As Promised: Easy Up Dos

Let's be honest here for a minute. My blog is mostly boy friendly and I try to keep them in mind when I can, but this morning is for the ladies. Every girl I know, loves to play with her look. Easier than buying a whole new wardrobe every time a whim hits you (a not so secret dream of mine), we at some point in our lives realize we can change our hair. Whether it's getting a new cut, dying it (guilty), or cutting bangs in the bathroom at a bar with your Swiss card/pocketknife (what, just me?) your hair is an easy way to change up your look.

But most of us aren't as willing to do pocketknife cuts or have the best stylist in your hometown (Hi Mom!) at your disposal before work and parties (unless you are a really good planner). With that, I've got a few "go to" up dos that keep my hair at bay and keep me looking festive.

1) The Bun

Sure, we all have seen it a million times, and have worn it nearly as much in ballet class as kids. But, have you done it lately? Depending on how you do it, you can have anything from "I mean business" to "I'm barely even trying to look this fabulous". 

What you'll need: two goody spin pins (what, you don't have them? GET THEM NOW! I'm seriously writing about them in a whole blog entry, by themselves, as soon as I'm done with this!), a few bobby pins (just in case you have flyaways), and some good hair spray. Grip your hair into a ponytail, with your non dominant hand, loosely hold the base of your hair. With your dominant hand spin your pony around your hand or fingers, whichever you prefer, until it tightens itself into a bun. Spin your two pins in (I prefer an X, hitting between my roots and the base of the bun), hit it with a shot of hair spray, and you're all done. Keep the bobbies with you just in case you have anything fall out. 

Here's where it gets fun. Have you tried a bun at the nape of your neck, maybe wearing pearls that day? How about on the very top of your head, with ballet flats? What about loose on one side, with some big ass, awesome earrings? Don't be afraid to wear your bun all over your head or to wear it super tight or super loose. Play with your variables - there is a reason the bun is a classic.

2) The French Twist

The firs time I saw Ms. Audrey Hepburn does as the delightful Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, I was inspired. Really by so many things in the movie, but the one that still after 97 million viewings of this movie, is when Holly is getting ready to go see Sally Tomato in Sing-Sing and she puts her hair up in, hands down, the most beautiful french twist I have ever seen, with two pins. Seriously, two freaking pins! If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about, and I'm sure on more than one occasion have tried, yet failed to get this look. (If you haven't failed, call me. Let's discuss. You're my hero. Seriously.)

What you'll need: two goody spin pins (wasn't joking, folks. best. ever.), hair spray, 5 or 6 bobby pins, and a little patience. Pull your hair into a low, tightish ponytail, just a tiny bit above the nape of your neck. With the same hand hold while the other spins motion as the bun, start to twist. Stop as soon as your hair has wound itself together tight and straight right before it would put itself into a bun. Now, with your dominant, formerly twisting hand lay your twisted hair against your head and remove your base hand. Take the base hand and stick your finger on the crown of your head next to the twisted ponytail, with your thumb on the other side, so you can grip it. With your other hand fold your pony around your finger, so the ends are now pointed towards your base. Next, take your now bent ponytail (pony sausage) from the side with your hair ends towards the other side, use an almost rolling motion to fold your pony sausage into your hair. Twist it with the base and with the top of your head. Once you are happy with the tightness, use your base hand to hold the hair, while the other hand maneuvers a spin pin from the bottom up, pretty much parallel with the now hair encased pony sausage. You'll then place the other spin pin from the top going down, though I find a slight diagonal catches and holds the hair best. If you're happy with that (it may take a try or two) next, take your bobbies and stick them in anywhere where a small clump of hair wasn't cooperating. Stick the bobbies into the twist with the hair to hold them down. Once you're pleased, hit it with a shot of hair spray, pack your bobby pins for flyaways and be on your way. Truthfully, it takes less than a minute to do.
 

3) The Side Curl Ball

I really need to find a better name for this, because it's pretty awesome. I stole it from my college roommate, because in all honesty, it's a show stopper. You will automatically be the girl at the party with the awesome up do. But you wouldn't want that, would you? Oh wait...

What you'll need: A ponytail holder/elastic, a dozen or so bobby pins, a curling iron, and your good hairspray. First, make a side ponytail, and secure it with your ponytail holder. (Thoughtful placement is key here. It's all about aesthetics. If you have a one dress, the side ponytail should go on the other side, for balance.) Starting from the top of the ponytail, take a small group of hair strands and curl them with your curling iron. Then, somewhere between halfway through the strands and 3/4s through move the curl into the base of your bobby pin. Then stick your bobby pin into you head as close to the ponytail holder as you can get, letting the curls stick out, away from your head. Repeat this process until all your hair is curled and pinned to your head, making sure to change the placement of the bobby pin on your strands for different sized stand up curls. Don't be afraid if it looks like a mess to begin with, it WILL turn out great. Once you're done, you should have a side curl ball, with lots of fluffy curls all securely in one fancy area. A little bit of hairspray, and you're done. Takes about 10 minutes and looks AMAZING!

Try these puppies out, and you'll be pleased. And you won't have to do anything drastic, like cut bangs with your pocketknife at a bar...