I braided my hair last night before going to bed (only the second time I've been able to do it ;D )  They looked pretty good.  Figured I try the same idea in the morning for work.....ended up with some goofy looking snake thingy across my head :o
LOL
Maybe I should join Nightowl on the nightshift!

I think it's all about practicing. If you're new to a style and in a little hurry, things go easily wrong (as opposed to when your enviroment is more peaceful). With practice things will get easier.

In my case, a lot depends also on, how clean or dirty my hair is. If it's clean, I can expect to have difficult time even in making an ordinary cinnabun with bun net. When it gets dirtier, it becomes more easy to handle, and on the day before washing I'm finally able to make lasting braided styles. ;D

I get my best hairdo's, up or down it seems when I've got nothing to do but go to bed, or clean the house.   ;)

Same here.  My hair looks great when I have nowhere to
go-looks awful on the days I need to go somewhere special.  Seems like my hair knows things.

Best updos ever occur after work when I'm sitting at my computer finishing paperwork.  My hair looks great, it stays in place and I swear it shines just a little brighter.  

I got my best ever updo (at least so far) last week while waiting for the traffic light to change, driving, on my way to work  :o
Murphy's Law, beginner's luck, whatever...  ;D

I get my best updo's when I'm not looking in the mirror and have no place to go that day.  Otherwise my hair goes one strike and won't look good.   :P

Hmmm...I have the same problem of cute updos and nowhere to go! A few days ago I got lucky, I was messing around with my hair and made something cute, thought I had no where to go and my mother called.  She wanted to go to eat at some restaurant. Only bad thing was, the style didnt last long. In the middle of eating, it was falling down and pulling. I just had to take it down. :(

I have to say that my updo's look best when I have a clear picture in my mind of what I want my hair to look like.  I really don't experiment too much as for trying to create new stuff, I might dream about a new do or get a vision of one.  I do have to practice my braiding to get it decent but that also requires a clear picture to come out nice.

Happened again!!  I was able to do a bun without a ponytail, used two hairsticks and 2-3 mini-clips -- to go out for my morning walk.  Later, trying to re-do the bun to go to church...  :P :P   Well, I did do the bun without the pony but had to use a bun cover to keep it from falling out.  Still, that is progress for me ;D

I have the exact same problem - when I don't NEED my hair to be up just right, it always ends up that way.  And when I'm in a hurry and pressed for time, I can't get it to stay..  My hair has a mind of it's own.  It's a little too independant if you ask me...

Cynde