Easy Messy Bun

[Laurenji]

I was going to try and turn this into an article, but I realized that since I'm not enough of a chatterbox, I don't have enough posts...oh well.

I discovered an easy way to do those "sporty girl" kind of messy buns--the sort of fluffy, loopy, never-the-same messy bun.

Just as a disclaimer, I have very straight, thick-ish, BSL hair. I'm pretty sure this could work with lengths all the way from APL to at least Waist, but I haven't confirmed that. It should also work with at anything in the 1a-2b ish range curly wise. I'm not sure how it would look on anything curlier than that. Also, I don't have pictures right now, but I'll put some on later.

Anyhow.

Directions:

This requires ponytail elastics and bobby pins, so this won't work if you don't use those.

Start off with steps 1-2 of the Cheater's Easy Hairstick Bun (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=138).

Note: make the half-through ponytail loop bigger or smaller depending on how "head-eating" you want the bun to be.

Once you've got the loop, and your ends are wrapped around, grab some bobby pins. Pick out a small loopy section, put a bobby pin in the middle of it, and pin the loop back into the ponytail holder. Continue taking small sections and pinning them down randomly back into the center.

It turns out different every time depending on how you pin the little loops down. Experiment with larger and smaller loops, ways of wrapping the extra hair, and ways of pinning the loops down until you find something you like.

I promise pictures later, but it might not be until much, much later tonight when I have time again.

[Deelight]

I would love to see a picture of this!

[Tressie]

Looking forward to pictures! (o:

[Fairlight63]

Me too! Sounds really pretty & easy.

[Laurenji]

Okay, so here's the pics.

First, the one that I did this morning and have been wearing around all day:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4814033239_f9dc48afec_m.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4814033255_03b5e9778c_m.jpg

It's kind of gargantuan because I made the initial loop a little too big and didn't have time to fix it. Also, it's starting to look scraggly because I've been wearing it out all day. The great thing about messy buns though is that they can get scraggly and still look great. :)

Here are some instructional shots for those of you that are visual learners:

First, do a half-through pony however high on your head you like your buns. Don't make the loop TOO big though or the finished bun will eat your head.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4814033267_ee2422791c_m.jpg

Next, wrap the ends around the ponytail holder and pin them. You can either wrap all of it around in the same direction (like the picture) or split the ends in half and wrap each half in opposite directions. (See the Cheater's Easy Hairstick Bun instructions for more about that if you're confused.)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4814654288_7ae26a08e7_m.jpg

(Side note: oops, my ring is twisting around wrong. I really need to get that thing soddered sometime...)

Now, the important part. Get your bobby pins ready. Separate a small loop of hair out of the big massive loop. Stick your bobby pin through the middle of it. Now pin it back down somewhere near the center elastic.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4814654306_ef5171544a_m.jpg

Pin it up, down, to the side, or straight back down--any way you want. This is where you can get creative with it. Do this with as many little loops and bobby pins as you want until you like the way it looks. (I check often in the mirror.)

Here is the way this one turned out (my second one of the day):

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4814033305_5101c79f30_m.jpg

The great thing about this bun is that it can make you look like you have more length than you have, or it can disguise your length if you have lots. It disguises frizziness and wears well through the day.

Hope this helps!

[Sammich]

Oooh, I'm such a bun noobie, but I'll try and give this a try... one day. :p LOL.
Lovely idea, and I like the end result, hmm the instructions sound simplish enough...

[FrannyG]

Wow, that looks great! :blossom: Your hair is so thick and lovely. I did almost the same bun, but I didn't wrap the tail around. Here is a link to my blog entry (http://frannyslonghair.blogspot.com/2010/06/messy-bun-updo.html)with photos of the results of my first attempt last month, which was indeed messy. :o I was, however, surprised by how much hair it made it look like I have.

[Emerson]

Very cute, I might give it a try :)

[Kimarie91]

I'm going to try this on Friday! I have a training class to conduct tomorrow, so not "formal" enough for that. :)

[curlsgalore]

Great idea. I wonder how this would look in curly hair?...