which looks similar but is for the behind-the-head-finger-inept. Then you can tuck the tail and secure it with a pin or two.

[Anje]

Are the military standards for no visible means of holding the hair, or will something that matches your hair color work, if it's not too obvious? Personally, I'd be lost without hairsticks, but there are woods in practically every hair color, , which you can probably get in sizes that don't protrude much. Ficcares also come in shades meant to match hair colors, if matching accessories work. Otherwise, I'll second the recommendation for those Goody Spin pins, and add that Amish pins are wonderful, and you can paint the ends with nailpolish to match your hair, if the little stainless-colored arch is a problem.

[Tabihito]

I'm fairly certain it's no visible means of holding the hair (exceptions would be the bobby pins or other clips for the flyaways you just can't avoid), but I could be wrong. I do know you can't use netting that matches your hair color to hold your bun in, so I'm thinking it's nothing showing. I may resort to french braiding, at least for next year, since it shouldn't get so long that I can't tuck the tail under.

[kjirstiben]

I'm fairly certain it's no visible means of holding the hair (exceptions would be the bobby pins or other clips for the flyaways you just can't avoid), but I could be wrong. I do know you can't use netting that matches your hair color to hold your bun in, so I'm thinking it's nothing showing. I may resort to french braiding, at least for next year, since it shouldn't get so long that I can't tuck the tail under.

Just thought I'd chime in here... I know I'm a few days late, but I am in the military, so I know what you're dealing with!

I think regulations are slightly different between services... I'm in the Air Force and our rules (for women) are that

- it must be off your collar,
- you have to be able to wear the appropriate uniform hat over it,
- and there should be no colored accessories showing, but you are allowed to use elastics, bobby pins, clips, etc, that approximately match your hair color. (Black is fine in dark hair.)

The idea is that your hair should look tidy and not attract undue attention. There is a lot of freedom of interpretation on this, so use your best judgement. (I got yelled at many times during training because the Alabama spring humidity made my hair frizz into a halo--I ended up gelling wet hair back into a cinnabun for that first few months.) From what I've seen, I probably wouldn't use a Ficcare-type clip since it is a noticeable hair accessory. These days, I use hair forks, both wooden and plastic, that match my hair, and do a bun at my nape.

I second the sock bun suggestion--I've seen that used as an easy and attractive updo that takes a minimal amount of time and effort to do.

A french braid is a great hairdo that fits under hats nicely, and if your hair's not quite long enough to stay in a french braid, try parting it in the middle and french braiding both sides, then tucking the braid ends under each other in the back. (You'll need pins to hold them in place.) That's probably the most secure hairstyle I've seen for growing your hair out and keeping it military-appropriate.

I hope this helps!

[Capybara]

The sock bun is a good idea (GRU suggested it earlier.)

There are a few different ways of doing it, but here is one lady in the military who has her own style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIzoqMh1mfI HTH :blossom: