Cool idea!!!

[Hollyfire3]

So, i have found that maybe even bad stuff can result in a great idea. For the past 6 months, my hair has been a constant battle in my attempts to rebalacne the moisture protein issue i myself created over the summer in an attempt to moisturize, and smooth. On a bad day, my hair is crunchy and disgusting, one a bad week, this goes on to get progressivly worse until i have something resembling a barely wave, condensed and no volume brillo pad...fun, i know, and hard to fix but so easy to set off with the wrong product (blow dry gel i had used to dry my hair faster ONE night, thats what did it this time). Here's the good part, i was sitting around, contemplating my ruined hair and thought....what if it breaks off? What if my hair suddenly stays condensed and what if it is thinner now because of all i have done to it?! (i normally have thick, wavy hair, but it was just disgusting the day i was imagining these horrific things) then, when i was putting it into a loop (you know, a ponytail not pulled through all the way) i had this idea, what if someone had really really long (at least WL of longer) but basically thinner hair and they wanted a thicker braid with all that length? Couldn't they just make a knot like i described above, then treat it as a ponytail and braid the hair? The hair would be double the thickness and the braid would look sooooo cool! Is this a good idea for a hairstyle, would it even work? Can someone with either REALLY long hair or long, thinner hair, please try it out? oh, and post pics please. I would try it on my own hair because i think it is an awsome idea but my hair is not thin, even with my recent protein issues, and it is certainly not long enough, so i need some volunteers! Sorry for the long rant up top, i just wanted to give some background. Now, braid away!:D

[white.chocolate]

I don't really understand the style. Do you want a knot first to make a single ponytail, and then braid it afterwards? Or something else?

[Torrin Paige]

I'm picking up what you're putting down. Lemme take a stab at it, back in a bit.

[Madora]

Hollyfire3, do you mean something like this:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6554&pictureid=87267

[Hollyfire3]

I don't really understand the style. Do you want a knot first to make a single ponytail, and then braid it afterwards? Or something else?

You take a ponytail holder and put in on your hair, then wrap it once, pull the hair though halfway and leave it so it forms a loop (once through is enough for me, maybe more for someone else, if this is the case, simply wrap the ponytail holder more times before pulling the hair halfway through) Then you section the doubled up hair out into three pieces and make a simple braid. It is a bit confusing and will not work unless you have super long hair or WL or longer but thinner hair.

[Hollyfire3]

Hollyfire3, do you mean something like this:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6554&pictureid=87267


Yes yes! Kinda...only instead of braiding the hair before you loop, you loop then divide the hair into three pieces and braid. But that picture is so beautiful, you hair is seriously amazing!

[sazzie88]

Madora that looks very good!

[Madora]

Yes yes! Kinda...only instead of braiding the hair before you loop, you loop then divide the hair into three pieces and braid.

Oh, now I understand, Hollyfire3.

After you divide the hair in 3 pieces, then you'd need to braid loosely to imitate thicker hair (if your hair is thin). You might also want to reserve a thin bit of hair to wrap around the ponytail base before you begin the style.

@Sazzie88...Thanks!

[Hollyfire3]

I'm picking up what you're putting down. Lemme take a stab at it, back in a bit.


Anxiously awaiting the results!:D

[white.chocolate]

Hollyfire3, do you mean something like this:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6554&pictureid=87267

Beautiful!!

I think I'm going to have a pass on this one. I can't seem to follow... Sorry. I can't wait to see what Torrin Paige will do.

[Hollyfire3]

Beautiful!!

I think I'm going to have a pass on this one. I can't seem to follow... Sorry. I can't wait to see what Torrin Paige will do.



Its ok, maybe after someone posts a pic you will understand better, some of us are just more visual like that.

[white.chocolate]

OK, I get it now! I just tried it, and I think you need at least hip length hair to do it, I believe, also because you need a bit of tail, as Madora had suggested. Waist length probably. But there was a problem. Because of the loop I made, dividing it into 3 sections wasn't like doing a normal braid at all. I braided, and there was a sort of tangle below from what the braid did. Hope I understood that right? If I got it right, then I can say that it's probably best to do 3 loops, and then braid from there.

[Torrin Paige]

Okay I'm back. So this is what I think you meant:

Step 1: Do the pony, leaving the last bit not pulled all the way through:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects010.jpg

Step 2: Pin the tail around the top so it's not sticking out:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects012.jpg

Step 3: Braid - I will note that separating this into three sections was tough. Looped hair does not want to cooperate at all:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects013.jpg
As you can see, it's not very pretty. Also? I realize that I have thick hair anyway, but there really isn't any noticeable difference in my normal thickness of braid and this.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects016.jpg

Step 4: Take down. OMG, tangle-riffic!
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects018.jpg

So, I think this was a good idea on paper - but in practice? There is simply not enough difference in the thickness of the braid to warrant the tangled mess you get from take-down. Good idea, Hollyfire, but it's kind of a no-go for results. :(

P.S. I did re-size these pics in photobucket, but for some reason it always posts huge and then later goes down to a smaller size - so the pics will not be so huge in a short amount of time.

[Nevvie]

I think I know what you're talking about and if so I actually did do that to my boyfriend's hair a few years ago while he was going through a long interview process (it made his hair look shorter, which was the goal). He has fairly thin hair that was mid back or so at the time, and when it was folded and braided it was barely shoulder length. There were a couple problems with it though. One was tucking the ends (the actual hair ends that are looped up by the neck) so they didn't poke out and look odd. That required a bit of product and a couple bobby pins to tuck it up into the hair and make them stay. The other was the end of the braid. Since the hair was folded over the end of the braid below the pony looked odd. He had it tucked in his shirt collar so it wasn't a big deal. I tried doing the same on my hair (I think braiding and wrapping the hair ends around the top elastic would look nice for a woman, harder to pull off for a man) but my hair is too short for my thickness yet, it just looked lumpy and weird. I just do a regular tucked braid (braid as normal and tuck the end up into the hair) secured with a flexi instead. Same general look and much easier (plus it doesn't have the awkward loopy braid end). I never took pictures of my boyfriends when he had it but I'll be interested to see other's attempts to see if we're talking about the same thing.


Edit: I see some pics were posted as I was typing. Yup, same thing. It does work much better on thinner hair (bf's pony is only a bit thicker than my thumb) but it still wasn't a very pretty or manageable do.

[Hollyfire3]

Okay I'm back. So this is what I think you meant:

Step 1: Do the pony, leaving the last bit not pulled all the way through:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects010.jpg

Step 2: Pin the tail around the top so it's not sticking out:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects012.jpg

Step 3: Braid - I will note that separating this into three sections was tough. Looped hair does not want to cooperate at all:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects013.jpg
As you can see, it's not very pretty. Also? I realize that I have thick hair anyway, but there really isn't any noticeable difference in my normal thickness of braid and this.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects016.jpg

Step 4: Take down. OMG, tangle-riffic!
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h278/torrinpaige/Hairprojects018.jpg

So, I think this was a good idea on paper - but in practice? There is simply not enough difference in the thickness of the braid to warrant the tangled mess you get from take-down. Good idea, Hollyfire, but it's kind of a no-go for results. :(

P.S. I did re-size this pics in photobucket, but for some reason it always posts huge and then later goes down to a smaller size - so the pics will not be so huge in a short amount of time.


Oh, well, i tried:(, thanks for attempting and seeing if my idea actually worked. Your hair is GORGEOUS BTW!!! but, if the thickness is not noticiably different than typical braids, your right, it just isnt worth it for people looking to thicken up thier braid...but, it COULD be an intresting idea to make hair look shorter...i might just see about this...oh how i wish my hair was longer to make it work...sorry about the tangles you got when you took your hair down...again, i tried.:D

[Hollyfire3]

I think I know what you're talking about and if so I actually did do that to my boyfriend's hair a few years ago while he was going through a long interview process (it made his hair look shorter, which was the goal). He has fairly thin hair that was mid back or so at the time, and when it was folded and braided it was barely shoulder length. There were a couple problems with it though. One was tucking the ends (the actual hair ends that are looped up by the neck) so they didn't poke out and look odd. That required a bit of product and a couple bobby pins to tuck it up into the hair and make them stay. The other was the end of the braid. Since the hair was folded over the end of the braid below the pony looked odd. He had it tucked in his shirt collar so it wasn't a big deal. I tried doing the same on my hair (I think braiding and wrapping the hair ends around the top elastic would look nice for a woman, harder to pull off for a man) but my hair is too short for my thickness yet, it just looked lumpy and weird. I just do a regular tucked braid (braid as normal and tuck the end up into the hair) secured with a flexi instead. Same general look and much easier (plus it doesn't have the awkward loopy braid end). I never took pictures of my boyfriends when he had it but I'll be interested to see other's attempts to see if we're talking about the same thing.


Ok, yeah that hairstyle you do for yourself sounds better, especially for thick hair, i could never get my hair to do the style i am saying, even at BSL, it would just be lumpy wierdness, like you said. Well, the idea was still cool.lol

[white.chocolate]

I forgot to mention the tangles later! Torrin Paige, thanks for trying it out and posting so fast!

[Torrin Paige]

Oh, well, i tried:(, thanks for attempting and seeing if my idea actually worked. Your hair is GORGEOUS BTW!!! but, if the thickness is not noticiably different than typical braids, your right, it just isnt worth it for people looking to thicken up thier braid...but, it COULD be an intresting idea to make hair look shorter...i might just see about this...oh how i wish my hair was longer to make it work...sorry about the tangles you got when you took your hair down...again, i tried.:D

Oh, girl, if you saw some of the results I've gotten from ideas in my head - OMG some of them have been utterly frightful. Like I said, I think this was a good idea on paper - otherwise I wouldn't even have taken a stab at it. I didn't expect it to be a problem and was surprised at how difficult it was to separate the loops - my hair is overall pretty co-operative with me when I attempt to make it do something. It's just one of those things that you don't know how it will work until you try it. And no worries about the tangles - that's what they make the Tangle Teazer for - they came right out, no problem. Don't give up on imagining hairstyles, for every idea that doesn't work, you'll have two that do. At least, I've found that to be the case. :)

[Long_hair_bear]

Lol ok so I know I shouldn't laugh at this but LMAO at Torrins face in the tangle picture! :laugh: Damn, that would suck with so much hair!

[vatikagirl]

I do agree some idea seem so good on paper and then they come out a tangled mess. Nevertheless keep up your creative spirit, now this idea has lead into some other idea in my head. LOL. See girl you infected me:rolleyes::eyebrows::eyebrows:

[raveness13]

Cool idea, but sometimes ideas just don't work. Haven't we all gotten crazy hairstyle ideas that don't work? :eyebrows:

[Hollyfire3]

Oh, girl, if you saw some of the results I've gotten from ideas in my head - OMG some of them have been utterly frightful. Like I said, I think this was a good idea on paper - otherwise I wouldn't even have taken a stab at it. I didn't expect it to be a problem and was surprised at how difficult it was to separate the loops - my hair is overall pretty co-operative with me when I attempt to make it do something. It's just one of those things that you don't know how it will work until you try it. And no worries about the tangles - that's what they make the Tangle Teazer for - they came right out, no problem. Don't give up on imagining hairstyles, for every idea that doesn't work, you'll have two that do. At least, I've found that to be the case. :)


Very inspirational, i shall keep trying!:D Never give up, especially on hair! Thanks for thinking my idea was at least worth trying, i feel sooo loved! Lol, i have been thinking of getting a tangle teezer...another vote for yes! Lol if i DO come up with a good, new idea that my hair is just too short to do, i will request you try it...do you mind?

[Freckled.Thing]

Haha. This occurred to me a while ago but I pretty much predicted the result. I still would have tried it myself though, if my hair was longer.

[AngryVikingGirl]

What about modifying the style a little? I just thought that if you didn't pull the hair to its end in the elastic - but leave the length of the loop and the end of the hair to be equal - do you get it? Then you could braid the end and the two sections of the loop (which are given). This way it would be definitely thicker and easier to braid and maybe would look neater as well. My hair is damp at the moment and I don't want to braid it, but anyone interested?

[PixxieStix]

You know, I wonder if you could do three nape ponytails instead of one, that way they would already be separated and not as tangled? The braid would be thicker then without the headache of detangling (as much?) afterwards?

[AngryVikingGirl]

You know, I wonder if you could do three nape ponytails instead of one, that way they would already be separated and not as tangled? The braid would be thicker then without the headache of detangling (as much?) afterwards?

Wouldn't that be a bit too thick? If I get you...that would be six times the original thickness...Hollyfire3's one would be twice...mine would be three times... :confused:

[jacqueline101]

Its beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

[Torrin Paige]

Very inspirational, i shall keep trying!:D Never give up, especially on hair! Thanks for thinking my idea was at least worth trying, i feel sooo loved! Lol, i have been thinking of getting a tangle teezer...another vote for yes! Lol if i DO come up with a good, new idea that my hair is just too short to do, i will request you try it...do you mind?

Definitely! I can never have too many hair ideas. I'm always willing to try things out. Oh, and, if you get yourself a nice hefty scarf (still silk or something similar, of course, wool wouldn't feel too nice in one's hair I think) you can use either both ends as one strand in your braid, or each end as a strand to thicken up your braid a bit and add some lovely color. I use ribbon a lot (because I surely don't need more thickness...lol) but I've used scarves on my fine haired friend, Julia, with great results.

[Hollyfire3]

Definitely! I can never have too many hair ideas. I'm always willing to try things out. Oh, and, if you get yourself a nice hefty scarf (still silk or something similar, of course, wool wouldn't feel too nice in one's hair I think) you can use either both ends as one strand in your braid, or each end as a strand to thicken up your braid a bit and add some lovely color. I use ribbon a lot (because I surely don't need more thickness...lol) but I've used scarves on my fine haired friend, Julia, with great results.


Tehe, i think the scarf trick sounds awsome! But honestly, i do not need any more thickness on my braid lol, i was just thinking about what i would do to my hair if it was much thinner, that is how the idea came about...me thinking about all this stuff thinning out my hair and how i COULD deal with it lol oh isnt paranoia wonderful.:D I've used ribbons, they look great, especially if you wrap them around the last half of your braid, (in a Chris-crossed pattern) then tie it into the tassle, it containts my thick braid nicely and would for you too, with all that hair!

[Jessica Trapp]

Torin, the look on your face with the tangles looks like mine when I sleep without my cap. :P