I have long hair. Very. Long. Hair. I have struggled with putting my hair up in a bun ever since elementary school – and finally I’ve found the answer – or answers. Maybe I’m just terrible with hair, or maybe I’m just slow when it comes to finding out about all these techniques, but nonetheless, hopefully I’ll be able to help out those of you in my position who haven’t perhaps heard of the following methods yet.
1. Sock Bun
Apparently, sock buns have been around for a while. I’ve seen them in the past, but I’ve always doubted how well they worked. A few weeks ago, I came to a stand still, and decided to give sock buns a try. And you know what? They’re really convenient and cute! 
In this picture, you can see and individual with a sock bun, as well as a doughnut form beside her head to show the relative size. These “doughnut” forms can be bought from drug stores, accessory stores (like Claires), etc. and can range anywhere from $1 to about $6 depending on the size, colour and material of the form. They generally come in light brown/blonde shades, to dark brown and black, though you may be able to find more vibrant colours. In addition, if you’re not sure that you want to pay up to $6 for a glorified doughnut shaped dish scrubber you can use socks. (Don’t get me wrong – the doughnut forms are actually so useful if you have A LOT of hair like me. Socks just don’t offer enough support or volume if you have a of hair.) A cheaper solution is to cut the “toe” off of a pair of socks, and roll the sock until it resembles a doughnut shape. It’s a little hard to explain, so here is a video to help you out!
What did you think? Cute and easy? In the video, a few different products are used, but it’s really up to you. You know your hair best, so it’s up to your discretion whether you need 1 bobby pin, or 25.
2. The 7 Second Hair Bun
This bun, may not necessarily be “bun-shaped”, but this is honestly so convenient. I don’t like having to spend a lot of time on my hair, especially right before a chemistry lab! You don’t need an elastic band, a sock, or bobby pin. Look around you and grab a pen or pencil. That’s really all you need for this hair. Granted it might hurt a bit if you grabbed an unsharpened pencil or a pen with a grip – it will work. It is beneficial to have hair “needles” or “chopsticks” because they are made for your hair. This “bun”/hair style actually hods up really well – better than the sock bun! Check out the following video – I know it’s short, but this is the video that first intrigued me to learn how to put my hair up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Meh8Swh38
All you really have to do is grab a knitting needle (though it might be a bit long), pencil, pen, chopsticks, etc. and twist it throughout your hair. This is probably one of my favourite and most convenient methods for putting up my hair – especially if you want to avoid elastic band marks in your hair!
So in conclusion, there are a lot of different methods for putting your hair up in a bun, and lots of different tips and tricks to help you along the way. If you’re still curious about other styles and types of buns, I encourage you to check out Youtube!