My hair “tricks and pics” 2016

In the two plus years I’ve written this blog I’ve talked about my hair precisely once. It was to say I’m an advocate of “the curly girl method” and to show a photo of the one lone spiral “Scarlett O’Hara” curl  I had in my mainly wavy hair. Just to explain briefly: this hair care approach is for anyone – any age, gender, race, ethnicity – who has anything from slight waves to full-on coil curls and wants to take care of them. It means washing your hair with sulfate-free shampoo or with conditioner and in either case, conditioning the hell out of it – curly hair is dry hair and conditioner brings out the curl favorably.

For the last several years I’ve been doing variations of “curly girl” and my hair looks better than it has in years, maybe ever. Wearing layers facilitates a wavy or curly style as length, i.e. weight, pulls out the curl so I’ve worn my hair layered. It’s not problem-free – is any hair? – but mostly I really like it. However, earlier in the year I decided to let my hair grow because I missed being able to do the hair “tricks” I used to do. You need length to do braids, French twists, and so on. Years ago I taught myself how to do things with my hair mainly from library books and I’ve invented things as I went along.

I grew my hair and started doing things with it again. I’d even forgotten old styles and remembered more as the summer went on. With the thought that I might share some of these looks on the blog, I started taking photos in July and after that, when I remembered to! They aren’t the best quality as I took them all in the mirror but you can get the idea. Oh — because I get asked this – my hair color – all its shades – is natural.

This style is much easier than it looks; it starts with a basic ponytail. I picked up the jewelry accessory at a big annual jewelry/rummage sale just because I thought it was interesting. Someone told me they thought it was an accessory from back in the day to hold two sides of a sweater together. It has serious metal teeth on either side!
.

.

This is two braids banded together at the bottom. That’s a regular pin I added, one you’d typically wear on clothes. I have a few beautiful pins and like to wear them in my hair – it’s fun and different. I assure you serious curly girl advocates would be aghast at sticking a sharp pin in your hair – they actually tell you to throw out your brushes and combs because they are too hard on curly hair! (p.s. I AM wearing a shirt, but it was a little summer top.)
.

This is a French braid with the end tucked under and pinned in place. I added one of my lovely (clothes) pins. That particular shade of green is just so pretty.
.

I couldn’t remember the last time I had long enough hair to do a side braid.

Here we have two braids that I’ve crossed over at the back and pinned underneath – again, easier than it may look. I have one or two sort of real-looking fake flowers – I always loved flowers in my hair – that I’ve hung onto and I pinned this one on with a bobby pin..

I found this wild hair barrette accessory at a church rummage sale about a year ago. I had occasionally used it for a ponytail but thought to try it with my hair up. I loved it! It’s hard to see but those are tiny shells at the center of the accessory. .

.

And finally here is a French braid with a simple pretty scarf I folded and tied on. Chic no?!.