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).

Style #7: French Braid with Scarf

Whenever someone comments on my hair skillz I point out that all the styles I'm trying are pretty easy and quick by saying, "I can't even french braid!"  Well I decided that was a ridiculous statement so today I did my first french braid.  All of the twists and dutch braids helped as I've gotten used to picking up chunks of hair as I go.  This was my first try and I decided to add a scarf around the top and tie off the ends on the back just because I can.  Not bad for my first french braid, though it's a little off center.  Some things I want to do differently:  Start with more hair on top and hold the top tighter.  Also, I'd like to weave the scarf in next time as I can already feel it slipping down.

Style #6: Two Buns in One

Oooh I might have a new favorite!  I've fallen in love with the front twists.  They look so complicated but are so easy and quick to do!  On Friday I did them at a red light on my way to work.  So today I did two twists.  The left side (with less hair) I twisted all the way around to a bun slightly off center in the back.  Then the right side I twisted around and wrapped it around the other bun.  When I secured them I let the two buns separate slightly, which left me with a cool twisted bun look in the back.  I used one bobby pin to tuck the ends of the second bun in before securing them both with a hair tie.  It has held up well to a morning of brunching and shopping and gotten lots of compliments.

Playing Stylist

I had fun trying out some of my new braiding skills on fellow teachers at today's professional development!  Shout out to my first guest model, Irene, for trusting me with my newbie skillz.

Style #5: Teen Princess

My husband named this one.  He does not like me using a curling iron so today he told me it made me look like a teenage princess.  I will accept that as a compliment.  This one has no tutorial inspiration.  I saw a girl with a set back dutch braid yesterday while I was out and decided to play on it.  I made a dutch braid on each side of my part, set back from the front.  I did not secure the braids with anything so the ends just flow into the rest of my hair.  I used a large barrel curling iron to set my curls and then loosened them with a comb.  I like it because I get to wear my hair down, but the braids thin it out a little so I don't feel like I have a blanket around my neck and shoulders.  Oh yeah, and I have a gold, glittery temporary tattoo that is rocking my world right now.

Style #4: Dutch Milk Braids!

These I have always loved and wanted!  From March 16th, it took me three tries to get these dutch milk braids to come out right for me.  First challenge was that I had never done a dutch braid.  Second, the tutorial I started with had me starting them at the back of my head.  Not only was I doing something I'd never done before, but I was doing it without looking.  Third, I have a lot of hair!  So by the time I'd worked the braids around to the front I was piling all of my thick tresses on top of my head.  So try #1 was a fail.  I look like I have a turban wrapped around my head.

I took down one of the braids and left the other.  If two braids from the back won't work, let's try one from the back and one from the front.  I thought the hanging braid looked cool:

Well, better, but still looks funny to me:

One more try.  I took out the other braid and decided to try both braids coming from the front.  Success.  I had much less hair piled up top in the front and two very neatly crossed braids in the back.  At this point my hands were tired so I put minimal effort into pinning down the loose ends in front.  A mess of bobby pins held the ends in place in the front.  I didn't need any pins for the braids and was surprised at how secure this style was for the rest of the day.  

Style #3: The Scarf Roll

From February 22nd, I have a collection of beautiful scarves, mostly from my aunt and my mom.  They are greatly under utilized.  This is a messy bun wrapped up in a scarf.  It was a nice Saturday pop-up shopping do.  I ended up tucking the loose ends in because it bothered me to feel them flap around my ear.  I got my inspiration from How to Hair Girl.