Curly girls! I am looking for up-dos that are loose, or incorporate curls?

[Egana]

For thick, curly hair, length and width often go hand in hand. Some days I like it big, but I am to the point where I normally cut my hair short. It is at a length that is "too big" to wear down long very often, doesn't fit in winter hats, blows all over as I walk to work, gets in my food when I eat, etc. But I don't like how it looks when I pin it up in tight up-do's.

So I am searching for loose, curly up-dos. I would love to see how other's manage their curls on the days when your hair is just "too big" to leave down.

here is my hair down and natural:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=9224&pictureid=120367

and here is one of my attempts at a loose, curly up-do:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=9225&pictureid=120857


sorry the photos are so big - I'll make them smaller next time...

any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated... *grin*