How to Make a Flower Girl Up-do for Shoulder Length Hair

Is your little girl going to be a flower girl and you want to pile her hair up but her hair is not long enough?

I know your dilemma, I've been a low-maintenance girl on hair since childhood so I can relate if some mommies out there have no idea on how to make a nice updo.

I looked around so that the hair-clueless like me and you will have a chance to try this out. Updos always look nice for formal events. There are lots of ways to pile up the hair, but here is one simple technique I would like to share with you.

What you'll need:
- comb and clamp
- ceramic curler iron or alternative curlers you have access to
- hair pins that match your little girl's hair
- optional: a nice blingy headband for formal wear

1. Curl the hair with the curling iron. Put some hair product after to retain the volume and curl.
2. Fix the bangs area as you wish, side or middle parted, or leave a tendril or two.
3. Lightly handle the curls and take the hair in the crown area and upper half of the head. Lightly clamp high on the head, near the crown.
4. Take the loose hair on the lower part of the head, and twist into a bun near the middle of the head. Secure with hair pins. Hide the pins from view. Loosen the clamped hair.
5. Here's the tricky part: take the left half the loosened curls, sweep back and pin in a line on the left side of the bun. Then sweep back the right half of the hair, pin in a line on the right side of the bun. Curls will just be swept back away from the ears but still loose at the back. Pins don't have to be in a line if you find something that works, we all have different hair types anyway.

It will look like the hair is longer, and put up.

6. Spritz with hair spray for "durability" in case your little cutie decides to bounce around later.

7. Put a nice blingy headband suited for formal dresses.

Tip: Practice, practice, practice. If you're concerned with damaging your little girl's hair with your diligent practice, grab your best friend and practice everyday. Then if you feel you're good at it already, have one practice session with your daughter as the wedding nears. Also have her wear her flower girl Elite Dress. Yup, like a dress rehearsal of some sort.

Hope you'll find this useful :-)