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52updos 6. Two-braid bun - Subscribe
This style is a very nice one, classy and yet at the same time casual. It also makes it look like you have more hair than you actually have.

Things needed are a few hair ties, maybe a few pins and a scrunchie or something like it. First you put your hair up in a pony tail where you want the bun to end up. Make sure to comb the hair out so it is smooth.

Part the pony tail in two, horizontally, so you end up with two sections right above each other, so not side by side. I will explain why in a bit. Make them as much the same thickness as you can. Put a tie around the top half so it will stay together and you can put it out of the way.

Now simply braid the lower tail part in a basic three strand braid and tie it off. This tie is only there temporarily. Now do the same with the upper hair. You might like it better braiding the lower part first, that is all up to you. If you don't know how to braid, that technique has been explained in a previous updo.

You now have a pony tail with two braids coming out of it. Take the shorter of the two (usually that is the lower braid) and wind it tightly around the base of the pony tail. Start downward and then turn in either direction. Put your other hand on top of the now forming bun so the braid doesn't fly away from your head. When you get to the end you can slide the tie out and tuck the ends under the bun.

Now make sure to not let go, take the other braid and wind that (starting upward) in the opposite direction around the already present bun. This downward upward opposite will ensure you have a nice round bun instead of a small section on top and big on the bottom, or other variations. When you have shorter hair this is more important than when the hair is longer.

When you are done winding that, tuck that end under as well and then grab the scrunchie and put that around the entire bun. When you are lucky you are now done and it will stay put that way.

In my case I needed an extra tie first around the bun to make sure it stays tight, and then put the scrunchie around.

You should end up with something looking roughly like this:



Now to explain the split horizontally, there is a reason for it: as you pull your hair up in a pony tail it isn't the same length anymore all over. The bottom hairs will end up shorter than the top ones and in order to make the braid go as far down the hair length as possible it has to be pretty much the same length all over in the strand. Shorter hairs will peep out and make things look messy. Unless of course you want messy, that is entirely up to you again.

Good luck!


Observances

I have noticed that the bun will keep moving the entire time, and will seem to grow as well as the inner strands are trying to work their way out. It CAN sit fine all day, for me it does, but if you want you can, before tying it off after bunning, insert a hairpin or two through the bun to ensure it won't pop.
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Mood: caffeinated
Time needed: 10-15 minutes

52updos 7. French twist Friday, August 10th 2007 @ 13:42 - Subscribe
A classic style of hairdo, the French twist. It looks very difficult to do but is in fact quite easy. It is just a matter of getting the hang of it.

Make a low ponytail but don't tie it off. Then start twisting the hair. When you want the vertical "opening" of the roll to be on the right hand side you will have to twist the hair counter clockwise. This is how I did mine.

As you are twisting, lift up the hair and twist all the way till the very tips. You will feel the hair on the left side making the smooth side of the roll. Feel where the top of the roll is and just above that point hold a finger to it and bring the section above it down and to the left, tucking the ends under the twisted section you just made.

Now you can secure the roll with a French twist comb, but I chose for three claw clips instead. Make sure not to claw them on too tightly as you want to have the smooth hair section on the left remain smooth. Here is what it looks like on me with wet hair:



I apply a bit of water using a mister in order to give the updo something to make it firmer. Instead of hairspray, so to speak.

For those needing a video to make things clearer, you can find that here.

Good luck!


Observances

The irritating part of this is to get the roll to sit AND stay in the center of your head. For me the thing wishes to slide to the right all the time. I have corrected the flaw a little bit by grabbing the finished roll, after the ends are tucked under, and giving it a twist over the whole length to tighten it. Unfortunately this does not always work.
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Mood: loyal
Time needed: 5 minutes

52updos 8. Topsy tail braided bun Friday, August 10th 2007 @ 17:15 - Subscribe
This is a very cute looking style, and quite easy to do. It is also a very secure style when done with sticks, however you can secure it with a comb or even tiny claw clips as well. I opted for the latter to make things stand out better.

The first thing to do is make a low braid and tie off the end. Now place your hands right above the tail and part the hair in the center, creating a little tunnel going through the hair. Now flip your head forward so the braid goes up and carefully tuck the entire length of the braid through the hole. Bring it up yet again and guide it through once more.

How many times you have to do this depends on the length of your hair. I don't know what the limit of this will be though, you'll have to see what is possible.

The tassel of the braid you can tuck in the left and right of the center hair beside the bun part. Secure the bun using two or three claw clips, making sure the ends cannot flip out of their confinement.

Here is a picture of this updo on myself:



Good luck!


Observances

You will have to find out whether or not you can leave the tassel tie in place. I find that for me it is easier to keep it on the braid end, since it helps secure the updo, but of course without one is definitely preferred.
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Mood: awful
Time needed: 5 minutes

52updos 9. French braid Sunday, August 26th 2007 @ 09:08 - Subscribe
Sorry for the long gap between styles. Life happens at times.

The French braid is a fun style for when you have shorter hair. It is easy enough to catch the shorter hairs in it.

The creation of the French braid takes a little time but it easy enough with the right instructions. I can try to describe how it is done, but it is much easier to explain this with a video as images speak a thousand words.

Here is a video with instructions on how to do this on others, and on yourself.

Finally, this is how the French braid looks on me:



Good luck!
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Mood: jovial
Time needed: 10 minutes

52updos 10. Double French braid Sunday, August 26th 2007 @ 09:22 - Subscribe
Moving along from the French braid below, you an also create a double French braid. The variations are endless. I opted to let the two tails join into one braided tail, but you can let the tails end in one regular pony tail, two regular pony tails, or two braids as well. It is all a matter of preference.

The way this is done is basically the same as with the single French braid, just that you are doing it twice. You start off with a center part on your head all the way down to the nape, and the easiest way to go about it is to put the side that you are not working on in a side pony tail to keep the hair out of the way as you are working on the other side.

Be careful not to make the braid end up too high, it looks nicer when it ends up closer to the ears than too high so you can see them from the side. It is tricky to get them in the center, but, as always, practice makes perfect.

Here is a video on how to create a regular French braid, the whole proceedings are basically the same. To make them end up together in one braid simply braid on till a little past the nape, tie it off and do the other side. Then when you get a little past the nape with that one, take the tie out, join the two tails, and braid on as one.

Here is what it looks like on me from the back (note that this is a little messy, but is WAS only my second attempt at doing this style):



And from the sides:



Good luck!
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Mood: domestic
Time needed: 15 minutes