Hi Rapunzel

Thanks for your comment on the hair accessories question. Sorry I had not replied yet. I was a newbie when I posted that and hadn't realized you made hair sticks - oops.

Can I ask what types of styles a guy could make using hair sticks that would look OK. And how long does your hair have to be to be able to use a hair stick - I mean can it be too short for them not to stay in. And do they work if you are still growing out layers.

Thanks

M

Believe it or not, the first modern hair stick I ever saw was a guy's!  It was a beautiful carved wood one that one of my fellow tech writers had back in my geek days.  

The most common style I see guys make with a hairstick is a ponytail or partial ponytail.  Generally your hair has to have enough length to wrap around the stick once and still have enough left over to make something of a ponytail.  Layers falling loose look better on guys than women in my opinion, so I don't think that would be an issue.

It only takes a few times to master the art of making a ponytail with a hairstick, though a lot of your initial success will depend on the thickness and texture of your hair.  All you have to do is hold the hairstick to one side, wrap the ponytail around it, and then lever it to the other side and stick it through your hair.  It's the distance the stick is from your head when you wrap the hair around it and the levering that's important, those are what make the stick secure.  Experimentation is what will teach you best, and you can practice with a smooth-pointed pencil (sand it if it's rough).  Once you think you have a style you like and can do it easily, then you can splurge on a real hairstick :)