The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[Slartibartfast]

I never learned how to style my hair, either.  My sister (who has practically the same hair I do except longer) does things like casually french braid her hair into the shape of a swan just because it's Wednesday and she felt like it    I finally managed a few basic things:

1) down
2) ponytail
3) bun: make a ponytail, twist it, wrap it around the elastic, then skewer it with chopsticks or pencils as many times as it takes to make it stay
4) giant hair barrette so I can pull just the top half back

Other than that, I just brush it and call it good 

[mandycorn]

One of my co-workers was utterly un-girly growing up as protest against her incredibly girly twin sister, so she never learned to do her hair until she realized that wearing it wavy/frizzy and down every day wasn't doing her any favors in a professional work environment.

She said her saving grace has been you tube. She's watched video tutorials to learn to do her hair in french braids and twists and even a huge beehive updo for Halloween, as well as makeup tips and finding professional and flattering outfits.

This works especially well if you're a visual learner, or if you want to watch the same bit over and over until you master a particular step in the process.

[Mental Magpie]

As some one who is doing exactly what you want to do, I say YouTube the crap out of everything.

I recently decided I was going to do exactly what you want to do: learn how to style my hair!  I have curly hair and it's either up in a ponytail or down.  I wanted to be able to do fun things with it, so I decided to start YouTube-ing everything.  I have found some pretty neat things and finally learned how to fishtail braid my hair.  If you just can't get it even though the tutorial seems simple watch another one.  Someone will be able to show you in a way you understand (I watched 5 different fishtail videos before the one made sense to me).

[CakeBeret]

Thanks folks! I will check out the Youtube videos. I am trying to transition myself into a more professional image. I'm starting with my hair, and soon I plan on spending some time at makeup counters learning how to use makeup. I've also started wearing blouses instead of T-shirts, flats instead of sneakers, etc. I've always felt a little ridiculous that I never learned how to dress or style myself properly.

[mmswm]

I've tried the bun and twist like you mentioned, Willy Nilly, and they never work because I have so much hair. The elastic will secure part of the hair and the rest of it just starts unravelling.

Use a "scrunchie" type ponytail holder, but make sure it is large enough to go around the bun at least twice.  A while back I posted a picture of my hair on the "things that drive you up a wall" thread, so you can see that I have a massive amount of hair as well, and those work just fine to keep it all held up.  You might have to play with exactly what type of elastic or cloth ponytail holder will work for you, but with all the varieties available, something has to work.

[MerryCat]

Add me to the check-out-you-tube crowd. All my life I'd only ever worn my hair loose or in a ponytail.  When I started seriously growing my hair it came as a shock to learn that I'd have to keep it in updos if I wanted it to grow. It took watching lots of videos for me to learn how to do my hair. There's a forum called Long Hair Community too, where you can find lots of ideas and suggestions.

One thing I've found is that your tools can make your life easier or waay harder than it needs to be. Holding a bun up with just bobby pins is a lot of work, for me anyway. By constrast using a hair fork is much easier. Spin pins (little corkscrew things for your hair) have great hold, especially in a braided bun. Your experience will vary, of course, so experiment

[MrsJWine]

YouTube videos don't seem to help me. My hair is really fine, really slippery, and curl resistant. I can never figure out how to manage more than one strand of hair at a time. And none of the curling tutorials work. I'm either doing something very wrong, or my hair has an evil agenda. I've been practicing a lot on my older daughter lately, and I have finally figure out how to do a regular, boring braid without all the hair slipping through my fingers. I can't believe that's something I had to work for.

[WillyNilly]

YouTube videos don't seem to help me. My hair is really fine, really slippery, and curl resistant. I can never figure out how to manage more than one strand of hair at a time. And none of the curling tutorials work. I'm either doing something very wrong, or my hair has an evil agenda. I've been practicing a lot on my older daughter lately, and I have finally figure out how to do a regular, boring braid without all the hair slipping through my fingers. I can't believe that's something I had to work for.

For thin hair you might need to use product, not tools. I'd suggest going a day without washing, then spraying liberally with a dry shampoo, letting that dry for 2-3 minutes then trying to style your hair. The days worth of grease, as soaked up by the dry shampoo, should give your hair a sense of thickness and natural hold.

[LazyDaisy]

My hair is fine but I have a lot of it (so not thin) and straight. Even bobby pins just slip right through. I've had the best results using a volumizing spray on wet hair rather than a dry shampoo. Spray on the roots and comb to the ends then blow dry. It adds just the right amount of stickiness to help me style it.

[MrsJWine]

My hair is fine but I have a lot of it (so not thin) and straight. Even bobby pins just slip right through. I've had the best results using a volumizing spray on wet hair rather than a dry shampoo. Spray on the roots and comb to the ends then blow dry. It adds just the right amount of stickiness to help me style it.

Thanks, that sounds like my hair. I've tried dry shampoo, but they all seem to make my hair look even grosser. I don't wash it every day (it stays much healthier that way), but I engineer it so that I'm not doing anything except maybe grocery shopping on the days I don't. If I could get good enough at doing my hair, I could just always put it up on no-wash days; it's too short to just put in a pony tail.

[lady_disdain]

The trick to using bobby pins is to remember that it needs to be anchored down. When I was still in the Army (waist length hair + training), I had to wear it in a bun and I could get it to stay in place with 3 bobby pins, even though I have very heavy hair. This isn't a challenge, of course, it is just to give an idea that it can be done.

I made a a pony tail, twirled the hair around itself until it started coiling and directed the coil so that it wrapped around the base of the pony tail. Then, I got a bobby pin and slipped it through the hair at the scalp, through some of the hair in the bun and then poked it between the elastic of the pony tail, which would also help keep it in place. Repeat around the bun, concentrating on the top part, not the bottom.

If, even so, it isn't staying up, try a braided bun by braiding the pony tail instead of twirling.

[KenveeB]

I've tried the bun and twist like you mentioned, Willy Nilly, and they never work because I have so much hair. The elastic will secure part of the hair and the rest of it just starts unravelling.

Use a "scrunchie" type ponytail holder, but make sure it is large enough to go around the bun at least twice.  A while back I posted a picture of my hair on the "things that drive you up a wall" thread, so you can see that I have a massive amount of hair as well, and those work just fine to keep it all held up.  You might have to play with exactly what type of elastic or cloth ponytail holder will work for you, but with all the varieties available, something has to work.

Great idea! I have a very hard time with bobby pins -- they just do NOT like to stay in my hair -- but I just tried a quick bun with a scrunchie and it feels very secure.   I'm going to keep an eye out for some cute chopsticks and hair forks to see if they work too. I've been trying to style my hair more as it's grown out, but I'm not very good at it. I do the half-up with a clip almost all the time.

[Mental Magpie]

Thanks folks! I will check out the Youtube videos. I am trying to transition myself into a more professional image. I'm starting with my hair, and soon I plan on spending some time at makeup counters learning how to use makeup. I've also started wearing blouses instead of T-shirts, flats instead of sneakers, etc. I've always felt a little ridiculous that I never learned how to dress or style myself properly.

You are me about 2 months ago.  I'm still figuring out everything and only now just started on the make up, but I decided that I need to start looking like I'm 25 year old tomboy me, not still 14 year old tomboy me.  PM if you'd like a suggestion for some videos on YouTube; I'd be happy to share.

[AustenFan]

CakeBeret, look up how to lock bobby pins, it sounds wacky but if you learn to cross them in an X with the wavy parts on top of eachother you can very easily do fantastic looking things. It makes buns and french twists very easy. Spin pins never worked for me, my hair is too thick and bent/broke them. I don't like the look of scrunchies or chopsticks, so learning how to bobby pin securely was a sanity saver for me.

I also suggest you google how to back comb properly. A ponytail with a little height and hair wrapped around the elastic is the easiest style I know, and looks very professional.

[mbbored]

So I'm relatively new to home ownership and I had my first major toilet incident this weekend. I called a recommended plumber who said my particular toilet is a weird brand with irregularly shaped parts and he might not be able to find the right one. If he can, it would cost $175 for the part and the repair. If he can't, I'd have to buy a new toilet ($150ish) and he could install it for another $150. Since he couldn't do anything right away, he didn't charge me for the visit.

While talking with a more experienced friend last night, he said the prices sound right but if it comes to a new toilet, he could install it for me for free. If I suddenly change my mind, do I risk alienating the plumber, who I might want to use in the future? Should I offer to pay him for his time so far?