I like looking at hair styles

I feel like writing about hair styles today. I suck at hair styles. I can wear my hair messy, in a little, tiny ponytail (this is for when I clean, mostly), or straight. I can do itty bitty braids and big braids, but I can't french braid or do anything fancy in any way with braids. I'm pretty good at figuring out what to do with bangs, though.

I may not be the best at hair styles but at least I can tell what will look good. I compensate for my dismal styling skills by getting interesting cuts that compliment my face. I will not do any style that I can't make look well done. Occasionally I will wet my hair several times in the course of an hour because I tried something and it didn't work. I will be going through some styles and sharing my opinion about them.

Ratted hair

I understand that some people like big hair. I get that. Sometimes it's nice to show off your volume. I also understand that straightening thin hair usually makes it go really flat, so you might want to do something to make your hair have life again. Here's my problem with ratted hair. I hate it when girls rat their hair into a square or triangle. It doesn't look good. It looks like you slept in a box.

When you rat your hair, if you rat your hair, control yourself. This isn't the 80's. If you end up with corners on your head, brush it out and start over. If you have a ring around your head but nothing on the top (this is what I identify as triangle-shaped ratting), brush it out and start over. If you can get your hair to rat into the shape of your head, good job.

Alternatives to ratting: Blow dry your hair upside down. When I do this, I end up looking like a lion (I have a lot of hair...), but this can really help with volume if you don't have crazy thick hair and a lot of it. Another thing you can do is blow dry your hair with a brush. Pull your hair up and out while blow drying it and you'll have a little more volume. If you do have thin hair, I suggest not straightening it. I straighten my hair to contain it. When it's not straightened, it can stick up way too high for my liking. However, if you have thin hair, straightening your hair can take the life out of it. If you have thin, curly hair, try blowing it straight. It won't be stick straight (which I think is ok in nearly every instance), but it will have more volume.

Buns

I've seen some interesting buns on campus. My least favorite by far is the bun on the very top of the head, which I've mentioned before. Mostly my problem with this type of bun is that it's become a lazy bun. Lazy buns flop around and having a loop of hair flopping around on the top of your head just isn't cool. Just stop. Put your lazy buns back on the back of your head where they're meant to be. Now, when I say "top of head," I don't mean the crown. I'm talking about the spot where you'd balance a book. The very top of your head.

That's really the only type of bun that I don't like. I'm just going to list some of my favorites that I've seen recently.

I saw a girl yesterday who had made a bow out of her hair. I thought that was amazing. I could never do that...especially to myself. It was very sweet. It's a very casual bun, so I wouldn't suggest it for a formal event, but it complimented her red and mustard gathered, high-waist skirt and mustard cardigan so well. She just looked like a sweet person who is ready to help in any way she can.

I also love what I refer to as "donut buns." I don't know what they are actually called, but they remind me of donuts. They're on the crown of the head and the hair is rolled out into a tube-like shape around the center of what I assume is a ponytail. I have a friend who is very good at these. I think they are very classy.

Last, but not least, I love buns that are at the neck and extend all along the hair line. I've never seen two of the same and most have some type of braid involved. They look very sweet and nice. I love when a girl puts a bow in one. It just adds to the cuteness.

Braids

The last thing I want to mention is braids. I love braids. I always have. When I was little I always loved it when my aunt came over and she would french-braid my hair.

One type of braid that always intrigues me is a fishtail braid. I've watch tutorials and looked at picture instructions and I still can't figure it out. These braids are just so cool! Plus, they're rarely stiff, which is good.

I am also intrigued by braids that go up the back of the head and into buns. I can't figure out how girls can fight gravity to do this. Maybe they braid it with their heads upside down? I don't know. Girls who do this, keep it up. It looks awesome.

I also love any type of braid that doesn't end up super stiff. This could be a ring around the head, braided bangs that are pulled back, french braids of most type. They're just great and I love to look at them.

I do not love stiff braids. Braids that get braided together were cool in elementary school, but now it looks juvenile. Also, I think people should keep braids down to two or under on one head. I've seen two different people who had three french braids. I don't know why they did this, but it seriously looked like their hair was an octopus. I expected them to turn around and have 5 more braids around the rest of their head. I was told once that some girls do this to make their hair wavy. Here's my thought to that. If you are braiding your hair like that to make it wavy, don't venture outside like that. It's the same concept as curlers. You stay inside until your curlers are done, you should stay inside until your weird braids are done.

To all you girls (and boys) that can do cool things with hair, I give you props. You have a talent and a gift. You shouldn't let that go to waste.