Styles for ii/iii hair using a barrette?

[pepperminttea]

I have my eye on a certain barrette, but I've resisted it so far, since I rarely ever have a use for them; they just don't hold enough of my hair. I can normally manage a small half-up, but little else beyond that.
What styles do you use them for? Any ideas for styles for thick-ish hair using them? :)

Just to clear up any confusion, this is the kind of barrette I mean:
http://i53.tinypic.com/fbvpds.jpg

[Alix]

Oh I use those all the time for just pulling the top half of my hair out of my face. Sort of how you use your flexi-8 in your signature.

I can't do anything else with them though, to much hair.

[ericthegreat]

I have some barrettes just like yours (only they are amber colored on top). In fact, here's a style I did with two of them to show off my then new highlights several months back:

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/2546/0142n.jpg


It looks and functions like a half-up style, but really I only clipped back my bangs and a little bit more hair on the sides. I used two barrettes here, I lined them both up one right under the other. I have thick hair like you do, so I also can only clip back a small portion of my hair when I use a barrette or other hair accessory. You can try this style :) . Or, you can also make a small accent braid and pin that to the back of your head, I've done that too. Just remember of course to not take too much hair.

[Madora]

Watch those barrettes like a hawk. Little hairs have a nasty way of getting snagged in the darn things!

[pepperminttea]

Alix: I have the same problem; too much hair to do much else with them. They are handy for keeping a few front bits out the way though. :)

Eric: Wow, your hair looks stunning! I've never thought of using two next to each other like that, good idea.

Madora: Noted, thank you! :) I was actually wondering if I should just say nuts to it, buy the barrette, and then remount the designed part of it on a different kind of clip. We'll see.

[Adiva]

Hi pepperminttea,
not sure if this is what you are after, but I just did my daughters hair and took some pics for you of how I often use my barrets. I take a small section from the front of my forehead and either pin in straight down or twist it a little before pinning with bobby pins then add the barret just in front of the pins, then bun it in whatever style. I don't like having all my hair pulled back tight from me face and think this adds a bit more interest and texture to the front.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y250/shellandshane/Hair%20Album/11barret.jpg
I hope that makes sense and helps :)

[prosperina]

You know, I was just thinking of this today. I pulled a French barrette out of the drawer this morning to see what I could do with it. I have three and I can only use one of them to pull back all my hair--it just barely holds and is not comfortable. So half ups it is. I have one large butterfly one with jewels, a brown celtic knot design, and a small filigree silver one. I keep them because I like the designs/colors. I have no intention of getting more because they are nearly useless.

[julliams]

I use those and flexi's to do that sneaky ponytail that makes your hair look longer. I've used a flexi in these pics but the french barette is what I used to use.

In the first photo I've just done a normal ponytail. In the second photo, I've done the sneaky ponytail - you just do a half up only you take some hair from each side at the nape of your neck so it looks like a real ponytail. The hair in the middle is left long so it makes your ponytail looks alot longer. The reason a french barette is good is that the ponytail doesn't stand out from your head like it does with an elastic, so your secret is safe!

These photos were taken ages ago (October 2009) when my hair was more heavily layered and was between shoulder length and APL.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/4059105493_3368378521.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3530/4059103801_ae150b6141.jpg

[leoninnu]

I'm bumping this since I want to find hair styles for barrette too!

I have only one barrette but it's so pretty that I get frustrated because it's not a very versatile hair toy at all. Only style I can do with just a barrette is this:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6962&pictureid=92282

And it doesn't feel very comfortable. I sometimes used the barrette for party hairstyles by making an updo with some form of invisible securing and then put the barrette in there as a decoration. But unless the updo was very loose it was difficult to get it in there without breaking the hair so I stopped doing it.

So, anyone? Or if nothing else then what other hair toys are there that I could perhaps transfer that pretty decoration to? :p

[pepperminttea]

Adiva: Thank you, the photos really help. :) I tend not to do bumps or poofs, I don't have the face for them, but it looks beautiful in your daughter's hair.

julliams: I remember you mentioning that in another thread, it's a neat trick. :D Thanks!

prosperina & leoninnu: Same. They are some really beautiful barrettes out there, I just wish there were more uses for them. I'm wondering if it might be easier converting them to something else, but I can't think what.