Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?

     ...My collection of mermaid-inspired accessories, that is. It's never complete. I must press forth ever vigilant in the quest to look like some sort of sea creature (I leave that purposefully vague because what most people identify this trend with is mermaids, but honestly I'm shooting more for Sea Witch. You can't tell me Ursula wasn't fab). So today I'm bringing you another quick and easy way to bring a little aquatic flare to your hair (I didn't mean for that to rhyme, please forgive me). 

     All you'll need is some bobby pins (again, I really recommend using the higher quality ones. They last so much longer and will bring you so much less disappointment), good strong glue or epoxy, and some bubble-esque beads -- mine came from the floral arrangement section of the store, where they keep all kinds of pretty glass gobs that speak to the magpie in me.

     Then all you need to do is grab a little bubbly bead, stick a good-sized gob of glue on it, and glue it onto the side of the bobby pin. The reason I glued them to the side instead of the top is because it allows it to sit there like it's in a little cup-holder, so you don't have to worry about it rolling off while it's drying, and there's more surface area shared between the pin, the bead, and the glue this way, so you're less likely to have one pop off later on. Let the glue dry overnight -- it's always best to allow for a nice long dry time when industrial strength glue and your hair are involved. 

     Once you've let them dry, they're ready to wear! I like to stick them into the messiest updo possible, in keeping with my personal theory that mermaids ain't got time to be worrying about things like "Does my hair look messy" or "Do I look like Bellatrix Lestrange going to the prom." 

     I really like this style for days when you want your hair up off your neck and out of your face, but also want to look like maybe you came here by accident when you stumbled out of a Jane Austen novel. I won't lie -- I also like this hairstyle a lot because the less you try, the better it looks, and trying is so much EFFORT. I used to wear my hair like this all the time and got compliments on it constantly, because it looks like it takes longer than it does. If you're one of those people who struggles with the whole "artfully disheveled" thing though, fear not! Click through to the full post and I'll show you how I like to do my messy updos.


     You'll want to start off with wavy or curly hair. That doesn't mean you have to sit around with a curling iron, though (unless you want to). If your hair is naturally anything but straight, run a curl enhancing potion of some sort (I like Not Your Mother's "Kinky Moves Curl Defining Cream," because it smells like Sweet Tarts. And because it works, you know, but mostly because Sweet Tarts) through it when it's damp, then scrunch it or leave it in a braid or two until it's dry. It doesn't have to look nice, you just want some texture, is all. 

     On this day I had braided my hair overnight, then went through with a curling iron just on the bottom half of the length of my hair for a little consistency in the morning, but you don't have to do that. If you like a little (and I do mean little) consistency but really don't want to make much effort (I hear ya), you can always wait until the end and only curl the pieces that end up hanging down. 

     Anyway, once you've got some texture goin' on that will help you get some gripping action with your pins, section off the bulk of your hair into the messiest bun/ponytail/explosion you can manage. You'll want to leave an inch or two of hair all the way around your head hanging down. 

You can tell there's some strange optical illusionery going on in this picture because it looks like I have a pin-head, and in reality my head is ma-hoo-sive.

     Then just grab a fistful of bobby pins and go around your head, pinning up in sections everything that you left hanging down, and leaving the ends free. Before this, when people would ask me how I did this hairstyle, I would tell them "Uhhh, I battle at my hair with bobby pins until it all goes away and leaves me alone." So it's good that I'm finally buckling down and getting more descriptive.

      You'll want to leave your bangs, if you have them, or some wispy strands if you don't, out at the front to make the whole style soft and Victorian-lady-who's-a-hoot-at-parties-esque. This is the part where, should you feel so inclined, you could curl all the pieces hanging down. Since I started with my hair curled, I didn't bother, but waiting until the end, then tackling the stragglers is probably the fastest route. 

     And you're done! Now just spend your day swanning about exuding a casual air of "Maybe this was a fancy updo before I ran across town to see my ailing sister at Netherfield, but I'm a free spirit so I don't care anyway, SPLISH SPLASH SURPRISE I was a mermaid all along."