Possibly silly question about braided buns...

[jenjen10]

How do you do them? Do you start out with your hair in a ponytail and then braid that? or is there a way to do it without the ponytail? I tried flipping my head over and braiding it that way but there is no way I would get it to look nice (it was very loose on my head). :confused:

[DancingQueen]

I found this tutorial a few days ago. She just start the braid high up without ponytail, so I guess you don't have to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXw7Tyy70jY&feature=channel_video_title

[Shesta]

I make the braid without a ponytail holder, at the nape of my neck and then swirl it into the bun of choice. I've found if the braid is looser it's easier to bun it and it looks better.

[ylime]

I tend to make the pony then braid and make it into a bun- using a clear elastic and the tip of the braid :)

[Zesty]

I gather my hair like I'm going to make a mid-height ponytail (as I do for most of my buns), but then I just English braid it at that level. When it's done I tie it off with a cloth ponytail holder and make the bun as usual. It's not too hard, and the coiling/twisting for the bun always resolves any loose spots for me.

[bna_rapunzel]

My hair is very fine and slippery, so I dutch braid my hair, then bun it. Wwhether I use sticks or spin spins, the braid attached to my head gives the pins/sticks something to hold onto without pulling any hairs. This is my go to style for every single day, I wear it for at least 10 hours a day without fail. The single english braid just doesn't cut it for me... I need a little more for my hair toys to hold on to. Good luck in figuring out what works best for you. I'll be posting pics very soon... I'm just waiting on a mini milestone.. :D

[heidihug]

I can't do a braided bun without putting it into an ponytail with an elastic first - unless it is a very low bun. Which really doesn't look good on me (draws my face down in a very "old-ladyish" way). I have fine, slippery-ish hair, and too much length to be able to braid high and keep it high without fastening it up there first. I imagine that someone with shorter, thicker hair may not have as much of a problem...?

[Madora]

How do you do them? Do you start out with your hair in a ponytail and then braid that? or is there a way to do it without the ponytail? I tried flipping my head over and braiding it that way but there is no way I would get it to look nice (it was very loose on my head). :confused:

It is easier to create braided buns if your hair is longer, but you might be able to do the following:

Small double braid bun:

1 Detangle your hair thoroughly with a wide tooth comb and then comb it back into a ponytail. Use a hair friendly elastic.

Comb out the ponytail so that it is smooth. Take a small section of hair and wind it around the ponytail base to hide it. Use small crimped hairpins to pin it in place around the base.

Divide the ponytail in two sections.

Loosely braid each section. The braids should be flexible which makes the style more doable.

Take one finished braid and bring it up to the RIGHT and around the ponytail base, pinning with hairpins as you go (insert the hairpin on the outter edge of the braid, then weave the pin in an up/down motion thru the base. It helps if you can "catch" a tiny bit of the scalp hair when you begin weaving the pin).

Repeat with the other braid, except bring it up to the LEFT and around the coiled braid already made.

Voila, a double braided bun.

Variations: a double twisted bun using hair twists. Or the cinnamon bun, using two coils of hair that have been twisted (in one direction).

Braided French Surround:

1 Make a Dutch French braid down the center of your head to the nape. Tie off with a fabric elastic (which will be removed later)

2 Comb out remaining hair so that it is smooth and divide in two sections.

3 Loosely braid each section. Remove the elastic band at the nape.

4 Take one braid and bring it up to the right, so that it is placed right next to the outter edge of the Dutch French braid. Use crimped hairpins to secure the small braid to the french braid. Tuck the tassle under the french braid.

5 Repeat with the other small braid, bringing it up to the LEFT, next to the outter edge of the Dutch French braid. Tuck tassle under the Dutch French Braid.

When your hair is longer, you can omit the elastics completely when doing these styles.

Later on you can also try a Cameo Bun (a cinnamon bun surrounded by a 3 strand braid) or a vortex bun.

The thing to remember is that if you section your hair, many buns are much easier to do and more comfortable to wear.

If you ponytail that bun, be sure not to ponytail too tightly!

Good luck!

[Emerald88]

If you are just staring to learn, I think it is very helpful to do a ponytail first. It also seems to make the bun neater and more secure. I just braid it, wrap it and secure it.

[akka naeda]

I do a plait, low on my head at the nape of my neck. Then it gets folded and twisted however I want it.
DD does the same with her hair, which is nearer in length to yours.

There's no way I can put my hair into a ponytail to plait it without an elastic - it won't stay that high on my head, but with an elastic it pulls too much so I have no option but to do a low plait.

[jenjen10]

I gather my hair like I'm going to make a mid-height ponytail (as I do for most of my buns), but then I just English braid it at that level. When it's done I tie it off with a cloth ponytail holder and make the bun as usual. It's not too hard, and the coiling/twisting for the bun always resolves any loose spots for me.

You lost me after the gathering the hair at mid-height level... how do you braid it while keeping it there (I need both hands to braid!)? Sorry to make you dumb it down for me but I am inept at updo's sometimes! :rolleyes:

[heidi w.]

I always start most updos and braids by forming a ponytail. If you need, you can tie the ponytail off as an interim step til you master handling your hair without this step.

Then you can lean to one side, if relatively long, and braid.

I start braiding blindly on the back of my head, and then eventually lean to one side or the other to finish braiding. When I do this I kind of have to reverse my braiding to keep the pattern I've begun with.

Then I coil the bun up, pinning as I go, unless I am using a hair stick to hold the hair up. In days of yore I pinned using long pins, and in a braided bun, it's a bit harder to insert the pins for the tighter weave of hair, but I positions them essentially North/South/East/West, interlocking, and subsequent coils around I add in pins interlocking with what's already established, thereby creating a kind of interlocking network of pins, so it'll all hold all day long.

Take care to not overly pull braided hair too tight. Braiding is about thumbs and thumb placement to hold the former woven hair tight and yet continue braiding below that point. This is easier to demonstrate.

I do all my updos without looking in the mirror as I find that confusing, since it's in reverse.

If you don't know how to braid, practicing on a long-haired doll can help a lot.

heidi w.

[spidermom]

My easiest method is to do a French or Dutch braid down the back, hair tie at the end, then put a stick through my braid on the back of my head, then wind the rest of the braid around and around underneath the stick, tucking the very end under the bun against the head. Then I can use a second stick to pin the bun a bit more securely, or I can insert roller pins (long bobby pins) as I wind, then remove the first stick when I'm finished.

[QMacrocarpa]

You might find Dianyla's English Braid Technique (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/archive/showthread.php?t=23652) useful. I do this parting "upside-down" (I often have a center part I want to keep) so the part pattern on the back of my head is shaped kind of like an upside-down "Y" or the Mercedes-Benz emblem. I definitely notice my braided bun sitting higher when I use this technique. I don't use a starting elastic.

[jacqueline101]

I started growing my hair I could only wear a pony tail my hair was too thick and too short to braid so I graduated to a braid it was a pony tail braid. I am going to try braid my hair with out the pony tail. My hair has layers in it so I'm to work on a loose braid no pony tail.

[Panth]

There's two easy methods to make an english plait that is higher up the head, without using a ponytail holder.

1) Sit at a high backed chair. Gather hair into a low ponytail, then ease it up the head. While you do this, slump down the back of the chair - so, basically, the top of the chair back is always just below where you want the plait to be, supporting the weight of the hair. When you get high enough up your head, stop slumping any more, just stay as slumped as you are. Neaten the ponytail by brushing/combing it all back tidily. Start the plait, supporting it with the top of the chair. Once you get a few moves in, you can sit up normally as it will hold itself.

2) Comb your hair out. Lie across a bed, looking up at the ceiling. Wriggle until the point on your head where you want the plait to start is just off the edge of the bed (so, body on the bed, head/some of the head hanging off over the edge). Comb/brush your hair back neatly. Use the bed/gravity to support the hair into the correct place. Start plaiting. Once you get a few moves in, you can sit up normally.

EDIT:: For very long hair, the chair method is better as the bed method will leave your hair draping on the floor where it can pick up fluff, cat hair, dust bunnies, etc., etc. :p

[Ravenwind]

Since my hair is quite layered and not super long, I find it easier to put my hair in a ponytail first, braid it, bun it, and then secure it with a hair stick. :) only problem for me though is that it feels secure, but then my braid will come undone and fall out of the bun >.<

[Pierre]

I do one braid on each side, then bun each side. I start by holding the left hair in four slots of the right hand, then permute them to the left, then reduce them to three bundles of hair, then I braid down to the ends. I fold the end up and hold it with an XS or mini Flexi. Then I do the same on the right side. Then I fold each braid into a bun and hold it with a Flexi. Occasionally I put the two braids together and make one bun, but it doesn't hold as well, because there's not enough hair to hold it up. I have to put the Flexi in diagonally to hold one of these.

[melusine963]

I make mine without a ponytail, since I have such horrible memories of the ring of split ends I used to have back when I wore a ponytail every day. Granted, I was using evil hair elastics with metal joins, but I'd still rather not risk it. My hair tapers pretty dramatically, and now that it's so much longer than it's ever been before it would take forever to grow out any damage.

[bluesnowflake]

I tilt my head back when I start braiding so it starts higher on my head and my bun doesn't end up on the back of my neck, and then I coil it around as flat as I can get it and pin, tucking the end under.

[elbow chic]

I start by doing a very low french braid. Instead of starting the french braid way up on your crown, start it behind your head.

that makes it sit higher and stay in place better.