Hairspiration: Messy plaited updos

A new “hairstyle” is one of those things that can fill you with absolute horror or have you chomping at the bit with a heated roller. I am a big fan of an updo and love nothing more than trying out a new style. Luckily I have the kind of hair that will do more or less what I want and years of backcombing it into siouxsie sioux/bananarama type, fright night styles, means I don’t find trying out a new style too challenging.

If the thought of doing anything more than applying a ‘pea sized amount’ of Frizzease – which lord only knows we all need at the moment with all this rain –  fills you with horror, there are all sorts of online tutorials to walk you through a new do. Unfortunately they are mostly by 20 years girls called Lauren from Illinois, who think we have more than five minutes to spend on our ‘look’ for the day, but it’s worth checking out YouTube if you fancy having a go (turn off the sound)!

Or for £6, you could download 30 Hairstyles in 30 Days, an ebook containing over 30 hairstyles and tutorials around romantic, messy, plaited looks.

The best thing about these plaited updos, is that there’s no right or wrong, as messy is good, so even if you can’t get it quite right, it doesn’t really matter. But if you have a special occasion and dont feel inclined to spend hours sweating and swearing and pulling your hair out (literally), you could just go to the hairdresser with a picture!

My favourite ever plaited hairspiration comes from Ruth Gordon as Maude in the fabulous cult film Harold and Maude – and check out her ‘do’ out in Rosemary’s Baby!

 

10 Comments

  • Amanda says:

    That’s it, I’m never cutting my hair again Ax

  • Pippa NOM de PLUME says:

    My daughter spends every morning yelling from the bathroom that she needs more bobby pins! I’m pretty sure the dog has eaten a few but the others are probably nestled in the depths of yesterdays messy fishtail inside out french braid.
    You need about a million bobby pins to make it look like you haven’t used any!
    x Pippa x

  • Jude says:

    This is so well-timed (you two are SO good at that!) I have struggled to get any sort of plait, and my hairs long enough – I can do messy really well, but no semblance of any sort of plait. And my arms ache so much that I have to give up. Taking these pics to hairdresser is great solution thank you! x

  • Anna says:

    I have long hair and regularly put it up (badly) – I have tried out some of these lovely plaits, but never seem to have enough hands!
    However I have recently become completely addicted a new hair gadget – it’s s styling cone thingy. I have very straight lank hair and long for curls, or even a return to the 80’s fashion for perms. It took watching several very young ladies with not much too do, demostrating how to work the gadget on You Tube before I could achieve anything other than ‘Crystal Tips’ (remember her?) curls. I did finally get the hang of putting the odd black glove on the correct hand and can now achieve lovely ‘beachy’ waves that last for days. I keep promising my hairdresser that I won’t use it too often, as obviously it’s terrible for hair, I am now restricting myself to curls at the weekend! Sorry off at a tangent there – it’s just lovely for once to sometimes achieve great hair. Anna x

  • Sue says:

    It’s not for braiding hair but a Goody pin (from Boots,costs £5 or £6 or so ) is excellent for French twists or whatever they’re called.It’s a horseshoe shaped metal thing with slightly curled ends that you thread and twist into place.The instructions in the box are pretty hopeless but there’s a clip on youtube that is much more helpful.And you don’t need six million hair grips just this one hoopy pin.Which is a lot less stressful once you (I,that is) get the hang of it.Xsue

  • jane says:

    Ooo exciting new hair gadgets, thanks ladies, can we have more details and YouTube links please? Jx

  • Amanda says:

    Sue, I have the Goody pin too, it’s fantastic and very good value A

  • Sue says:

    I found this clip.I don’t know if it will work though.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWEcF4cRF8o Fingers crossed.

  • Anna says:

    My gadget is a styling wand – it’s by Remington but I know lots of other companies make them too. I’m sure they have been around for a while, but it took me ages to try one. They come with one black glove to protect the hand styling the hair, which takes some co-ordination practice. Now I have the hang of it though I can do my hair in minutes – here is a You Tube tutorial link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owleEM0pALI

  • Jane says:

    thanksfor the links *rushes off to Argos* J

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