Let's play a little game of hair trivia.....

[ChayahSaahene]

I am in the military. I wore my hair loose and in a bob until it got to my collar. Then I had to put it up - so I put it in a ponytail (with just a little hair sticking out as my hair was so short). Then I began the military bun.

So here is the game of hair trivia. I will give you the rules I have to live by and you tell me if you can think of any hairstyles that fit into the rules. Keep in mind my hair is only a little longer than SL.

The hairstyle must:
1. Fit very close to the head from the ears up (so that I can wear my beret),
2. Keep all hair lying close to the head (as opposed to a braid hanging freely, or a half-up),
3. Not go past the collar,
4. Require only a plain clip, hair rubber band, bobby pin, or other conspicuous hair device that is conservative and the same color as my hair (can only be for securing the hair, not for decoration - no stix, hair claws, etc.)
5. Be symmetrical (no side ponytails or lopsided do's)
6. Be stylable when wet (we do physical fitness from 6:30 to 7:30 am each morning - sometimes in the snow, rain, mud, etc. - which necessitates a hair wash and styling within an hour)

French braids and military buns are the two overwhelming styles. Anyone have any other ideas???????????

[christine1989]

I would reccomend a french twist fastened with a ficcare. Its pretty simple to do, does not leave hair sticking out and ficcares hold like a rock. You could also do a peacock twist with the ends tucked in.

[Roseate]

A low Gibson Tuck (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=49)?

[rosek]

You could do two braids / French/Dutch braids and pin the tails to the back of your head, using bobbypins.

[luxepiggy]

What about a tucked French or tucked Dutch braid?

ETA: Here's a link of the finished style: http://thejunglebook.pbworks.com/f/1287014591/french-braid.jpg

[DreadfulWoman]

Wow - very limiting. I was going to suggest 2 braids, crossed over each other and pinned down, but I think maybe that's what rosek had in mind, too. If you're very dextrous at braiding you could play with fistails, and four and five strand braids, either tucked or crossed in back.

Also, I don't see any rules there about ends sticking out. Would a low folded ponytail work? If you don't want the ends sticking out you could always wrap them around the outside of it and pin them with bobby pins.

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1xpPPE6ZGA) could work too, but I think you'd have to forgo the pink bow. ;)

[triumphator!]

I recently saw a video called "military sock bun" or something along those lines on Youtube, you should look up how she does it, she puts her cap on at the end of the video too.

Thanks for serving our country and all you do :)

[Igor]

I recently saw a video called "military sock bun" or something along those lines on Youtube, you should look up how she does it, she puts her cap on at the end of the video too.

Thanks for serving our country and all you do :)

I just looked that one up. It warms my heart to see our "fancy" longhair styles put to real, rough and dirty everyday use like this :p
(And totally amuses me to see her in her uniform with “US AIRFORCE” printed just about everywhere praising Aussie products)

[Adiva]

I'll be following this thread very closely as I face similar issues trying to find a hair style that is out of the way, has no parts hanging, is tidy, allows me to wear my helmet and is quick to do when I'm called out for the State Emergency Service.

Great post idea!

[Sinisiew]

Perhaps two french braids along the sides of your head with the ends crossed at the nape and tucked in would work?

[KittyLost]

A braid over braid updo?

http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=63

However use a little clip instead of hair sticks?

[ChayahSaahene]

Ladies,

Thank you all so much!!! I'll try these ideas and see which work best. I love your creativity and appreciate you trying to help me.

[snowbear]

There was a member here (and goodness, I'd forgotten whom!) who did a low-profile bun for ballet. It consisted of separating her hair into five sections, then twisting those sections into one wide concentric bun held with bobby pins. The bun held like glue, apparently.

[sparkle'n'bling]

There was a member here (and goodness, I'd forgotten whom!) who did a low-profile bun for ballet. It consisted of separating her hair into five sections, then twisting those sections into one wide concentric bun held with bobby pins. The bun held like glue, apparently.

I can't remember who that was, but I think the bun got called the vortex bun. Uses loads of pins, but definitely holds rock firm.

[squintinschool]

I can't remember who that was, but I think the bun got called the vortex bun. Uses loads of pins, but definitely holds rock firm.

It certainly does. I've done it with four sections only, though. But it worked on my APL-approaching hair. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of it as of right now. But it is very quick, and made my thick hair lie much flatter than a normal bun.

[PrincessBob]

My hair is a couple of inches shorter than yours, also with lots of layers ... here are some updos that I like to do.

Peacock twist - sorry it's so dark; bigger picture here


Sock bun


Two sideways french twists, secured with spin pins - see video tutorial


French twist


Saw this on the "updo help" thread, thought of your post. I hope it helps...

[eezepeeze]

Can you do a French twist held with SpinPins? Those wouldn't show at all.

What about the Masara? It's like a folded braid, but gets tucked at the top rahter than the bottom. You can search for it here at LHC.

[Arya]

lace/window-shade braids along the side of your head hold your hair like a rock, from my experience. They keep any little pieces from falling in your eyes when you're doing work. They're also twice as fast as dutch/french braiding along the side of your head, which is good in the morning.
french twists would also look nice, but I find they fall out like crazy.
What about rolling the hair along the side of your head, and into a flipped pony? that would look cute and forties.

[Ludde]

I used to section the hair from forehead along the sides (think of the start of braiding a horse mane into a monk hairstyle), put a small rubber band loosely around each section, pretty close to the scalp, then turn them upwards along the lower side of the head and twist the upper behind the next beneath, securing it if necessary in one of their rubber bands, the ends from each side going into each others rubber bands, creating a single neat and very secure hair roll beneath the beret without any visible clips.