Do a Sock Bun with Short Hair

Love the simple elegance of the sock bun look but having trouble replicating it with your short haircut? A few basic tricks may be able to help you get a great-looking bun that stays put on your head. However, there is a limit to what you can do with extremely short hair. The steps in this article work best if your hair reaches at least to the middle of your neck. You should at least be able to make a short ponytail. If you can't, a sock bun may be impossible.

Steps

Preparing the Sock

if you already know how to turn a sock into a hair scrunchie.

1. Grab a sock you don't mind ruining. This method requires you to cut up a sock. It won't be suitable for your feet once you're done with it, so pick a sock that you can stand to lose. If you've lost a sock's partner in the laundry, it's perfect for this.
   • While you're going through your socks, you may also want to grab a hair brush, a pair of scissors, some bobby pins, and, optionally, a scrunchie. You will need these tools later.
2. Optionally, pick a sock that matches your hair color. If you want your sock to blend invisibly into your hair, it should be as close to your hair color as possible. In other words, if you have black hair, choose a black sock (and so on). This isn't essential, however, so it's not a big deal if you can't find one that matches exactly.
3. Cut the sock's toe off. Use a pair of scissors or a fabric knife to make a clean cut straight across the toe of the sock about an inch before the end. Your goal here is to make a "tube" of elastic fabric.
   • Many socks have a bend in the heel. This is OK — it doesn't matter whether your "tube" is straight or not.
4. Roll your sock up into a "doughnut." Grab the open end of the sock you just cut and the edges back over themselves. Keep rolling until the sock is completely rolled up on itself. It should look like an "O," a doughnut, or a normal scrunchie.
   • Once you have your sock ready, you can start tying your bun. The entire process should only take a few minutes.

Making the Bun

1. Pull your hair into a ponytail. You can use a brush to gather your hair if needed. If you have enough hair to make a ponytail easily, you can center it anywhere on your head. If your hair is extra-short and a ponytail is difficult, put it wherever you can get the most length. Usually, this is near the crown (the top rear part of your head).
   • Use a scrunchie to hold the ponytail in place while you work.
2. Roll the sock onto the tip of your ponytail. Pull gently on your ponytail to pull it straight. Slip it through the center of the "O" formed by your rolled-up sock. Let the sock rest clinging to the hair about an inch from the end of the hair.
   • The next few steps can be a little tricky, especially if this is your first time attempting a sock bun. You may need to start over from this step once or twice. Don't worry — with practice, you'll get it.
3. Tuck the end of the ponytail under the sock. Hold the last inch or so of the ponytail hair with one hand. Fold it over the top of the sock, around the edge, and under. Use your other hand to open a small space in the "O" and tuck the ponytail in. Let go of the sock and let the elastic hold the hair in place.
   • If you can't get the hair to stay tucked in to the sock, your hair may be too short. to learn how to make a "messy" sock bun, which looks almost the same but is easier with short hair.
4. Roll the sock down to your head. Keeping your hair tucked into the sock, carefully start rolling the sock down to the base of your ponytail. With each turn, the sock should pick up a little more hair. The longer your ponytail is, the more hair you'll pick up as you roll it down to your head and the tighter your bun will feel when it's done.
5. Spread your hair into a doughnut shape. When you can't roll the sock any further, use your fingers to spread the rolled-up ponytail hair to either side. Try to arrange it so that it goes equally in each direction. When you're done, you should be left with a bun that looks a little like an "O" or a doughnut. The hair should cover your sock so that it can't be seen. Congratulations — you've made a sock bun.
   • Be careful when adjusting your hair here. Pulling on it can cause it to unravel, forcing you to start over.

Getting the Bun to Stay

1. Try a "messy" sock bun. If you just can't seem to get the normal sock bun to work with your short hair, try using this method, which looks almost the same. You will need a rubber band as well as the sock and scrunchie from the section above. To make a messy bun:
   • Pull your hair into a ponytail and slide the doughnut in place as normal.
   • Slide the sock all the way down to your head without rolling your hair up. Split the tip of your ponytail into two sections. Tilt your head forward and let the hair fall loosely over the doughnut.
   • Slip a rubber band over the loose, hanging hair to secure it to the rest of the ponytail below the sock.
   • Tuck any loose sections around the sock bun. The end product will look very similar to a normal sock bun.
2. Buy a bun doughnut. Sometimes, the problem may be that the sock you're using isn't very helpful. It may be made of a material that doesn't grip your hair well or may have worn out elastic. Using a commercial bun doughnut can help in this case. This is a tight, elastic loop of material shaped like a doughnut that is designed to grip your hair. You can buy these at hairdressers and department stores for fairly cheap.
3. If you can, use dry hair that hasn't been washed. If you couldn't get your sock bun to stay in place, try waiting a day or two without showering and try again. "Dirty" hair tends to adhere to the fabric of socks, bun doughnuts, and so on better than clean hair. Using wet hair is an especially bad idea — it can work its way out of the bun as it dries.
   • Of course, you'll need to balance your need for daily hygiene with your desire to get that perfect sock bun look. Don't put off a shower you really need just for the sake of getting a good bun.
4. Tuck in any loose hairs with bobby pins. A small section of hair that works its way out of the sock can eventually cause the rest of the bun to come undone. Try carrying a few bobby pins in your purse if you have this problem. When you notice that a few stray hairs have gotten out of the bun, pin them down to keep them from loosening the rest of the bun. This can also help give your bun a cleaner, more "put together" appearance throughout the day.
5. Use hairspray if needed. Hairspray (along with mouses and similar products) can be helpful for getting wild hair to behave. When you get your bun just the way you want it, give it an application of hairspray all over. Let it sit until it dries, then go about your business. The hairspray should make your bun firmer and stiffer, keeping it in place.
   • If you find that hairspray makes your hair shiny, you may want to spray the rest of your hair so that it matches your bun.
6. Try teasing your hair. A technique called "teasing" can give your hair added volume, helping it roll up properly. For this, you will need a teasing comb, though you can also get decent results with a normal brush. Pull your hair into a ponytail as normal and secure it with a scrunchie. Comb backwards through the ponytail near the base. You should notice this section of hair gain some volume. It may get somewhat knotted as well.
   • Now, try rolling your sock bun again and you may notice that it's easier to get it to stay in place.

Tips

• If you just can't get a sock bun to work, don't worry — there are many, many other great hair styles that are easier. See our selection of articles on hair buns for dozens of step-by-step guides.
• Words and pictures only work so well when it comes to describing what to do with your hair. Video can be more helpful for showing precisely how to tie a sock bun (or any other bun). One good instructional video is available here.

Related Articles

• Do a Sock Bun
• Make a Bun for Short Hair
• Curl Your Hair with a Sock Bun
• Make a Donut Bun

Sources and Citations

• Videos provided by mallory1712

See also

• Make a Top Knot Bun
• Make a Donut Bun
• Make a Messy Bun With Extremely Long Hair
• Do Your Hair Like a Dancer
• Make a Bun
• Make a Ballet Bun
• Do a Messy Updo
• Make a Messy Bun
• Make Hair Buns
• Do Your Hair in a Side Bun

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What links here

• Do a Sock Bun
• Make a Donut Bun
• Curl Your Hair with a Sock Bun
• Make a Bun for Short Hair