Benign Neglect/Protective Styles for Shorter Hair

[mamastawb]

Hello! I've recently realized my shoulder-length hair is thinning and breaking from being in a ponytail I try not to wear my hair in ponytails too much, but it inevitably happens almost daily. I do use scrunchies instead of elastics though! I'll start with it down or french braided, but by the end of the day it's in a pony. I can't have my hair in my face when I'm doing anything, it bothers me too much. But my hair is too short to do much with, it barely fits in a french braid. I wear it in dutch braids quite a bit, either half-up or in pigtails, but I'm starting to feel like it's stressing my hair too much to be manipulating it like that.

I'd like to try benign neglect for a couple months. Just pick 3-4 protective styles and forget about it. But all the protective styles I hear about are buns, braids, etc, things my hair is too short for. What are some ways I can wear my hair where it's protected and not being further damaged?

[Sarahlabyrinth]

How about a peacock twist using a claw clip? That will keep your hair nicely protected.

[rowie]

Enjoy your length. There are many styles I can no longer do, but worked the best at your length, and they are (just to name a few):

-Gibson Tuck
-French Twist
-Peacock Twist
-Double French/Dutch
-Crown Braid
-Waterfall braids
-side twists secured with bobby pins/mini barrettes/snap clips (the kind used in gymnastics)

Your length is a good time to learn your scalp area by practicing many styles. The more you practice while you wait, the easier it gets the longer your hair gets "in theory." Happy growing.

[Obsidian]

Peacock twist was my go to at shoulder length, another was a half up pony held with a flexi-8.

Any stray hairs that wouldn't stay contained, I'd clip back with snap barrettes.

This is about the same time I started using a silk sleep cap. I'd just cram my loose hair in the cap.

[Ophidian]

All of the above, and also wanted to add that I got a lot of mileage from twin french (or dutch) braids starting around SL. You might have some strays but little clips or headbands are your friends until you can get it all contained. Once the tails are long enough you can even cross them in the back, tuck the ends up, and pin or clip so you have a very protective faux-crown braid kind of look. That's the style in my avatar, picture was from around CBL. I did that everyday for several months straight.

[Corvana]

I've been using a claw clip to hold whatever I've been putting my hair into. Either a cinnabun that's really only one loop (see avatar lol), and I clip on the side that the ends are on, or a peacock twist. I'm very lazy lol. It's basically the same things every day! It was ponys with a scrunchie, but I got tired of them and got some claw clips about the same time.

[yahirwaO.o]

I have even shorter hair (chin lenght blunt bob) and its kinda hard for me to neglect it at this point but like others mentioned a lazy french twist, any half up adaptations and crown braids do work for me when my hair is looking meh!

[paulownia]

Peacock twists and messy buns and maybe you could try to wear ponytails with invisibobble? I use it all the time and I didn't notice any damage on my hair- it's really great!

[hannabiss]

Whenn my hair was just long enough (shoulder) Id dutch or french braid it and flip the remaining braid up and pin it to my head. Considering I grew from bald to waist in 4 years with several trims Id say it worked fairly well. (I have fine silky hair so its delicate)

[Alibran]

How does anyone do crown braids with shoulder length hair? I haven't got enough length at the back to get it securely into the braid.