Can we file “hair” under “fashion”? I don’t know. But today I am, because this is what I want to talk about for Fashion Friday.

I have long, layered, very thick, very curly (3B, if you know curly hair categories) hair. For the first ten years of my life, it was only slightly wavy. For the next ten years of my life, I fought with it. Somewhere in my twenties, I began to make an uneasy truce with it. And finally, in my late twenties, I embraced it. I never brush it, I never straighten it, I never do a blow-out. I just (mostly) let it do what it wants. I get a good cut, use great styling products, and try to treat it well, but otherwise, I don’t do much to it or with it. I like having a low-maintenance routine, and I can live with the fact that my hair doesn’t really look “professional” (the way some people think of “professional” at least – sleek, crisp, controlled – i.e., STRAIGHT).

almost always a little bit messy

But lately, I’ve been finding that I’d like to experiment with my look a little bit. I basically have always just worn my hair down, even at my wedding. My only variations ever is the very, very occasional ponytail. At home, I almost always pull it back in a clip, but it is not really a good look for me for wearing out and about.

This time last year, I went to my stylist for a haircut. She knew I was getting ready to go out for a Christmas event, so she offered to put my hair into an updo for free. I had never, ever had an updo before (like I said above, not even for my wedding); I gave it a go.

feeling fancy

I really liked it!

When I took it down that night (which made me sad!), I was staggered by the number of bobby pins it took. I think there were like 60! I had watched my stylist carefully as she worked, but I remained unconvinced that I could try this at home. So I didn’t.

But then it was time for Halloween this year, and I wanted to go as Lucy Ricardo, from I Love Lucy. This called for an updo!

I basically just kept piling hair up in the back and pinning it with bobby pins, while trying to keep the front loose.

a little bit messy

I think keeping the front loose is really important for me to feel comfortable wearing my hair up. I have a rather large noggin and my full hair seems to help balance it out a little bit.

But I still don’t feel I have the hang of this. For the Lucy costume, I seriously just pulled up hair and pinned kind of blindly (I don’t have a mirror system in my bathroom where I can see the back of my hair without a handheld mirror). I think it looked okay, but nothing like what my hair stylist managed.

Still, I’m interested to try this more, and I’d love to know any advice, tips, examples, etc., that any of you have for updos. So here are some of my questions:
– Do you ever pin your own hair up? Especially if you have thick curly hair, what are your tips for making this work?
– Where do you wear this style? Are there casual-style updos that you would be comfortable wearing out for work or for casual events?
– Are there websites and/or tutorials that any of you have seen that you would recommend? I have of course been looking up things on Pinterest and elsewhere, and have found some good-looking stuff. Most of it is aimed a people whose hair isn’t really as thick or curly as mine, but some of it is for us curlygirls, which I appreciate. But I’m always interested in links that people can actually vouch for as being helpful. So hit me with your best stuff!
– And beyond updos, what other styles – besides just down – do you think look good for curly hair?

Okay, so it may seem like I have now written an awful lot about my hair, but trust me when I say I could write/say so much more. I will spare you … for now.