Updo help?

[Rocky]

With still being at school and walking to and from it everyday I need to figure out some updos that will work for my hair.
At the moment I turn to cinammon buns or french braids but I want to try some new things out.
Unfortunately I have some short layers somewhere between chin and shoulder length, which I am desperately trying to grow out (though oh so slowly) to reach waist length like the rest of my hair. My hair is quite fine but wavy and sometimes even curly and likes to frizz up a little bit. I CWC wash with a cone free conditioner and baby oil the ends of my hair.
I'm finding that both french braids and buns make me look quite harsh/sharp, not quite sure of the word I want to use :shrug: , making my big forehead look even more prominent, and don't look too good.
Any of you LHC-ers have some favourite updos or any tips that might work with my hair?
Any updos you like that aren't too errrrm strict? and that I could do reasonably quickly in the morning whilst half asleep?
Random advice is also welcome! :D
Thank you in advance,
Rocky

[Lostsoule77]

YOu could try to poof up the front a dot before doing the bun/braid. If you grab a small section of hair in the front just twist it a few inches back and push it forward until you get the poof size you want then pin it using two bobby pins in an x fashion. Then proceed to do your regular style. :)

[jacqueline101]

I'd do maybe some corn rows with the short pieces then try a twist with a claw clip.

[Yozhik]

French twists and flipped buns have a nice soft look I like. You could clip your shorter pieces up in a half-up beforehand.

Anything that begins with a half-up softens a look for me -- or the Ellingswoman bun -- that's a nice intricate one that I get a lot of comments on, and since it starts with a braided half-up, it should contain those shorter hairs.

What about side braids or, one of my favorite styles, the Gibson tuck?

Ooh, speaking of braids, you could also do braid headbands - a lace braid across your forehead, which would also help with the shorter pieces. :)

[Madora]

I don't know whether you'd consider this too prim, but it is fairly easy to do with shorter hair, and I've found that the looser you do the add ins, the more "poof-height" you can get:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPHEzUr5bWQ

[torrilin]

Here are some pretty easy videos that use stuff you already know...

Little Black Dress (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNcEt-mTVKM&list=PLF328B7C305D1780C&index=4&feature=plpp_video) - I find that for my hair, sectioning into 2 buns doesn't work, but it's pretty easy to substitute a vortex bun. Vortex just means you're using 2 (or more) twisted strands to do a cinnamon bun, so you already know how to do it.

Braided topknot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5DMeik9lSE&list=PLF328B7C305D1780C&index=3&feature=plpp_video) - depending on how your braid works, it may end up working better with a braided bun to finish, or doing a vortex type bun the way it shows. Even if you totally freak out about Dutch braids vs French, you can sub in the braid you know rather than have a meltdown.

If trying those out turns out to not do what you want for softening the look, also take a look at 4 Spring Styles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv6PaKIx01U&list=UUkrvCswr4x5LH3-Z8GTCKXw&index=4&feature=plcp). I think her included tutorial on lace braiding is quite good. If it's freaking you out, there are a lot of other lace braid tutorials out there that you can sub in :). And if even that's too terrifying... you know how to French braid.

[Rocky]

Thank you for the tip Lostsoule77! and for the cornrows idea Jacqueline101, I haven't tried cornrows yet.

Yozhik thank you, I looked up the Ellingswoman bun and it looks amazing, I might just have to try that tomorrow. For the lace braid is it normally better to do a dutch braid than a french braid?

Madora thank you for the video, hehe its not too prim :D It looks beautiful, I'm just going to have to practice it alot as I seem to always do crown braids wrong.

torrilin thank you for those videos, I've now subscribed to her channel haha! I've got to master the upside down braid now, and I have to agree the dutch braid does look nicer/stand out more than a french braid would for the braided topknot. I've only tried a lace braid once and failed spectacularly, but it looks so pretty I'm going to have to learn it.

[heidi w.]

Have you heard of the Bees Butt Bun? It's essentially where you fairly tightly twist all the length of your hair and wrap it in such a way that you kind of form a slight bit of knot and then can tie it off with a stick or long bobby pin.

You could work with parting the hair on the side, even deeply on the side and allow some tendrils to hang down, and that could look nice.

I am planning to try what are known as forms to help poof up the top of my hair a bit, to see if that makes things look more proportional.

Updos are about getting creative, and updos are quite creative. You can make S shape buns, figure 8's, and so on, pin in place and then use cute miniature clips to accent the movement of the twisted hair.

You can make double buns, braided or not, place them symetrically or asymmetrically, and have a lot of fun with them. Great summer hairstyle. Let little tendrils of hair float about and it could be really cute.

You can braid ribbons into braided updos. You can put ribbons around the circumference of a bun, or weave them into hair. You can wrap hair length with a ribbon or weave it in.

There's lots of ideas and options. Practice, a tiny bit of cleverness and you can have beautiful hair every single day.

heidi w.

[neko_kawaii]

One of my less strict favorites is a side bun. I generally do a dutch braid from one side around the back and almost to the opposite ear (almost a crown braid) and then put it all together in a bun just above and behind my ear. The dutch braid is not necessary, but it does contain the whispies that would otherwise escape during the day. Lots of variation is possible with this, rope braids, cameo buns (combining two techniques such as a braid bun that is then wrapped by a rope braid), or flipped buns. Basically, anything you can do on the back of your head can be done on the side. It looks very playful.

Have fun!

[Tisiloves]

Double buns stuck right next to each other, they make a cute shilouette.

[Long_hair_bear]

My favorite playful look is double buns held by short hair sticks. :)

[torrilin]

B]torrilin[/B] thank you for those videos, I've now subscribed to her channel haha! I've got to master the upside down braid now, and I have to agree the dutch braid does look nicer/stand out more than a french braid would for the braided topknot. I've only tried a lace braid once and failed spectacularly, but it looks so pretty I'm going to have to learn it.

Hee. I actually loathe the way Dutch braids look on my hair. I have the really multicolor sort of ashy brown hair, so French braids look really intricate. A Dutch braid winds up really sleek and bland by comparison on me.

The nice thing is you can quite often sub one braid for another :D.

[Rocky]

Thank you for all those ideas and tips heidi w.! I think I need to just try some new things like you said and be a lot more creative with my hair.

neko kawii I tried the dutch braid, side bun thing today and loved it! I need to try combining braids, I haven't tried it yet but I think they would look really cool. Thanks for all the tips!

Oo another sweet idea, thank you Tisiloves!

[Rocky]

Oo thank you long hair bear I'll have to experiment with shorter hair sticks then, that style sounds really cute!