Gothic style up-do for a wedding needed!!

[Fee]

Hello fellow lhc-ers :D Haven't been here for a while, mainly because of the lack of time due to college. I'm currently writing my diploma paper and will graduate in September! That also means more time for blogs and forums! Yay!

Anyway, I need your advice and help for an up-do in gothic style! It can be very dramatic. It's for my friend's wedding. I'm no good in up-does but a hairstylist will do it so it can be as complicated as you like. I have no ideas what so ever!! Oh and..the main problem is my hair is almost classic length now and I can't use curlers because the curls don't last long...I have bangs too.

Thanks in advance for your tips! :flowers:

[whitestiletto]

Have you seen the chain braids? I think those are pretty metal. You can see on arc691's profile pictures of lots of varieties of complex updos on classic length hair. They're not gothic in particular but I am a heavy-metal kinda girl and I saw her photos and loved the chain braid in particular. You can see it, on the second row of photos, 5th picture over, here (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/album.php?albumid=7037).

[Fee]

These braids are fantastic! But I don't want braids in the up-do, sorry forgot to mention that. I would like some like this http://www.teenidols4you.com/blink/Actors/amylee/amylee_1258516075.jpg or this http://lastheplace.com/images/article-images/2007_Writers/Susie/evanescence_3_500.jpg

A messy gothic up-do :D she had pretty long hair here so I guess it would be ok for my length.

[aliceinmadness]

If you're into steampunk I can explain how to do the 'do in my avatar...

[Fee]

Not such a steampunk fan although I like it on others. Your avatar hairstyle is amazing, but I would like the whole hair to be in the up do.

[Chromis]

I know I saw this updo here originally and not long ago, but I do not recall the name of it:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5960663129_9fceb12fc0.jpg
I am thinking it would lend itself well to decorations, like a tuft of black feathers tucked in one of the loops.

It was actually pretty easy to do and I am sure a stylist could make it much more intricate! You twist as if you are going to make a cinnabun, only, instead of wrapping the hair round the first twist to make a bun, you pin the loops where ever you like on the skull. The original poster had all sorts of neat effects! I am not sure I am explaining this well, but it would be completely up and it looked quite dressy and good for a wedding.

[rhosyn_du]

To get something like the Amy Lee pictures you posted, I'd do three buns placed horizontally across the crown of your head, but don't tuck the ends all the way when you secure them, which will give you the messy halo of ends sticking out. If you don't mind hairspray, you can pull the sticking out bits up and apart from each other and spray them to get a more dramatic halo.

If your bangs are like they are in your avatar, I'd just leave them as-is. You've got classic goth bangs.

[Fee]

It looks very pretty, maybe I could put a fascinator on it :D So, that's a choice, but I would like a more messy look like on the pictures I posted. Is a messy up do even possible with classic length hair?

[Fee]

@rhosyn_du yes, that's an option, I never use hairspray on the length (only bangs) but I guess 1 day won't cause much damage. My bangs are like in the photo, yes :)

[Chromis]

It looks very pretty, maybe I could put a fascinator on it :D So, that's a choice, but I would like a more messy look like on the pictures I posted. Is a messy up do even possible with classic length hair?

I think any excuse to wear a fascinator is a good one :D

I'm not much help on the messy part. I would assume you could play around with it first and see if making the loops larger or twisting them less gives the look you prefer. I kept mine well twisted because I am fussy that way and I was worried about it all falling out. With someone else doing it for you, they would have much more control and be able to fasten it better, so that shouldn't be a worry.

[Fee]

I will take these photos to my hairdresser to have something to start with, she also has some ideas, but not very "goth". My dress will be in that style, so I would like a nice gothic hairstyle to accompany it. :D

I agree about the fascinator! Haven't worn it yet, no occasion :(

[HoneyJubilee]

If you're into steampunk I can explain how to do the 'do in my avatar...
That's a gorgeous style! I'd love instructions for it if you wouldn't mind PMing or posting them :)

I think any excuse to wear a fascinator is a good one :D
I agree! The bigger and more feathered the fascinator the better!


I'm not much help with a messy hairstyle, though. My hair goes messy all on it's own and I'm in a constant battle to make it behave.

[Fee]

Unfortunately, there are not better pics of Amy Lee's hairstyles :( nothing even similar. I can't even work out what is actually going on there, buns or maybe half-buns or something else? :/

[aliceinmadness]

Thanks for the brownie points guys :)

What do you think of this one?

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5965950836_50085947a5_m.jpghttp://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/5965950828_7be3744f63_m.jpg

I did it in about 10 minutes without looking and without product (took me longer to do the picture and get it uploaded!)...but my hair is quite slippy at the moment. Some texturizer would muss it further and let you pull on it. The back is assymetrical, so the side views are slightly different. I guess I came to the conclusions that Goth 'dos have irregularity as a common feature, but honestly, I'm blonde these days so my Goth-ness is going to be nipped in the bud no matter what I do, lol.

The picture doesn't communicate it really well because of the angle, but it has about the same look as the Rachel McAdams 'do: here. (http://www.bellasugar.com/Rachel-McAdams-Sherlock-Holmes-Hair-Tutorial-6658353)

@Honey: it's the same technique for this do and the one on my avatar...only the sectioning is different and the bottom layer gets pulled up and over to get the curled ends.

[Lassie]

aliceinmadness those black and white pics are gorgeous!
Absolutely LOVE that do!!
Any chance you could please give me some instructions?
Thank heaps!

[aliceinmadness]

lol I think I'll just post a thread and add it to my siggy instead of hijacking Fee's :D

Stay tuned!

[Bec de Corbin]

Wow, that Amy Lee updo is fabulous! If you figure out how to do it, will you pretty please post instructions?

I'd offer a gothy hairstyle of my own, but all of mine involve braiding. :(

[Naava]

How about two big and messy buns on each side of your head pretty high up?

[Charlotte:)]

Loepsie did a tutorial for a messy Amy Lee inspired updo:http://www.youtube.com/user/loepsie?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/54/xkL5slplKC8
If you don't want to tease your hair like she did, you can just make a bunch of giant pin curls instead and pin them down randomly. That's what I do, and personally I think it looks a little better because I can make the pin curls the size I want for a very voluminous bun.
Oh and if you don't know what pin curls are, Elizabeth from Rapunzel's Resource explains how to do them for one of her updos here:http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/pin-curl-bun-the-flower-bun/

[inertia]

It's difficult to do styles like the Amy Lee ones while being gentle to the hair. Personally I like them much more than sleek looks, though.

If I was trying to recreate the first hairstyle, I would use a hair rat. I think for a style like this, it might be useful to set aside some extra extension hair, and wrap locks of it loosely around the rat, leaving the ends of the locks to hang loose off it. I guess you could secure them either by sewing it down or using some crimped pins. Then take small sections of your own natural hair and arrange them to cover the rat. You can roll or coil the hair in order to add texture to the surface. (This is easier with backcombing and hairspray.) Leave some of the ends sticking out here and there to keep it from looking too sleek.

The second style is definitely backcombed. I think it would probably start with 1 ponytail high in the back, or maybe 1 high ponytail and a 2nd ponytail underneath. Pull the top ponytail through the base so the hair is sticking up. Then take a small section of hair, backcomb it, roll or coil it up loosely so it's big, pin in place, leave the ends dangling. Repeat until all the hair is used up. Fluff the ends, spray like crazy.

[julliams]

This looks cool http://www.hairfinder.com/haircollections6/jldwi2.jpg It looks like you just put the headband around and then pick up bits from the middle and tease them and spray a little.

Or this which looks literally like a messy bun with a headband http://www.weddinghaircolors.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/messy-updos9.jpg

With the right makeup this one would work too http://perfectplus.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/romantic-messy-updo.jpg

[Fee]

Thanks ever yone for the tips replies :D

@aliceinmadness, I like this, can you give me the instructions? If not for the wedding, it's a great "go out" style.

@Bec de Corbin sure :D

@Naava tried it, doesn't look good on me at all :(

@Charlotte:) thanks for the links, I'll try it

@inertia that's a great idea and I've thought of that, but I don't have any hair pieces, and good ones are expensive :(

@julliams the second up do is closest to what I want, are there any instructions? :D

[Alias]

Umm, something like this? http://hairstyleschat.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/long-wedding-hairstyles.jpg

[julliams]

I think it was just one of those pages of messy updo pictures - no instructions. If it were me doing that style, I'd probably tease my hair a bit and put it up in a messy bun, then put a headband in. You could always take the photo to a hairdresser and ask them how they would do it. I can't find the website now - so sorry. I should have linked the page.

[aliceinmadness]

That one is dead-simple. The link is in my sig on how to do the rolls; the arrangement is as follows:

One at the crown for volume (rolled backward).
One just underneath the crown (rolled forward).
Two on the sides (top one rolled towards the hairline, bottom rolled at an angle towards the center).
I flipped my bangs up to get the texture in the front, but they're longer than yours so you'll probably need to get busy with hairspray to keep them up.

[terpentyna]

That's a gorgeous style! I'd love instructions for it if you wouldn't mind PMing or posting them :)

I second this, pretty please!

[aliceinmadness]

For my avatar 'do: follow the instructions to do the volume at the crown (link in sig), then place 6-7 puffs right underneath the crown puffs. Leave out a section at the nape, brush it up and pull it around and over the top of a few puffs (diagonally, like you're about to make a smooth bun). You may need to experiment with the placement because you can't really pin it onto said puffs. Once you have the stable drape that you want, pin it down by pushing the tail slightly underneath the puffs, and curl the ends. I pined a couple of curls in place to make it look more cascade-y.

[Qwackie]

What about this? (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ej_Rpm-fl0c/Tg1c0ECDQ1I/AAAAAAAAAlM/eFROYI-C6oQ/s1600/A-DSC00559.jpg)

[Chetanlaiho]

Loepsie did a tutorial for a messy Amy Lee inspired updo:http://www.youtube.com/user/loepsie?blend=1&ob=4#p/u/54/xkL5slplKC8
If you don't want to tease your hair like she did, you can just make a bunch of giant pin curls instead and pin them down randomly. That's what I do, and personally I think it looks a little better because I can make the pin curls the size I want for a very voluminous bun.
[/URL]

I was just about to link this one, I've never tried it myself because of the teasing but I definitely want to try out your suggestion ^_^ never done pincurls before though xD

[Mrspuddinhead]

OK, I did some looking and these are two pictures that I found for you. Hopefully they help!!

http://i51.tinypic.com/k2znee.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/9s84m8.jpg

[Fee]

@Alias I see no photo or link :confused:

@julliams I tired it by myself last night..it didn't look nice in the end..I just can't work with this length :(

@aliceinmadness I'll the first do next in 2 days before washing my hair because of the hairspray. I'm not quite sure I understood how your avatar do works, but I'll try that one too, if any success I shall post pictures :D

@Qwackie oh, the beautiful VictorianKitty of the Sophistique Noir blog, love her style! I've seen that up do before, it looks great, but I don't have enough hair to pull it off to look so nice and thick, and I don't own a hair piece :( (she said she used some hair pieces for that do)

@Mrspuddinhead thanks, the first one is a bit sci-fi, which I personally love, and in the second one the hair isn't in an up-do which I really would like for the wedding :D

[Mrspuddinhead]

Glad I could help. I'm so jealous of how well your bangs suit you. I to have bangs and I hate them.

[AshleyTheRed]

What about something purely Siouxie?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQisV1Mi-OA&feature=related

She has a wonderful messy updo at the end of the music video. You basically do this on top of your head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86rmSQcvERw

Shape accordingly with pins, but leave some hair down to curl. I wouldn't do the 80's super tease, but I guess you could xD

I did this for a party, and it worked wonderfully.
__________________________________________________

You could also do this one with a black ribbon and a pretty skull or zombie hand barrette. I had to wear something very similar as a brides maid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scA49vEyg7A

[Fee]

@Mrspuddinhead thank you for the lovely compliment, bangs are fun, enjoy it! :D

@AshleyTheRed Siouxsie's hair is much shorter, which look do you mean? the other up-does are nice, but not really what I had in mind, thanks still :D

[AshleyTheRed]

@AshleyTheRed Siouxsie's hair is much shorter, which look do you mean? the other up-does are nice, but not really what I had in mind, thanks still :D

It was at the end of the Kiss Them For Me Video. It's probably fake hair...., but I still have recreated it xD.

[Sagi1982]

What about a messy sockbun with side strands left out or side strands losely draped? Its easy and formal enough, I think.

[spidermom]

Have you been on YouTube? Lots of ideas there! I just found this one and like it so much!
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/1.jpg

[Dragon Faery]

Did a Google Image search on Amy Lee. Her hair is waist, so she's managed these updos with almost as much as yours, although yours might be way thinner or thicker.

It looks like all her styles involve a lot of teasing. To get a look-alike approximation, you'll need a way to convert your length into volume on the top of your head.

If you're against braids, buns (done a bit messily) or pin-curls (also perhaps messy) would be the easiest to do without teasing. Basically just pile as much of your hair as you can anywhere you need volume, and make sure to leave the last foot or so of each section of hair free for the messy-looking tassels she generally has going on at the top. Arrange these over the top of your head and the buns/curls/whatnot, making it as sleek or tousled as you prefer for the look you're going for. Random piling with lots of pins and a bit of a smooth-over at the end.

Hope you find something that works!

[spidermom]

I got volume on the above style by forming pin-curls, then pushing toward my face as I pinned them down. I have a better picture of the front if you're interested. I think it would be possible to get even more volume when I've had more practice.

Look up rockabilly on YouTube.

[lacefrost]

Quick thought: if you want a messy hair do, maybe don't go to a stylist because they'd probably want to make it perfect? Instead, I'd try not combing or washing your hair for a few days, shaking your hair around and then doing the updo yourself. It's pretty much guaranteed to be messy if you do it that way and you save cash.

Also, I googled gothy hairstyles and they were all lame. What's up with that? So then I looked up Edwardian and Victorian hairstyles because I know lots of the really cool ones are just teased versions of that. I found this one:

http://s1.hubimg.com/u/478992_f248.jpg

I figure you could muss it up nicely. I know you don't want braids or anything so you could do something different with the front? Maybe just a head band? I dunno.

[Calaelen]

have a look in my hair albums..there is a style there I think would be great, especially if had it done professionally...you'll know the one..lol. I was classic when I did it on myself so length wont be an issue

[MissAlida]

I only have a link to share. I personally love some the hairstyles, tough I'm not sure how you can recreate them without products.You should take a look, it's worth it. There are some great updo's here.:cheese:
http://www.hairfinder.com/hairup.htm

[Fee]

Hello everyone :) I really didn't think I would get so many replies, thank you! I've made a folder with about 20 pictures and bookmarked your links and will take that to the hair dresser to make a final decision. it's important for me not only because of the wedding, but I want to work out some wearable up-does for my length, I am really having trouble with keep my hair up so it looks nice, 99% of the time it is in a braid.


thanks once more !!!! :flowers: