Help with thick hair

[DottyDetective]

I’ve got very thick, slightly wavy but very frizzy on top dark hair reaching just below my shoulders currently. Obviously hasn’t been cut in a while. It looks best down but it gets in my face/annoys me and I need it tidy for work. I really struggle with styling so probably 90% of the time it’s pulled back in a pony tail, which does nothing for me. I’ve tried following YouTube tutorials etc but my hair seems to fall out of most styles and isn’t held by little Kirby grips etc (my upstyle for my wedding required hundreds of them and a tin of hairspray). I know a cut would help but I’ve found most hairdressers want to cut layers in and don’t understand that I am not able to blow dry like they are.

I’m looking for (very very) simple styles that I can do in 15mins or less before work ideally (I have 3 small children to get ready in the morning as well as myself). Also any general ideas on managing thick unruly hair?

I don’t really know if I’m fighting a curl but maybe. My hair is only slightly wavy, not curly and not entirely straight but very unruly and knot prone. I’ve considered trying curly girl but the amount of product required out me off. And also I need to wash my hair after exercise/currently wash on work days as in contact with covid etc.

The one and only time I tried curly method, I walked to work. It was very windy and when I arrived my supervisor rushed over to ask if "everything was alright"

She obviously thought I'd spent the night in some bushes or something.

In short, it's not for everyone.