Summer Hair Puzzle

[Paisley]

I'd like your suggestions as to how to solve my hair issue. Here are the facts:

• I have thick hair--enough for two people, hairdressers have told me.
• The climate where I live is hot during the summer. "Hot" means triple digits and intense sunlight.
• I like to dance and work out, which makes me even hotter.
• I like wearing my hair up and it looks good that way.
• But I also like wearing my hair down.
• I don't look good with very short hair; it looks best about shoulder length.

So here is the puzzle: If I get my hair cut to wear down, it's harder to put it up and get it to stay there. But if I leave it longer (and easy to wear up), the way it is now, it's too hot and thick to wear it down. It also gets in the way of my work.

On more concern: when I wear my hair up (that is, in a big but nice-looking clip), it gets in the way of wearing a hat.

Suggestions?

 

[mysterygal]

I forget exactly what the technique is called, but you can get your hair thinned (I think by using a razor), maybe get it cut to shoulder length so that you can still put it up.
For having an updo and wearing a hat, I would suggest wearing your hair in a low bun, that way your hat will be able to rest comfortably on top of your head.

 

[KittyT]

yes, i would suggest thinning, which can also be done by having layers cut into your hair. most 40s cuts were layered anyway. it will help eliminate bulk.

 

[thebadmamajama]

I'd watch out for the thinning though...with thick hair (fellow thick hair here) razors cause frizz like nobody's business, which is completely counterproductive to thinning it out....I speak from horrified experience!!!

 

[mysterygal]

But, the good news is that there are LOTS of anti-frizz products out there in the market these days!

 

[Paisley]

Well, I don't want to thin my hair, I'd just like to be able to wear it either up or down and with a hat. Layering is fine.

My sister had thick hair and had bad results after someone thinned it.

 

[Honey Doll]

How long...

How long is your hair now? Mine just skims my shoulders and is in long layers. The layers add a bit of body to it. I find this length to be really quite versatile. I can do some updoes...particularly by adding in a false braid..and when curled it comes off my shoulders by a fair bit.

Honey Doll

 

[Paisley]

It's about shoulder length. I have bangs (though I don't wear them on my face) and some layers around my hairline.

Actually, the heat doesn't bother me if my hair is off my neck.

 

[Sunny]

Paisley, I can fully sympathize. My hair is only just on the thick side, but it compensates by being quite long. Other than that, our summers are identical, and I've also had a hard time wearing hats when my hair is up. I've found that it works best to put it up low, high enough off my neck but low enough to not interfere with my hat.

The first thing that came to mind was one of those wartime updo styles, the all-around roll. It's virtually impossible for me because of my length, but I'll bet you could do it just fine. Because it's right on the hairline, starting above/behind the ears and curving down to the nape of the neck, it shouldn't interfere with most hats.

I've had success with using a "hairline roll" that goes around to the nape of my neck and ends in a low ponytail. Digression: I can't find a picture, but this "hairline roll" is distinct from the reverse rolls that I've seen so many of you ladies wearing. The hairline roll uses all the hair, not the front hair. It's similar to a hairline twist, with hair added and rolled around itself progressively and ending in a tail; but in a hairline roll, hair isn't added in such precise sections so it's looser, smoother, fluffier even without rats, and I think far more attractive. It doesn't need pinned, either. I use exactly the same technique, over front rats, for my 1860s hairstyles. Confused now? lol

Anyway, after doing my hair in the hairline roll, I have a low ponytail. With that tail, I can do a variety of low chignons. I like a knotted bun, since unlike a coiled bun it holds to itself, even holding my layers, but I know from experience that thick hair can make any chignons very tricky. Depending on the exact length of my hair, there are several "loop" techniques I like. They're very secure and look pretty neat.

I just had a thought. You can probably do a hairline roll, and then divide the tail into two parts. Tuck each part back behind the roll, working forward toward your ears, and pinning the roll. In effect, you're using your own hair as a rat. Except that you're putting the rat in afterward. This might take some practice to hide the elastic holding the ponytail, but I think it'd work. Depending on how cooperative your tails are, it might help to braid them.

Am I all wet, or just confusing? Would it help if I took pictures or a video? Let me know.

 

[Paisley]

Sunny, thanks for your post. I'll look up hairline rolls in my 1940s Hairstyles book. Since my hair is very straight, it can really stick out if I don't put it up just right. I've found that using some hairspray before putting it up helps.

Some photos would definitely be helpful (if they're no trouble).

I think I will try leaving my hair longer this summer and putting it in various updos for variety. What I really want is to keep it off my neck, but be able to wear a hat.

 

[Honey Doll]

Paisley

I just picked up a chignon form from Sally's today. It's just a foam ring (think donut). You pull your hair through the middle and then spread it over the foam and pin. With my just shoulder length hair, I had plenty to cover and really was pleased with both results and ease! Made for a nice finished look with about 30 seconds of prep!

Honey Doll

 

[ohairas]

My hair is thick, (except the sides!) and I like mine at about where my bra straps attach to my bra in front.. make sense? HA! Then I have about the last 4-5 inches layered, and the front is face-framed from my cheeks down. I agree with razoring, but it has to be done a certain way for certain hair types, ect.

Like others have said, I would just really work on learning new updos.
Here's a link on hairline rolls,
http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip5821.htm
Sonny, what I assume you're talking about is sort of the look of Dorothy's front/sides on Wizard of Oz? Only I don't believe hers is just rolled, I think it's a two strand braid I call a bull rope and then it was sprayed and smoothed over with a brush.

This is what I call a bull rope,
http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/instruct/double-revroll/
And like Sonny was saying, sometimes I will tuck the tails of the braids inside the opposite side roll and pin. Or just wind up tails in a bun, like this:
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ohairas/album/576460762343340205/photo/294928803642714386/0

Chignon with a doughnut,
http://www.lhj.com/lhj/slideshow/sl...lideShow_10312003.xml&page=5&catref=cat750002

Ah.. here is what I believe Sunny is referring too.. much like the bull rope but not as, well, "ropey".
http://intimelyfashion.com/hair/edward1.html

And, to do the rope, just start by taking a section of hair at your hairline by your bangs on one side. Divide in two. Take bottom strand over top, and add a bit of hair to bottom strand before twisting it each time. Keep going down the side of your head to back. I've always had to do the braid as the regular soft twist slides right out of my hair.
Nikki

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I had my hair thinned with a razor and didn't have any more frizz than I normally did. I use Laminates by Sebastian and a leave in conditioner by Bed Head, and this controls the frizz just fine.
It's been quite some time since I've had my hair thinned. I'm definitely gonna do it at my next salon appointment. Right now I can still do vintage styles but my rolls are a bit too big and when I do my whole head in curls it gets much too poofy.
If I want to wear my hair all in curls I have to have it thinned. I just have too much hair and end up looking like a mop head. Also thinning hair takes off weight and I find that since my curls aren't being weighted down so much they tend to last quite a bit longer. The longer layers I had also added to the poof factor. For me, thinning my hair ended up being the only option if I wanted to have somewhat decent looking vintage do's. Yes, you might get a bit more frizz, but like Mysterygal stated, there are a ton of anti-frizz serums on the market that work wonders.

As for wearing a hat with a vintage style I think the above information about low buns or chignons are great ideas.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

When I cut off my longer hair, the only thing that changed when I wanted to wear it up was I used bobby pins instead of elastics. Is this like, way too obvious even to post? lol

 

[Paisley]

Well, I am more of a jaw clip gal. They hold my hair way better than anything else.

Today I pulled the top part of my hair to the crown and put in a jaw clip, and pulled the rest of my hair to the back and put in a large (~3") jaw clip. Whenever I clip my hair in certain places, it makes my head and neck hurt. [huh]

I am really tempted to pile all my hair on top of my head (where it's most comfortable and takes the fewest clips and pins to hold it there) and carry a parasol

Thanks for all your suggestions, ladies. I enjoyed reading them and looking at the links.

 

[Sunny]

Ah.. here is what I believe Sunny is referring too.. much like the bull rope but not as, well, "ropey".
http://intimelyfashion.com/hair/edward1.html
Nikki

Yes, that's the closest. The bull rope (great name! That Dressy Tresses site is what I was looking for but couldn't find.) is, in my opinion, interesting but not very vintagey, and it certainly doesn't have the smooth fluffiness of a woman's hairstyle.

I work really hard on getting my rolls on the very edge of the hairline. If I do them right, they add width to my very narrow face and really look very attractive. A bull rope, pulled back from the hairline like on the Dressy Tresses site, does nothing for my face, although it's good for keeping it back. If that's what I want, though, a single or double French braid is better and (for me) faster and easier.

Also, I've found that rolls are much easier to do on myself. I'm not sure if I could ever do a bull rope on myself, since it's so hard to get the added sections the same size.

I had every intention of taking pictures last night, but the camera revolted and I had a dead battery. lol I'll probably do it tomorrow, when I need a break from studying. It's been something I've been meaning to document, anyway.

 

[Paisley]

The Powder Room Gets Results

All of you were right--I had too much hair. Yes, had--I went to my hairstylist last night. She cut more layers into my hair (it hardly had any) and said that my hair was the worst possible length for keeping it off my neck. It's much more managable now.

Since it's raining today, and my hair doesn't hold curl well in humidity, I put it up. I did an upward twist in the back and let a few stray hair hang down along my hairline. It goes well with the white-on-white embroidered blouse I'm wearing.

 

[Sunny]

Sounds pretty, Paisley! Is that similar to a French twist? I did that, successfully, when my hair was just below my shoulders - the shortest it's ever been. And your layers sound quite nice. I know from experience that blunt, or nearly blunt-cut thick hair, just doesn't look very attractive. But it can look really nice with layers. :eusa_clap

OK, Saturday night I made a couple videos. Sorry, they're not up yet - I need to figure out how to edit them on the camera, and I felt I'd wasted enough study time. Test's tonight, though, so I ought to get it/them up shortly.

I showed how to do the hairline rolls. Naturally, they turned out... different from usual. Better in one way, and puffy in the wrong place (worse). But the technique is there. And I did a knotted bun and both methods of flip-style chignons. None of these I've seen documented online, although I seriously doubt I'm the only one to have done them! I'll be cross-posting the links to the other hairstyles thread. I think there's a real need for vintage long hair styles, and I hope that what I figured out with help others.

 

[fourstarbanner]

Paisley, I'm so glad to hear the haircut worked out for you! I have the same thick hair problem as you, and layers have been my saving grace!:eusa_clap

 

[Paisley]

I'm not sure what a French twist looks like. But I'll give some different updos a try!