If you have long hair, how do you wear it?

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My hair is quite thick, past my shoulders with long layers. I like it and when I can be bothered have time, I straighten it and it looks nice and neat. However, a lot of the time, I just put it half-up-half-down in a clip or bobble and it probably looks a bit messy and perhaps too young for me.

How can I look groomed and do more 'stuff' with my hair that isn't going to take ages?

What do you do with yours?

I am the same as you so I shall watch and learn. I usually scrunch it up into a twisted up bun with a (ssh) scrunchie. Although when playing Octonauts with DS2 I am required to make two plaits as rabbit ears and be Tweak.

My hair is the same.
I always go to the hairdresser with huge expectations of having something done that will be fabulous, fashionable and above easy. In reality it's just long, thick hair that hangs!

However I found this web page and have been experimenting with the hair tutorials.

A French pleat might look neat and sophisticated or a chigon type thing. I have a fringe so it always looks like I've done something every day because that needs attention.

I've been wondering about a fringe as it might make it look more 'styled'. I think I'm like you, Spoilt, I want something done to it to give it a style. The hairdresser does make it look more styled than I can, but it's still just 'long hair'. Will check out that website for inspiration.

Yes, like the idea of a French pleat but worry that would make my arms ache - my hair is very thick!

Any more suggestions/wisdom?

I have long (Below my shoulders) thick hair - these are my staple hair do's

1. straighten it (swishy, lovely but time consuming)
2. curl it - I have naturally wavy hair and will go cork screw with product & scrunching while drying.
3. hair in sock bun, to one side at the back of my head - usually section front part of my hair and twist & clip. Add flower for a bit of a flourish
4. messy up 'do' - pull forward front section and make quiff. Back put into high ponytail, back comb and messy clip. Again with a flower.
5. straighten the front part of my hair and sock bun the rest.
6. I also have a selection of scarves which I use, just to make it look different.

I made a deal with myself when I grew my hair long that I wouldn't wear my hair in a plain ponytail out in public.

I love the fact that I only have to wash my hair every 3 days.

Ooh Northumberlandlass I love your suggestions. What product do you use to help it go curly? Mine is wavy and would probably curl if I knew how to do it. And how do you secure it in the up do - kirby grips?

I have not-very-thick but not fine hair, below shoulders - never seems to get below bra strap adjuster level

It's definitely not straight and doesn't do proper curly either. It's got a mind of its own.
I wear it down occasionally but tbh it looks better up, so most days I curl it into a sort of 'thing' and pin it at the back.

People have always said it suits me that way so I don't really bother trying anything else..

I actually use old fashioned Wella Gel! I put in on wet, unbrushed hair and as it dries naturally I scrunch ! It doesn't take that long as I don't have much turn around time in the mornings.

All my 'dos' (apart from straightening which takes me an age) take a few mins. It took practice because I am the most inept hair person EVER !

Oh yes, kirby grips too!
I don't ever let my hair 'just be' as it is a bit frizzy, a bit wavy and 'meh'

Oh I need to try all these ideas as I am inept too. It is too thick and messy rather than wavy if left, so it needs some sort of taming.

Sleds your 'thing' sounds intriguing!

Get a fringe!

I've got thick, wavy, unruly hair too and a blunt fringe has transformed it. I was scared it'd take ages to do, but it's really OK - towel dry, quick blast of hairdryer on fringe followed by straighteners - five minutes max. Then I can just leave the back to dry naturally and go a bit wavy and messy, or pull it up into a quick bun or ponytail, and it looks styled.

The fringe usually lasts OK to my next wash (3 days later) with just a quick run through of straighteners every morning.

Thank you, IWish, I like the idea of a fringe too.

Would a fringe suit someone in their early 40s, do you think?

I've just grown out my fringe. When I get to work I'll put a pic on my profile with & without!
I did love my fringe, but got a bit bored of it. I still had to do all the styles above as my hair was still 'meh' with it

I have long layers around my face, if I don't have time to straighten I use a cloud nine curling wand. I take chunks and just wrap around the wand. Sometimes I use a light spray of hairspray but usually don't need to.

Have uploaded the only decent one of me with a fringe, I was still growing my hair at this point, so only just touching my shoulders.

Like Sleepless I have long layers around my face.

I have long layered hair with a fringe. Its medium weight & my fringe is light-ish, bit like <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=kate+moss&start=102&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=1366&bih=622&tbm=isch&tbnid=cffr766nU0pm9M:&imgrefurl=www.justjared.com/photo-gallery/2498837/kate-moss-fragrance-08/&docid=nz5hdDH_K3zlyM&imgurl=cdn02.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/moss-fragrance/kate-moss-fragrance-08.jpg&w=887&h=1222&ei=vfbGUKmFGees0QWYjIGYDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1069&vpy=82&dur=1041&hovh=264&hovw=191&tx=115&ty=135&sig=117790554054779804747&page=4&tbnh=133&tbnw=96&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:30,s:100,i:94" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this cut-wise.

I used to always tie it up/low ponytail or clip but lately try to wear it down, because thats how I like it.

Fringe definitely helps to give it more 'style', IMO.

Sparky I like your hairstyle.

This was the pic I showed the hairdresser when I had my fringe cut in.

My funky 19-year-old hairdresser probably thought I was a poor deluded old lady (I'm 36), but I was happy with the result anyway!

I think a fringe is definitely OK past 40 mosaica - it hides forehead wrinkles, which can only be a good thing!

Generic - I have thick & wavy long hair (at breasts) and I find that the most important thing to wearing such hair as ours is the cut. Yes, it is best layered, but a good cut also makes long hair lighter by cutting some strands and leaving others (failing miserably at explaining what I mean here ).

I generally leave mine to dry on its own after (1) towel-drying (by squeezing & twisting), (2) putting on a good dose of this all over, and (3) scrunching my hair into curls.

Once in a while, I also straighten it and that's also nice. Again, because the cut is good

I don't have a fringe, by the way - can't stand a block of hair on my forehead and it would never work with wavy/curly hair dried naturally.

I have thick curly hair, past my bra strap and a long straight fringe.
Hair is a spiral perm on bendy rollers.

I wash it and and style with John Frieda Curl products, first two days after washing I have it down and going a bit wild (DH likes this) third day I have it part back or all back in a messy twisty do but straighten my fringe and it looks OK.
I wash it on the fourth day but have been known to just tie it back for a few more more days

I find long hair far easier to cope with than short hair. I have lots of barettes, claw clips, scrunchies etc

IWish, I love that pic (and we are both old ladies by the way). Is your hair naturally that wavy/curly?

Cote, I think you are right re cut. Perhaps I need to invest in a good cut.

Yule I wash every 4 days too - so much easier than when I had a bob and had to wash every other day and straighten it. I do think long hair is easier.

Well last night I sock bunned and it has gone very big, so I need to calm it down somehow, although I haven't had to leave the house yet. I've been wondering if some kind of oil (Argan oil or similar) would be good on it as it really is quite coarse. Any experience?

I go through phases, some weeks it's the same 'undone' low knot at the nape of my neck nearly every day and sometimes I change my hair every day to a side plait, a top knot, half up and half down...... I only wear my hair completely down when I have time to blow-dry properly and...err....if it isn't windy, which in the UK is rare.