Good buns for chapel veil and hijab

[Melanie Marie]

I'm Catholic and I wear a mantilla when I go to Mass, and I'm the sort that likes all of my hair up and underneath the veil (as opposed to hanging down my back from underneath). However, I'm still getting the hang of pinning up my hair (partially because my pins aren't ideal), and I have trouble getting my bun to lie flat on my head. To me, it always looks a little stupid when you're wearing a veil, especially a mantilla, and your bun is sticking far out so that you get a sort of camel hump on the back of your head.

Lately I have just been doing a ponytail split into two sections, box braiding each section and pinning it into a single bun. Vortex buns hold really well, but it still takes me a while to pin everything down and I'm usually short on time in the morning.

What do you do with your hair if you wear chapel veils or hijab? And if you wear buns, which ones do you find give you the least or most trouble?

[RainbowHawk]

I've worn neither chapel veils nor hijab, but I have worn tichels. :D Those are easy to wrap around, though (there are several different ways to tie it, so they don't look silly regardless of hair length).

What about a "tall" bun, something that comes up the back of your head before it goes down? (When I get my computer back I'll be able to post a picture of what I mean- I haven't been here long enough to know the names of all the buns yet!) Or braids around your head?

[Gulbahar]

Actually I prefer a high bun when wearing hijab (which I regularly have to do when traveling to some places). I like the look and also it keeps the scarf from sliding down. By the way, wearing a ridiculously huge and high bun under the headscarf is THE rage now in Iran. The girls very often put the scarf only on top of that bun without actually covering the head itself. :D

[Cainwen]

What about a low bun, like at the nape of your neck? I did this a lot when I wore tichels and hair scarves. Its low key, doesn't show much if at all and I found it easier to secure than buns on the back or top of my head. You could probably even manage to do it with a discrete hair fork if your pins aren't good.

[Atlantic]

I often wear a low bun of some kind with a mantilla.

Or a...I don't know the right name for it, but it spreads out the bun wide and flat against the head. Like a cameo bun, only both parts braided: I gather half my hair as if I were doing a half-up, and braid it. Then I gather the rest of my hair into a ponytail where I want the bun to be centred (mid-low, usually), braid it, and pin it into as flat a bun as possible. Then I take the half-up braid, wrap and pin it around the bun, again as flat as possible.

[Madora]

I'm Catholic and I wear a mantilla when I go to Mass, and I'm the sort that likes all of my hair up and underneath the veil (as opposed to hanging down my back from underneath). However, I'm still getting the hang of pinning up my hair (partially because my pins aren't ideal), and I have trouble getting my bun to lie flat on my head. To me, it always looks a little stupid when you're wearing a veil, especially a mantilla, and your bun is sticking far out so that you get a sort of camel hump on the back of your head.

Lately I have just been doing a ponytail split into two sections, box braiding each section and pinning it into a single bun. Vortex buns hold really well, but it still takes me a while to pin everything down and I'm usually short on time in the morning.

What do you do with your hair if you wear chapel veils or hijab? And if you wear buns, which ones do you find give you the least or most trouble?

Hi, Melanie Marie,

Part of the problem with your protruding bun might be the way you created it.

You've got the right idea - sectioning the ponytail in two parts.

To keep it flat, try this:

Take one section of the ponytail and braid it semi-loosely, and coil it around the ponytail base, pinning as you go (top, bottom, left and right).

Take the remaining hair and braid it semi loosely, then take the braid and wind it around the braided bun already made. Pin with hairpins as needed and tuck in the tassle under the braid.

As you are coiling each braid, you may want to hold down the coiled braid with your other hand, to make it lie flat against your scalp as you are pinning it with the other hand.

This sectioning of the ponytail lends itself to the cinnamon style, twisted ropes, rose bun and cameo bun styles. If you have very thick hair, you could also try a triple beehive bun.

I've found that the secret to having buns lie flat is to let the hair have a little bit of flexibility when braiding or twisting..and using 3 inch crimped hairpins and weaving them into the bun as it is created.

Good luck!

[LoversLullaby]

You could try a folded braid along your head. If your braid is long enough (it might be if your hair is at waist) then you might need to fold it twice, and either pin it in place or use a slide or flexi-8.

[Venefica]

I have not worn any religious veil, but I did wear a 1950's style head scarf the other day, I then used a Chinese bun with a stick just long enough so that it did not jut out to much, this bun held nicely inside the head scarf and also helped prevent it from falling off as the scarf caught on the stick. This bun also creates a bit of volume under the scarf.

Unless you already know here is how to do a Chinese bun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUT3KJgASac

[Panth]

I've not worn either. However, I do reenactment (1370s, English), which requires lots of veils although of a rather different style. I either make a very flat plaited cinnabun quite low on my head (so the top of the bun is in line with my ears, the bottom of the bun touches my nape ... yes, lots of hair here!) or do heidi braids.

For the cinnabun I make an english or french plait, wrap it in a spiral shape on the back of my head, holding it flat, then do over-kill pinning with 4 faux Amish pins made from a set of double pointed knitting needles.

For the heidi braids, I plait, band the ends, arrange the plaits and then put a single bobby pin above each temple (through both plaits) and a single bobby pin at the back to hold each tail down. Sometimes, just before pinning the tails, I take the bands off the plaits - I need them whilst arranging the style as I have very straight hair that is prone to slip out of plaits quickly.

Another style for wearing with a veil (though again, not the same sort as you mention) is that which Igor used to wear a lot with tichel-style veils: english plait turned into a nautilus bun at mid-height (centre of bun at about ear-height), secured with a flexi-8 and completely covered over with a scarf.

[ddiana1979]

Your hair is quite a bit longer than mine, but I just do a standard French braid down the back, and then coil the end of the braid into a low bun secured with Goody Spin Pins. The French braid seems to take up a lot of the thickness & length, so I'm left with a relative short tail that stays pretty flat when rolled into a bun.

[littlestarface]

I would say the flatest bun I do is cinnamon bun at the crown of my head right below the bump there. This doesnt make a huge bump underneath my shayla. Low buns always unravel on me and that is not good.

[Melanie Marie]

These are all really great ideas! :) Thanks so much.

[Magdalene]

I wear a Mantilla or a long rectangular scarf to church every Sunday.

I often do a low side bun (I like a bit of face framing). Crown braids can work well, so do anything low on the nape like a chinese bun, gibson tuck, etc. I often do a french braid or lace braids- they help keep the veil on better.

If I'm wearing a larger rectangular scarf I often go ahead and do a high bun- gives the scarf something to cling to :)

[dulce]

A lazy wrap rolled low nape bun held with a beak clip or ficcare gives a nice smooth flat bun,maybe match your clip to mantilla [make both black if that's the colour you use]The nice thing about this bun is it takes 5 seconds to do!

[Anje]

I'll bet a Vortex bun (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=27288) would do exactly what you want, though it might be a bit labor-intensive. It was specifically designed to be flat and visually add much bulk to the head, and the person who came up with it has some seriously thick hair.

ETA: Here's a video, though there are many. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSf1vv8oB6g)

ETA2: And you already know the vortex bun... doh!

[Melanie Marie]

Ha ha, it's okay Anje. :p I'm getting better at the Vortex bun, but like you said it is a bit labor-intensive.

I'm going to give low buns a try. :) Usually they don't go well for me, but I'll make another attempt.

[Pani]

I think it's wonderful that you wear a mantilla to church, so does my Catholic roommate. I'm wondering if you have a long mantilla that would allow you to wear your hair down but still have it covered? I myself just wear a basic bun centered on the back of my head when I wear hijab. I'm guessing that like me, you have a lot of hair to work with?

[chen bao jun]

Old thread.

Pani, most mantillas do not completely cover the hair, even the long ones. they tend to be of lace or sheer material and you can definitely see the hair, whether it is down or up in a bun. I never heard of anyone having loose hair under a hijab--? I thought it was always bunned, although one would of course want to avoid the 'camel hump'. but I don't really know, please correct me if I am wrong.

they are related concepts but not the same as the mantilla is meant to be symbolic rather than to actually physically hide the hair (though modesty is of course important in a church also, the hair being seen would not be considered immodest).

[Pani]

Chen, I do not own a mantilla but I have tried on one of my roommates. Hers are made of lace and can been seen through somewhat, but they do not hang down far enough to cover all of the length of her hair when down. I suppose part of the problem is that like me, she has really long hair. She doesn't wear her hair up when she wears her mantilla to pray or to do to church and no one has ever said this was improper in her faith.

I always put my hair up when I wear hijab. This is common where I grew up but some Muslims in more liberal countries do wear a more casual headcovering and yes with their hair down and bangs or front hairline showing. I cover my hair completely when I go outside, as well as when I pray.

I think mantilla's are very pretty, it just would not be appropriate to enter a Mosque wearing one. I enjoyed trying on my roommates mantilla, and she enjoyed trying on my hijab.

[Pani]

Melanie, how long is your hair? Do you not feel comfortable wearing it down with your Mantilla Veil?