Alright so today was one of those mornings where I woke up late and needed something super fast for work. Ended up trying two hairstyles that actually worked great – messy bun and a slick ponytail with a twist. Here’s exactly how it went down:
The “5-Minute Messy Bun” Attempt
First, I grabbed a hair tie and brush because my hair was all tangled from sleeping weird. Brushed it out real quick, didn’t even bother being gentle – just yanked through the knots. Then I bent over and gathered everything into a high ponytail at the crown of my head. Wrapped the elastic twice but kept it loose on the third loop. Pulled only halfway through to make a loop.
Big mistake: Left too much hair hanging out the first time. Looked like a half-dead squirrel. Had to redo it by pulling the elastic tighter and tucking the dangly bits with bobby pins. Teased the loop a bit for messy volume. Finished by spraying flyaways with water and smushing ’em down.
Next Up: The “Office Chic Ponytail”
Wanted something cleaner for meetings so I went for the polished ponytail. Soaked a toothbrush in hairspray – yeah, a toothbrush! Comb didn’t work for baby hairs. Sectioned the front: parted hair above each ear and clipped those forward sections away. Brushed the back section straight into a low pony. Then I unclipped one side section, brushed it diagonally toward the pony, and wrapped it around the base to hide the elastic. Held it with bobby pins criss-cross style. Repeated on the other side.
Annoying part: The wrapping never holds right on first try. Had to re-pin three times while muttering at the mirror. Added extra hairspray to the toothbrush and smoothed the crown section like I was painting a wall.
What Actually Worked
- Bobby pins > hair ties for taming: Those loose strands need stabbing, not hoping.
- Water spray saves disasters: Flyaways look intentional if you wet and finger-smush ’em flat.
- Toothbrush trick is legit: Tiny bristles beat combs for slicking baby hairs. Still using my husband’s.
Both styles held all day even through post-work errands. Bun got compliments in the breakroom. Ponytail survived 3 meetings. Will I use ’em again? Heck yes – took less time than brewing coffee.
