Can I get away with a bun?

[basil]

I''m 27 years old. I''m growing my hair out long for my wedding in a year or so. My hair pretty much only looks good either up or short. Now, it''s mid back length, but kinda frizzy and wavey, so ponytail is out. Definitely can''t wear it down in a professional environment, either.

I''ve been wearing it all up in a clip for a year or so now. For my new job starting Monday, from time-to-time, we have to wear certain headgear that won''t fit with the big clip sticking off the back of my head. The only solution I can think is to pin it up in a bun, low to my neck.

Will this look horribly old fashioned? If it comes down to it, I care much less about how I look at work than my wedding, but I''d still prefer not to look like a granny.

 

[monarch64]

I think a low chignon is very professional and can still be youthful. Since your hair tends to be wavy/frizzy, you might try smoothing it out with a pomade and using a really fine tooth comb to make your hair really smooth so you don''t get that sloppy looking effect that looks like you just didn''t want to mess with your hair in the a.m. If you have bangs you can sweep them to the side for an even chicer style with the low "bun." My hairdresser just taught me the coolest trick for achieving a smooth swept back style, i.e. low ponytails or buns: if you spray hairspray directly into your hands and then smooth your hand over the style it really makes it hold throughout the day. It works, I do it all the time now.

 

[crown1]

hair styx. they are my friend and will be yours also. i think it is common to see buns on young and old. it is classic. there are many variations you can use with the styx. mei fa has a good selection, or they did. i haven''t bought any for a while since i get several sets when i order. they used to offer a book with directions for various styles.

 

[jcrow]

i''ve worn a bun lots of times. it''s easy and looks nicer than a ponytail. play around with it. try a loose one vs. a slick. you may be surprised how beautiful it can look.

 

[Miranda]

I don''t think you''ll look old fashioned. I wear buns all of the time. I think they look mych more pulled together than a ponytail.

 

[NYCsparkle]

*remember the episode of King of Queens and the bun? since then i''ve nixed it...lol

 

[asscherisme]

I think a bun can look great if its a loose bun, not a super tight bun.

I have hair similar to your, wavy with a tendancy towards frizzy and I wear it on the long side.

I do wear pony tails more often than I''d like to admit! I am a stay at home mom with a lot of kids so in the morning I''m so focused on feeding everyone, trying to get a workout in at 5am before they get up etc that by the time we walk out the door I end up throwing it in a ponytail. And it feels kinda sloppy to me even being home with my kids. So I agree with you, defintaly not good for a work setting.

 

[diamondsrock]

Date: 7/1/2007 3:42:11 PM
Author: NYCsparkle
*remember the episode of King of Queens and the bun? since then i''ve nixed it...lol

that was such a funny episode! And yes, it made me not want to wear a bun either! I love that show.

 

[Cehrabehra]

that style can take on a lot of looks depending on your face, your makeup, and your body - as well as your personality. I''ve seen absolutely gorgeous women look so sleek, chic, and fantastic in that ''do. And Lilith from frasier/cheers had a very stern look about her... and yes if you have grey hair, wrinkles, and are wearing an apron..... you very well could look granny too LOL

I wouldn''t rule it out - I think it would be fine - especially if you have advance notice when to wear your hair like that so it isn''t every day. But even if it is every day, some nice bright colors on your face would bring youth and freshness to it

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/1/2007 3:50:50 PM
Author: diamondsrock

Date: 7/1/2007 3:42:11 PM
Author: NYCsparkle
*remember the episode of King of Queens and the bun? since then i''ve nixed it...lol

that was such a funny episode! And yes, it made me not want to wear a bun either! I love that show.

really? I just thought to mself, geez doug is NOT who I would look toward for fashion advice LOL

BTW My hair is in a ponytail as I type LOL

 

[diamondsrock]

actually, a loose, upswept kind of bun looks nice. It''s the super tight, pincushion bun I''m talking about that she had in the episode. That type looks very unnatural.

 

[basil]

I have to wear the headgear everyday, pretty much.

Here''s what it looks like, for reference. As you can see, it goes pretty much halfway down the head.

 

[basil]

Here''s my bun after a day of errands, etc. What do you think? Yeay or nay?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I think it is cute and practical. You can get away with it in IMHO.

 

[door knob solitaire]

I think the problem lies with what you call the "thing".

Bun...not so much...but chignon wow!!

And to add a giggle...with that head gear thing you have to wear...the point may be mute. Ah...this may be brutal...but that contraption is not lovely. No one can pull that thing off in any form of style. I realize your hair is an issue while wearing and when it is removed. So I think your bun...er I mean chignon is your only option.

I would consider some girly picks to use. Maybe a sparkly little butterfly attached to a bobby pin...something so you will think it is not a hunk of bread attached to your "pumpkin". Sometimes a little suprise is all it takes to make you feel girly.

You and I have the same hair!! I wear a pony at the nape and loupe the ends back into the band. The result is a full rounded pony. I will sometimes add a dainty ribbon or a wide scarf for added pop. You can also take a bobby pin to secure loose hair that you wrap around the pony so it looks like it was made and secured with all hair...no band. I really like that look. I learned to make a pony you tilt your heap upward and look at the ceiling...and then form your pony. It is perfect everytime.

Pony or chignon...we don''t wear bread on our heads!!

DKS

 

[rainbowtrout]

OK, what on EARTH does that do and why do you need to wear it?? It looks like something a surgeon would wear...


RE: the bun. I think that they can look either professional and sleek or sort of ratty/messy. If you don''t have the uptight librarian personality an upswept bun would look great, but I vote against the sort of nape-of-the-neck bundle in the pick. I''ve got a friend who wears hers like that and I am always after her to let it down.

 

[basil]

Rainbowtrout - It''s an indirect ophthalmoscope (I''m starting ophthalmology residency). It''s tons of fun but it makes you look really dorky

What''s an upswept bun?

DKS - I''m not so much a sparkly butterfly kind of girl, but the hair sticks things could be an option if I could get them to work and actually stay in my hair, and if they did not interfere with the "contraption"

 

[curiopotter]

You know, if your hair really bugs you and you don''t want to be wearing pony tails and buns all day, just get it cut. You can always get a great hair dresser/stylist for your wedding and put temporary extensions in for extra length.

I''ve had long hair for a few years now. I''ve been able to do a bunch of cute things with it for work, but I work in clothing retail and our job lets us do funky hair styles and hip trends. We also don''t have to wear spage-age head-gear.

Think about getting a style that suits your every day life and work environment, and go for the long glamorous hair on your wedding.

 

[rainbowtrout]

OK, so I can't find this picture...


Do you know the episode in SATC when Charlotte goes to Brady's first birthday part with the Liz Taylor dress? Her hair in that is what I keep thinking...



RE: the headgear--hah! So my surgery guess wasn't *that* far off! Congrats on the residency.

 

[Picos]

I like the bun! I wear one, although my hair is shorter (just under my chin) so it''s smaller. I have loads of hair so it takes forever to dry; I''d rather have a kept bun than wavy, not brushed hair. I don''t really like spending a good 2 hours under the hairdryer.

I would grow out my hair only to put it up. XD

 

[chrono]

Okay, I need styling tips. How on earth do you make such a neat bun? My hair is long enough for a braid down my back but I can''t make a chignon! There''s hair tufts everywhere and my hair is so fine that after a minute or two, everything unravels.

I also need hundreds of pins to hold everything down and it just defeats the purpose of having an easy do, so I just do a pony tail most of the time, or single braid it. Help!

 

[Skippy123]

I like it; I think buns look nice! My hair is TOO THICK for a bun.

I wish

 

[curiopotter]

Here''s a video I found of some of the stuff I do with my hair.. http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/hair-styles-looped-bun.htm

There''s more if you search through it.. Basically they use elastic bands, bigger pins, and lots of hair spray.

Also, try to find a texturizer for your hair, because clean hair is usually really tough to get to hold up on your head.. Salons usually use a texturizer, or putty, or spray to give your hair a little more texture to hold it upright.

Anyway, look thru all these videos, they''re really really quick and easy.

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 7/1/2007 8:02:03 PM
Author: rainbowtrout
OK, so I can''t find this picture...


Do you know the episode in SATC when Charlotte goes to Brady''s first birthday part with the Liz Taylor dress? Her hair in that is what I keep thinking...

Oh yes, totally. I tried to find pics but there aren''t any. It is in season 6 and the episode is called ''one''. Very pretty.

 

[FireGoddess]

I also love the casual look when people pull their hair through a ponytail holder but stop halfway...so they''ve got some hair in a ''bun look'' but not tightly wound up - it always looks so relaxed but pretty...

 

[Fancy605]

Date: 7/2/2007 3:13:35 PM
Author: Chrono
Okay, I need styling tips. How on earth do you make such a neat bun? My hair is long enough for a braid down my back but I can''t make a chignon! There''s hair tufts everywhere and my hair is so fine that after a minute or two, everything unravels.

I also need hundreds of pins to hold everything down and it just defeats the purpose of having an easy do, so I just do a pony tail most of the time, or single braid it. Help!

I used to take ballet, and I still wear the types of buns we made sometimes. For a neat, easy bun:

-Make a pony tail (You can do high or low, whichever you prefer)
-Divide the pony tail in half
-Start coiling the first half of the pony tail and pinning it into place.
You should be left with a bun and a pony tail sticking from the middle
-Take the remaining tail and coil it around the bun. You can coil it in the same direction as the first or in the oposite direction to change up the look. Pin it in place as you go.
(You can divide your hair into more sections if you like)

You should be left with a nice, pretty chignon. You can always dress it up by adding some sparkly hair pins. A girl I work with has some pretty jewled ones that match some of her outfits. She puts them in buns, and it is super cute.

Sometimes I think it is cute to have a messy bun though.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 7/2/2007 6:08:39 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I also love the casual look when people pull their hair through a ponytail holder but stop halfway...so they''ve got some hair in a ''bun look'' but not tightly wound up - it always looks so relaxed but pretty...

Oh, me too!

Sometimes I have really good "bun" days where it only takes me a couple tries to get it looking the way I want, and then other days I try about ten times and it looks terrible. When my highlights start growing out too much and it''s time to visit the hairdresser, I really love pulling my hair up on top of my head and doing the loose bun thing...I have long sideswept bangs as well and the style helps hide my "roots." Looks like you don''t have that problem, basil, your hair is pretty uniform in color! I think the bun looks cute on you, though! Great for work.

 

[Giada]

I was in a wedding last Fall and I wore my hair in a low chignon. It''s the first time I had ever worn a bun, but I really like it! The stylist did a very deep side part. I''ll try to attach a picture. This could easily be done for an everyday work style, I think.

 

[Giada]

One more from the front...

 

[jcrow]

Giada - do you have a back view? i LOVE this look. this is exactly what i was looking for for my wedding, but couldn''t find pics. ah well.

Fancy - i grew up in dance too. maybe that''s why i love the bun so much? i think it be so feminine and sophisticated.