Is there a way to put braids in that aren't visible?

[Kricket]

Weird question, I know, but I have to have my hair bunned for the job I'm taking after I graduate and it doesn't allow visible braids, which is how I keep most of my thick hair anchored.

So is there a way to put braids in that aren't so.... visible?

[fridgee]

Can you do a braided bun? Or is even that not allowed?

[Aliped]

I guess you could keep a section of hair out of the braid, to wrap around and cover the braided bun.

Or you could do a rose bun with rope braids - no one ever guesses that a rose bun is a braided bun (off LHC).

[Amazinggrace]

I would do a braided bun, keeping out a section to wrap around the bun. Once you have the braided bun in palce wrap the loose sectin around it and secure with pins. It will look like a "normal" bun but have the hold of the braid.

If you haven't been doing it, making the bun when your hair is wet, and securing with amish pins may help it hold without the braid.

Otherwise, I would do a sock bun. If you have really thick hair that may be a larger bun then you want though.

[Madora]

Weird question, I know, but I have to have my hair bunned for the job I'm taking after I graduate and it doesn't allow visible braids, which is how I keep most of my thick hair anchored.

So is there a way to put braids in that aren't so.... visible?

Could you do a partial French Dutch braid..i.e. French Dutch braid down the back of your head so that two or so "ridges" appear on the back of your head, then divide the remaining hair so that you have two sections. Twist one section over the other down to the ends, and pin the resulting coil in a bun?

[Anje]

In my extraordinarily limited experience, places that forbid "braided" hair are usually referring to cornrows rather than normal braids. You might want to verify this. (Personally, I think this is a rather racist policy, but that's a whole separate thread.) Your braided buns might be perfectly acceptable.

I'll second rose buns as a good option for a bun that doesn't look braided. Also, if your length data is accurate, you might find you get a better hold with two buns than with one, or with the top half of your hair bunned, then the bottom half wrapped around that bun. Splitting thick hair up like that can make it more bun-able than it is all as one mass.

[white.chocolate]

Do you mean that you CAN braid your hair but the tail musn't show? Or do you mean that you CAN'T (it's not allowed) braid your hair in any way but you want to?

I'm assuming the first option. As many here had already said, I suggest you go for the braided bun. It's very simple to do, yet it looks elegant. You can simply tuck the tail in with U pins and they won't show.
Did I miss another point?

[katsrevenge]

I'm not even sure that is legal. I do know of at least a few cases in the states of companies that had those policies were taken to court and lost.. and had to pay up.

Anyways. I guess you could cover it up with a headband, hair cover or snood type thing.

[manderly]

I'm with Anje on this one. Can't imagine why a braid would be against rules, and I know that "braids" often associated with "ethnic minorities" is probably what they were describing. Either way, wrong and probably illegal.

I would get clarification and maybe discuss why this requirement is dangerous ground to your HR.

[jacqueline101]

I would do a regular bun.

[FrozenBritannia]

Weird question, I know, but I have to have my hair bunned for the job I'm taking after I graduate and it doesn't allow visible braids, which is how I keep most of my thick hair anchored.

So is there a way to put braids in that aren't so.... visible?

Do rope braids. They don't look like a braid. Wrap them around into a bun, or do several into a bun. I would find out what it is about the braid that isn't allowed though. Is it that most braids hang down and they want the hair up?

[Orangerthanred]

I think it's crazy that braids aren't allowed, you could just do a bun.

[Gingerbear]

I would think a classic braided bun would be fine. My guess is they want employees to be neat and well groomed. For example, in my office I have a "no jeans" policy but every once in a while one of my employees will wear a super cute pair of dark denim jeans that look like slacks and I just let it slide because she still looks professional. If you're really worried about it, why don't you just ask your supervisor?

[Panth]

I would get clarification and maybe discuss why this requirement is dangerous ground to your HR.

First part, definitely. (Even better, have a meeting before your first day and wear your usual hairstyle and directly ask "would this be ok for work". If you can't do that, perhaps you could photo the hairstyle (on you - in a normal pose, not an LHC pose that focuses on the bun massively) and email that and ask would it be ok).

However, I really wouldn't take the second part of Manderly's advice. Jobs are few and far between right now. Last thing you need is to be marked as a troublemaker or, worse, 'fired' before you even start.

[manderly]

However, I really wouldn't take the second part of Manderly's advice. Jobs are few and far between right now. Last thing you need is to be marked as a troublemaker or, worse, 'fired' before you even start.

A good point I did not consider.

[Gvnagitlvgei]

Oh dear, plaits aren't neat and professional?

[Kricket]

Thanks everyone for the comments!

I should have just come out and said it -- I'm in the military, so regulation strictly determines what I can an cannot do with my hair.

The jist of regulation:
** No portion of the bulk of the hair, as measured from the scalp, will exceed approximately 2 inches (except a bun, which may extend a maximum of 3 inches from the scalp) and no wider than the width of the head.
** Multiple braids may be worn, but be uniform dimension, small in diameter (approx. 1/4 inch), show no more than 1/8 of an inch of scalp between the braids and must be tightly interwoven to present a neat, professional, well groomed
appearance.


I'm trying not to cut my hair if I don't have to, but I may not have a choice.

So the clarify some of the comments, I can do a braided bun, but it's more comfortable if I do two french braids and then coil them into a bun (better anchor, same size end bun, and it lasts the hours I need from 5am-7pm without retouches usually). The issue is I can't have the two french braids showing, those are out of regulation. That's why I was asking about "invisible braids."

Wonky request, but if anyone else has a suggestion with the new information?

(And thanks so much guys! And Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!)

[ravenreed]

One problem with what they are requiring here is that some folks who wear tight braids all the time get traction alopecia and show more scalp than that. They have no choice. I can see that requirement causing them trouble at some point. I am not understanding the rest of the regulations.


Thanks everyone for the comments!

I should have just come out and said it -- I'm in the military, so regulation strictly determines what I can an cannot do with my hair.

The jist of regulation:
** No portion of the bulk of the hair, as measured from the scalp, will exceed approximately 2 inches (except a bun, which may extend a maximum of 3 inches from the scalp) and no wider than the width of the head.
** Multiple braids may be worn, but be uniform dimension, small in diameter (approx. 1/4 inch), show no more than 1/8 of an inch of scalp between the braids and must be tightly interwoven to present a neat, professional, well groomed
appearance.


I'm trying not to cut my hair if I don't have to, but I may not have a choice.

So the clarify some of the comments, I can do a braided bun, but it's more comfortable if I do two french braids and then coil them into a bun (better anchor, same size end bun, and it lasts the hours I need from 5am-7pm without retouches usually). The issue is I can't have the two french braids showing, those are out of regulation. That's why I was asking about "invisible braids."

Wonky request, but if anyone else has a suggestion with the new information?

(And thanks so much guys! And Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!)

[white.chocolate]

The military bun comes to my mind after I had read your new post.

[rusika1]

What about a single french braid that starts a little further back on your head, with a little aloe vera gel to anchor any wispies down?

I know when I bun my french braided hair it stays anchored but covers up the 'french' portion. (And my hair is only i/ii)

Ravenreed, I don't think the military really cares about traction alopecia; that they allow multiple braids at all is sort of surprising and a giant step toward accommodation. I'm assuming the standard issue sock bun will be too large on you? (Maybe if you start with a little tiny kid's sock?;))

[Magdalene]

Would twists (either a two strand or a simple rolled twist into your bun) be allowed? It seems like I've seen pictures of military personnel wearing twists but it could have been on tv which isn't the most accurate.

[Chromis]

I wore a sock bun when I was in the military much of the time or one of those whirl-a-bun contraptions. Before I discovered those I made a bun, securing it with a black hair elastic and *lots* of bobbypins or I made a folded braid, again, held in place with *lots* of bobbypins. It seemed I could never have enough of them. For PT I usually made a folded braid. Braid upwards so that it is neat when you flip it. Pin, pin, pin, fold it at the top, pin some more and fold again if needed, pinning yet more. It is much faster than it sounds. My hair was not yet knee length then, but is was a bit past classic by the time I got out.

Magdalene - You can do a twist, but it cannot interfere with your headgear. For the plain cloth caps this is fine, you can just go up in size, but it gets trickier with a beret or a Kevlar helmet.

[Narya]

And what about a braided bun like this one (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=86986)?

If your hair is shorter and thicker (as I seem to understand) you could do just "half" or do the dutch braided part smaller to be able to round it all.

[Kricket]

Hello again.

Quick note about cornrows, most of the women I know who get microbraids get a weave done of braids instead of cornrows -- which is treated like normal hair. It's less stressful on the scalp and needs less maintenance to keep looking polished.

Rusika1 you're right about sock buns. I stopped using sock buns once my hair was shoulder length -- they don't stay anchored and slide, and at shoulder length with a full rolled sock there was too much extra hair to wrap around the base. (As for a small sock, I have a hard enough time getting my hair to bend around a big one!) I looked into a rolled sock bun where you don't have the tricky ends, but my hair won't stay put. Socks are also incompatible with field time, it won't stay clean.

I will have to see if putting a French farther back will work.

Magdalene, I can't figure out how to get a French twist to stay in my hair now that it's past shoulder length and a twist with my thickness of hair if folded and pinned puts me out of regulation again because it is more than three inches off my scalp. :(

Chromis do you mind me asking what branch you served in/how long/etc? And also if you could elaborate on a folded braid? My hair is between waist and hip length right now and it's very thick, so the issue becomes the thickness of such a braid would be able to be under 3 inches in thickness.

Narya that is gorgeous. I wouldn't be able to do that exact profile because it would interfere with my headgear, but I've done something like that before with two French braids that I loved -- and that's actually what I'm trying to recreate since it was so stable in a way that is within the regulations.


I might just have to suck it up... Or become a slight hair deviant. :p But regardless, thank you all ladies for your input!!!

[Chromis]

I was six years active ARNG.

I don't have any pictures using pins for this style, but imagine it minus the Ficcare:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3483/3991321593_1163bfa43e.jpg
It works great under a patrol cap, and I was able to use it with Kevlar too, but it did not work for those stupid berets.

For the issue of too much hair to wrap around a sock bun, I did a variant called a kitty bun. It's just a single braid wrapped around the base:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2073/2205055589_0512d8d99b.jpg

More often I used a whirl-a-bun though, which worked well until about tailbone, when I switched to the kitty bun. That makes a bun like this:
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/58/202773810_f285ac8704.jpg
I think I found both of mine at Claire's. I have used two different styles:
http://www.amazon.com/Whirl-A-Style/dp/B003E6JU5S
http://www.amazon.com/Amaranth-Twist-Holder-Clip-Braid/dp/B0055MYJ0U/ref=pd_sbs_a_3
They are a very popular option and pretty much foolproof. The first one might be better for thick hair, but the second was easier at your current length for me. They are normally very cheap though, so I would pick them both up and see which you like better. Field friendly.

[Ava666]

My older sister is in the army and how she does her hair is a french braid and then she puts it in a bun. I will ask her what else she does, and if she has any other styles that might work for you.

[Anywhere]

Could you do a tucked french braid?

[BlazingHeart]

Twists are not the same as a French twist. I suppose they are a bit like a French rope braid. Might be something you can get away with. To make twists, you start with hair at the front of your head. Twist twice, then add in the section behind your starter section. Twist once, add the next section, and continue like that until you have all your hair in. Then you can bun the tail. 2 or more twists is the norm. With thick hair, I would start with 4-6 and maybe do something like a vortex bun with the tails.

I was going to suggest rolls, which are a similar idea but different execution. You start above your ear and work towards the center back of your head, same method as twists.

[Dragon Faery]

I saw a video on YouTube of someone (a dancer with red, curly hair) doing a cinnamon bun with three tails instead of one. She started with a ponytail, took a third of her hair, twisted for several inches, pinned part way around the base, let it hang, took a second section, twisted and pinned around the first, took the last third and did the same. Then she picked up the first again and continued. It gave a radiating spiral effect, but was close to the head and secure because of all the pins and the fact that her thickness was divided into multiple twists.

I can't find the video from my phone, but I had searched something along the lines of "long curly hair" ... The poster's name might have been Cinnamon Curls. Her demonstration was very easy to follow.

Good luck!

[Ava666]

Ok, sent question to my sister. here is exactly what I asked, " I have a question, for someone else... how do you do your hair for army stuff? she wants to know if her hairstyle would work ( 2 french braids then wrapped into a bun) and one of your pics (the one of sitting at the desk) it looks to me like you have 2 braids, maybe..."

And her response "I have 2 french braids, that I band together twice, then sorta flip up & bobby pin to my head. Yes, french beaus & then bunned is perfectly acceptable, so long as the bun stays off her collar & there's no hair in her face"

hope this helps.

[piffyanne]

It's really strange to see the way hair regulations have changed since WWI and WWII when women were first in the Armed Forces. The "Victory Rolls" were really in, and the only real regulations I've found dealt with how couldn't be TOOO big, and it couldn't touch the collar (women just tilted their heads forward slightly for inspection, if they wanted to get away with bigger hair!) although it should be neat and attractive. The makeup regulations were adamant that a woman should have carefully applied (RED for Marines) lipstick, and otherwise made herself as feminine (read: other makeup) as possible. Girdles were regulation, and a woman might get in trouble if she took her uniform to the dry cleaner's, because there were regulations for where the ironing folds should be. Basically, a woman in the military had to look like a woman, and the women it affected loved the results, from the memoirs I've read.

Contrast that to "no braids. No this. No that. Conservative makeup. Blah blah blech" and I'm sad for the way they seem to have tried to incorporate women into the military by desexing them (I reenact, and keeping within the 40's regulations isn't hard, and it feels great to look so put-together!).

Ok. Off my soapbox, time for the post.

Have you tried the Nautilus bun? I have a hard time holding normal buns up, but this one stays on its own! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS-BQ5OMV2Y You could try bobbypinning it into submission (if you're in the military as I imagined you were, jaw-clips and hairsticks might be taboo. Check before you try those). Also, you might be able to find a hair fork small enough you can hide it IN the bun and wrap around it with the extra tail of your hair, to hide the top and bottom?

My normal buns are huge, and the Nautilus really compresses, so your thick hair might not be as much of an issue bun-size-wise. (When I wore this the last week of school, one of my teachers asked if I'd cut my hair! It really does get smaller.)

Hope this works for you!

[Tabihito]

The aforementioned "kitty bun" should be fine. I've seen officers in both the AF and Army wearing it. Also, a simple braided bun should be acceptable, especially if you have extremely thick hair such that the individual strands don't look like a braid when all is said and done.

Have you already been through Basic? And if so, how did you do your hair then? All of my observations are based off of the few female officers we have around the ROTC programs here, along with the one enlisted woman in the AF, so my perspective is a little skewed. They're all active duty though, so they should be up to standards.

[papillion]

I saw a video on YouTube of someone (a dancer with red, curly hair) doing a cinnamon bun with three tails instead of one. She started with a ponytail, took a third of her hair, twisted for several inches, pinned part way around the base, let it hang, took a second section, twisted and pinned around the first, took the last third and did the same. Then she picked up the first again and continued. It gave a radiating spiral effect, but was close to the head and secure because of all the pins and the fact that her thickness was divided into multiple twists.

I can't find the video from my phone, but I had searched something along the lines of "long curly hair" ... The poster's name might have been Cinnamon Curls. Her demonstration was very easy to follow.

Good luck!

That sounds like the Vortex Bun to me - http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=627654&postcount=40
Videos are http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRhVn1n8gpM and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSf1vv8oB6g

[Magdalene]

I meant this (http://www.glamour.com/beauty/blogs/girls-in-the-beauty-department/1115-gwen-stefani-twist-hairstyle-side2_bd.jpg)sort of thing, not a french twist, sorry for the confusion

Also, what about a ballet bun (make your bun, double a hairnet over it, pin pin pin) it tends to make a very flat, no wispy bun. I also was going to suggest one french braid either tucked or into a bun.

[Ceylyn]

((Yay, my first post!))

I was actually looking in to military hair regulations today, since I am currently (see: Possible temporary interest) looking at maybe joining the Army, and wanted to make sure that I could keep my long hair.
Best I could find on the regulations: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/army/a/armygrooming_3.htm

Or for those who don't want to click, it looks like the relevant portion is this:


Females will ensure their hair is neatly groomed, that the length and bulk of the hair are not excessive, and that the hair does not present a ragged, unkempt, or extreme appearance. Likewise, trendy styles that result in shaved portions of the scalp (other than the neckline) or designs cut into the hair are prohibited. Females may wear braids and cornrows as long as the braided style is conservative, the braids and cornrows lie snugly on the head, and any hairholding devices comply with the standards below. Dreadlocks (unkempt, twisted, matted individual parts of hair) are prohibited in uniform or in civilian clothes on duty. Hair will not fall over the eyebrows or extend below the bottom edge of the collar at any time during normal activity or when standing in formation. Long hair that falls naturally below the bottom edge of the collar, to include braids, will be neatly and inconspicuously fastened or pinned, so no free-hanging hair is visible. This includes styles worn with the physical fitness uniform/improved physical fitness uniform (PFU/IPFU).

Styles that are lopsided or distinctly unbalanced are prohibited. Ponytails, pigtails, or braids that are not secured to the head (allowing hair to hang freely), widely spaced individual hanging locks, and other extreme styles that protrude from the head are prohibited. Extensions, weaves, wigs, and hairpieces are authorized; however, these additions must have the same general appearance as the individual’s natural hair. Additionally, any wigs, extensions, hairpieces, or weaves must comply with the grooming policies set forth in this paragraph.

So essentially: Braids are fine as long as you bun them up and, as others have said in this thread, don't stick out more than 3 inches.

Also, my landlady/fiancee's aunt was in the army back during the Vietnam war, and she did fine with hip-length hair. As she tells it, she could just get another female trainee or two to braid her hair in a pair of french braids, and then pin them up in a bun - as long as she wasn't lopsided or had bits falling out, they were fine with it. She says herself that she looked a little goofy, but it was acceptable.

[LaceyNg]

i remember in basic training there were signs in the female bathrooms on correct and incorrect hairstyles, and cornrows were acceptable, so long as the hair fit under the headgear. having said that, some of the drill sergeants were picky and still wouldnt allow females to wear cornrows, but i imagine that after basic the ACTUAL rules are followed, not just what a DS feels like that day, you know?

[Natalia]

i agree with the rose bun if acceptable i dont know if it will fly or what your hair color is but maybe a matching bun cover? say if you have black hair a black crochet one so its thin and hide the texture of the braid. long shot i know but worth mentioning.

[Tisiloves]

Could you try chopandchange's faux French Braid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kOyGD_KOoA&feature=plcp)as a base?
I'm sure with some spin pins and maybe a hairnet it should hold neat and steady (I am a massive fan of hairnets/buncovers, they used to save me so many appearence demerits).

[LaceyNg]

Could you try chopandchange's faux French Braid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kOyGD_KOoA&feature=plcp)as a base?
I'm sure with some spin pins and maybe a hairnet it should hold neat and steady (I am a massive fan of hairnets/buncovers, they used to save me so many appearence demerits).

thanks so much for posting this, Tisiloves! i'm a huge fan of torrinpage's hair tutorials, but somehow i'd missed this one, and it's great!!! :)