This is an easy way for very long hair to put up and make it a formal updo hairstyle. Put the hair into a pony tail and wrap the long hair around the pony tail. Take a stiff ribbon, twisty it lightly into big loops, securing each loop with a bobby pin - and place it on the side behind the ear, showing only a little bit of the ribbon on the left hand side.

As you can see this is a casual but elegant updo hair style that is quick and easy to do. If you would want to dress it up you could add some hair jewelry. See the page on "Hair Jewelry"

The best way to prepare your hair for your updo, is to use electric rollers or set your hair with regular rollers first. This gives your hair body and shape and makes it easier to work with when putting it up and styling it.

When setting your hair with regular rollers make sure that your hair is damp enough, if your hair is too dry it will not hold the curl. Dry your roller set either with a hand dryer, a heating cap or the type of hair dryer used in beauty salons.

The easiest and fastest way is to use electric rollers. The separations that the rollers create are easier to erase. The disadvantage in using electric rollers is that the curl doesn’t last as long as with regular rollers. As well there are usually not enough rollers of the size you need in one electric roller set case. (You might need two electric roller sets).

Setting your hair in rollers is a lot easier and faster than using a curling iron. A curling iron is very difficult to use on yourself. If the curling iron is not used properly and if you use the wrong size the result won’t be pretty. However if you are one of those women who have mastered the technique of using a curling iron, it will still be much more time consuming. Secondly you can burn yourself easily.
A few tips on how to set your hair with electric rollers:

1. Shampoo and condition your hair. Dry your hair really well before setting your hair with the electric rollers. If your hair is even a little bit damp the curl will not take properly.

2. Make sure the electric rollers are really hot.

3. Use a tail comb to create sections that are half an inch wide and are three inches long for each roller. Apply some tension to the section you are holding up and put it around the electric roller. Place the ends tightly over the curl and around the curl while still applying tension and rolling it all the way to the scalp.

4. Don’t remove the rollers too soon. Leave them on for twenty minutes.

5. When removing the rollers from your hair you will notice that the roller almost falls out by itself. Hold the roller and with a circling motion unwind it from the hair, all the while following the flow of the curl.

6. If your formal updo incorporates curls, then don’t brush the curls out.

7. If your formal updo is going to be quite smooth, as in a chignon (French Twist) then brush your hair with a paddle brush that has a rubber cushion and medium thick plastic bristles with knobs at the end of each bristle.

Ever so often I will add more "how to do updos" hairstyles on this page to give you ideas on how to wear - and how to do your formal updos for your formal dance.