Style #12: The Headband Tuck & Go

This is the first style I wanted to try when I cut my hair!  There's a gazillion tutorials out there, but they all say the same thing: "It's so simple, just tuck your hair into the band."  So I gave this "so simple" do a go.

As cute and sloppy as it looks in the photos, my hair was not having it.  Within 10 minutes it was sliding out.  So I tried again, this time with a half-up look.  I only did two twists on each side and I really like it and it seems to be staying for now.  

The one thing I learned was to use a tight elastic headband.  I have a few that I like because they are just tight enough to stay on, but don't give me a headache if I wear them all day.  Those don't work as they don't keep the hair in and slip right down the back of my head.  This one is from forever-21 and has a thick, tight elastic strap.

Going Short(er)

After much hemming and hawing I decided it was time and chopped off about 6 inches today.  I spent the whole time in the chair repeating to myself, "It's still long, it's still long."  After 3 years of growing it out I needed something lighter for the summer.  Especially since I'll be traveling to some very warm climates.  I'm looking forward to doing more styles that the longer hair was just too heavy for.  Once again, Kory at Planet Salon makes my hair look lovely.

Fun with Friends

My friends at school have started letting me braid their hair when we are at professional development or out.  Here's two brave souls that let me play around with some twists.

First I gave Alaina a side twist into a fishtail braid.  I should have gone tighter on the twist.

Then Cristina got twists on each side brought into a small bun in the back.

Style #11: Side French/Dutch Braid

So I was trying to do the romantic side braid from here:
http://www.oncewed.com/diy/romantic-side-braid-hair-tutorial/

First of all, my french braid skills is limited to one attempt.  So I switched to a dutch braid, which just means I'm pulling the pieces under instead of over while braiding.  I need to start my braid tighter at the top and closer to my part.

My first snapped photos are from before I pulled the braid loose:

Then I started pulling the braid loose which makes it a much softer look: 

Though I definitely don't have the nice waterfall look of the pieces pulling around my head.  More things to work on. :)

Style #10: Fishtail

My goal today was a simple fishtail, nothing extra.  I used chunkier chunks and braided down the side instead of straight back.  I finished with my wooden hair piece I brought back from Belize to cover some fly away strands near my ear.  These look so pretty and complicated but are so simple and keep in all my different layers.

Some fun fishtail tutorials (I know I've posted these before) are here.

Style #9: Bohemian Side Braid

Inspired by a post over at Wonder Forest, this is actually three different braid styles.  I made a deep part and did a french braid to my right ear.  Then I did a twist down the left, quickly gathering the rest of my hair into the twist.  Finally I brought all my hair together and did a fishtail braid down the right.  A more detailed tutorial is here:
http://www.thewonderforest.com/2014/04/bohemian-side-braid-festival-hair.html

I need to work on my french braid.  I like this loose look, but next time I want to try to make the french braid tighter and chunkier.

I'm slowly getting better at the fishtail.  This time I used larger pieces and kept the size of the pieces more uniform.  I don't know what to do about all the different length pieces, though.  Because my hair is so layered in front, my hair quickly starts to come out of a braid near the bottom and starts looking messy after an hour.  Definitely getting faster at this, though.

Style #8: natural

I have a mane.  Lots of times I tame it by twisting it in a bun, but I do appreciate the ridiculous amount of fluff I have growing out of my head.  This it what it looks like when I comb it out in the morning (nope I don't use a brush, just a wide toothed comb that I've had since 9th grade).  I don't go all day like this as it will quickly weave itself into a matt at the back, but I do appreciate the odd natural poofy wave that I have.  This is without a curling iron.  I sleep with it in a bun and then comb it out in the morning.  Extra props to my hair dresser who I see once a year and makes my layers fall so perfectly (Kory at Planet Salon).