Hair help

[Philomel]

What do all of you use to fasten your braids?  I've tried ribbons and I've tried leather, and it just slides right off of my teflon hair. 

[gem]

Do you mean, how do you secure tied-up braids wrapped around your head, like this:

http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/secondflor/images/2floren3.jpg

Or just how do you fasten off the end of a braid (like a hair tie or whatever)?

[Philomel]

Fastening them off.  The elastics seem so wrong!

[Rani Zemirah]

Use the really thin clear elastic bands and then cover it with the leather, ribbon, etc...

[Elennare]

What method are you using to fasten them?

When I'm using something other than an elastic, I use the same method for whipping the end of a rope.  Like so:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_whipping

If leather and ribbon aren't working, have you tried embroidery floss?  I've found if you use that, and tie it as tight as you can, it doesn't want to budge.  Another option might be to use craft wire.  Doubt that's really period, but it looks kinda cool, and it's easy to hide the ends.

If you really can't get anything but elastic to stay in your hair, I'd say the people who recommend using an elastic and covering have got the right idea.

[LadyFae]

For my hair as well as for my daughters' I'll use the tiny clear elastics and cover with ribbons or hide the ends. If I use ribbon I'll tie it through a loop so the just in case it comes undone it won't get lost.

[Philomel]

The clear elastics is what I usually use.  The wire sounds intriguing!

[Cilean]

Check out videos on Youtube under "16th Century Hair Taping"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjc4GJGUZBM

Or this http://wn.com/Elizabethan_Hair_Taping

How to do a Hair Roll
http://katerina.purplefiles.net/garb/hair/HairRoll.html

And Another:
http://sites.google.com/site/quatrefoilclothing/Home/historical-clothing/16th-century-creations/elizabethan-mens-shirt/hair-taping


Tudor Tailor's Book discusses putting up you hair as well:
www.tudortailor.com


And lastly one from Live Journal!
http://community.livejournal.com/longhair/2412414.html#cutid1


I hope this helps!  I have very short hair so I use a false braid that I place around my head to achieve the look I want.

Cilean

[operafantomet]

Another way of using ribbon to tie down your hair in a decorative manner, is one used for Norwegian folk costumes. It's known since the 17th century, maybe earlier. This site, albeit in Norwegian, shows it step by step (note that you need broad and extremely long ribbons for this, but the result is very neat):
http://www.bunad-magasinet.no/haarvipping-paa-telemarksvis.4472761-103162.html

A denser version seems to appear in these Italian paintings; one from 1595 Florence and one from late 15th century Venice:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze3/allori1595.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/venezia1/angdasienavenice.jpg

In period hairdressing it was more common that the ribbons were somehow braided into or around the hair, with the ribbon ends securing the hair ends. The ribbon ends were then tied together. This solves the "how the heck did the ribbons stay in place" mystery. But if you prefer or need to secure the ends only, I support the elastic suggestion, and with a band on top. The band can be looped through the elastic ones, so it definitely stays in place.

Don't laugh, but a good-value tip is to check out the elastic ribbons used for horse braiding... They are small and handy, but also durable, and comes in big packages for dirt cheap. Something like this, I suspect:
http://www.equestriancollections.com/product.asp?groupcode=ER02110

[Mairte]

I am so glad you posted this, great ideas!(I do have hair that is almost impossible to get bands or anything to stay in.   )

[McGuinness]

Another way of using ribbon to tie down your hair in a decorative manner, is one used for Norwegian folk costumes. It's known since the 17th century, maybe earlier. This site, albeit in Norwegian, shows it step by step (note that you need broad and extremely long ribbons for this, but the result is very neat):
http://www.bunad-magasinet.no/haarvipping-paa-telemarksvis.4472761-103162.html

I really like this! I may have to remember this for when they are costuming my Swedish Princess character next year. I could adapt that to Swedish royalty somehow I'm sure....

[medievalmagic85]

I love the Norwegian hair tying link. So pretty. Thanks!

[gypsylakat]

If you use leather and tie it when wet it will budge less.

[isabelladangelo]

I use to have impossible hair as well.  I went to a true professional braider, got my hair pulled back as tight as she could without ripping it out, and french braided it.  It was starting to come undone within an hour and was a total disaster by the next morning.   

What I did is I changed shampoos.  Go with the dandruff shampoos.  They take out all the chemicals and oils from your hair and then use a light conditioner -particularly at the ends of your hair, not at your scalp.  Wait a couple of weeks and then try putting up your hair.   It may help a bit.

Beyond that, hair taping, totally. 

[gem]

I'm going to totally second Isabella's recommendation to try new shampoo, because I've just discovered that it also works in reverse! Holy cow! I have curly hair that typically grips itself nicely as it dries, so I usually don't have trouble keeping braids, twists, etc in place (and actually often end up pulling on my "do" to loosen/soften it). But last week I tried a new shampoo/conditioner combo (Suave Professionals Sleek), and my hair is now officially slippery. LOL Twists and ponytails are falling out left and right!    I never had this problem with Aussie or SunSilk!