The In Between Stage (Natural Hair) Support Thread

toyas08

toyas08

Well-Known Member
I am having trouble trying to figure out what to do with my hair in it's in between/ ackward stage. It's too long to be called a TWA and too short to fit in a ponytail.
I do wash n gos, puffs and braids (my own hair), mini twist, twist outs.
When i do bigger twist they don't stay.

I just feel like styles just don't look right at this stage in my natural hair journey:ohwell:

My hair feels dry because I can't tuck my ends and I have to moisturize and seal almost everyday and that becoming annoying.:nono:

Questions, comments, thoughts and advice are all welcome. Pics are most certainly welcome.

My Questions for Naturals that passed this stage!!!!!

Current Length?

How did you get through this stage?

How long did it take for you to get through this stage? (i.e, full ponytail, all hair in one clip)

What was your go to style at this ?

Any advice on styling?
 
Styling advice-I remember when my hair was at this stage. It was too short for a ponytail so I twisted the front portion ear-to-ear. I kept the back portion in a very humble french twist with a lot of bobby pins until it grew out. It is an awkward stage but you'll grow out of it so long as you protect your ends. HHG!
 
I am right there with you. I am lip length in the front and APL in the back but due to shrinkage I only have a pig tail that I would not be caught dead with outside my home. I big chopped in July at 19 months post and its still a struggle. My go to styles are twists/twist outs and braidouts.
 
I never did a big chop when I transitioned from relaxed to natural because I remember the awkward grow out stage from a short Halle Berry pixie cut in college.

Maybe slick your hair back and use a phony pony? You can keep your own hair moisturized under the ponytail.
 
I'm definitely not past this stage so I feel your pain. I twist my hair every night, then use tons of bobby pins to create up-dos to. Have you tried claw clips? I get a lot of compliments when I do a half up/half down style with those.
 
Right now i have in two strand twist that doesn't want to stay in. Before the twist I was wearing puffs and wash n gos. I cant wait to have a huge curly fro.
 
I am all in the back and my bangs chin length, but I still feel like my hair is in the in-between stage. My go to is stretching. I roller set and then style
 
My Questions for Naturals that passed this stage!!!!!

Current Length?
 A little past APL


How did you get through this stage? Headbands!! I transitioned for about a year, so my hair could squeeeeze into a ponytail/bun (of course with the help of hair pins to keep the front down) but since I transitioned using buns, I really wasn't all that interested in wearing my hair up anymore. Headbands helped my hair seem more even (stupid natural hair mullet of death lol). So I was a-washin and a-goin mostly.

How long did it take for you to get through this stage? (i.e, full ponytail, all hair in one clip) Basically, it took me about a year to get out of awkward stage, or at least to this point where things are a lot less awkward. I still can't fit all of my hair into a ponytail (some bits in the front have to be pinned down) but about 90ish% of my hair can. The parts that can't are super close, though!! And I don't need the headbands anymore, my hair hangs lot better now. I can do more styles, too, like the one in my siggie (I know, super simple, but I could barely do half up half down last year, so it definitely feels like a victory to me lol).

What was your go to style at this ? WNGs

Any advice on styling? I would say bun or do a pony but it sounds like that's a little tough for you right now. Hopefully other ladies will have some good styling advice. I'm pretty style challenged lol.
 
Ive been at this stage 3 times (Im currently in it now). The only thing I do are wash and goes and just dont pay attention to it. Im sure if I starightened it i can be a bit more versatile with my styles but I dont feel like it.
 
Current Length?
One inch away from APL

How did you get through this stage? I have spent the last two years since my last relaxer in braids - last year this time i wore my hair out for a month but all i could do was leave it out in a short fro. A year later I can get it in a pony tail with a decent sized pony but I find using a barette makes the pony look a lot longer, so I prefer to use that.

How long did it take for you to get through this stage? Difficult to know cos I've been in braids - I think I could have gotten it into a barette last year but it looked a lot shorter. I definitely prefer it now - but I think October 2013 is when I will be truly happy with my ponytail length.

What was your go to style at this length ?
Braids - But this week with my hair out of braids my go to style has been a side part with flat twists at the front/pinned puff and then all the hair in the back in a barette

Any advice on styling? I would say try a ponytail with barettes - definitely makes the hair look longer - and you can flat twist or wear a puff for the hair at the front that is too short for the pony tail
 
naturalmanenyc said:
I never did a big chop when I transitioned from relaxed to natural because I remember the awkward grow out stage from a short Halle Berry pixie cut in college.

Maybe slick your hair back and use a phony pony? You can keep your own hair moisturized under the ponytail.
Click to expand...

Just want to say that I like your blog on transitioning.
 
Has anyone tried flat ironing? I tried but I failed, I think my heat was too low because my root just wouldn't get straight.
 
Current Length?
APL

How did you get through this stage?
With WnGs and WnG Puffs

How long did it take for you to get through this stage? (i.e, full ponytail, all hair in one clip)
About a year

What was your go to style at this ?
Puffs and more puffs. Also fro-hawks when I went out.

Any advice on styling?
Instead of trying to get your hair in all one pony tail try a fro-hawk. Or put the back up into an updo and let the front hang down. Flat twisted styles let you do more with your hair as well. The awkward stage doesn't have to be as awkward as people say it is.
 
Current Length? Somewhere around MBL

How did you get through this stage? I had to PS to get through the stage b/c I was a scissor..no, a clipper queen. I would get discouraged b/c my hair wasn't growing fast enough and I would cut and start over or texlax. PSing and getting into growth challenges really helped me. I was accountable to myself and to other ladies.

How long did it take for you to get through this stage? (i.e, full ponytail, all hair in one clip) It took about 10 months (3"- 4" of hair) for me to feel comfortable wearing my own hair out. I still couldn't do a ponytail but my out styles began to look better. After that, I continued to PS b/c I liked the surprise length I had whenever I took it down.

What was your go to style at this ? My "out" styles were updo's w/the back pinned or braided up and the front hanging, fros with one side pinned back w/ or w/o a hump in the front, mini-braids (still my favorite go-to "out" style), braid outs, puffs, frohawks and twistouts.

Any advice on styling? For anyone who's like me (quick to cut or texlax) it's best to keep your hair safe from yourself in order to see any length. The hardest part after that is fighting the urge to wear your new length out all of the time :(

ETA: I forgot to say keeping your hair stretched via banding is a good way to see more length and play around with styles.
 
Last edited:
Subbing :)
My last relaxer was jan 1
I was past apl. I started by cutting 5-6 inches off to make it easier to handle the different textures. I have about 3-4 inches of natural hair depending on location. I just got my hair cornrowed/ twists today.
 
I'm feeling you my hair is between neck and back length and not all one length. I keep ensure its moisturized. I'm dusting the ends. I have great growth. One thing I'm swearing by is the greenhouse effect and growth is rapid. One style is a bun wearing a sponge donut makes you appear to have more hair. Depending on your length you can wear this on top of your head then later pull to the back in a more elegant style. If bobby pins are out use a dark scrunchy to pull the hair over the doughnut. I can wear this style day r night. Most Beaty supplies have them.
 
I made apl but I'm at an awkward stage also y god only knows but throughout this journey u will have a lot of those moments
 
Slicebread said:
Depending on your length you can wear this on top of your head then later pull to the back in a more elegant style. If bobby pins are out use a dark scrunchy to pull the hair over the doughnut.
Click to expand...

I tried a sock and I didn't have enough hair to cover the whole thing so I got mad and took it out. Lol
 
The last time I was at this stage was the early 90s. Back in the day naturals were few and far between. I found a hairdresser who twisted (single twist) my hair, every week for $10. I did this for a year. Got me thru that awkward stage just fine. I know that would put you into bankruptcy today, but if you learn to do it yourself, it's really was the easiest thing for me.
 
My Questions for Naturals that passed this stage!!!!!

Current Length?

APL Stretched.

How did you get through this stage?

I never BC. I just stopped perming and clipped the ends little by little. I did have the stylist cut off a chunk at one point but I told her I needed to be able to do a ponytail for when I work out so it was a small ponytail.

How long did it take for you to get through this stage? (i.e, full ponytail, all hair in one clip)

When my hair was shorter and less full, I used a phony pony for ponytails. I also straightened more when it was shorter and wore those straight styles longer without much manipulation.

What was your go to style at this ? Straightened hair.


Any advice on styling?

You could try finger coils, comb coils, goddess braid in the front/fro in the back, flat-twists (and then twist out), braided extensions, half wigs, etc. You probably only need one more inch for a ponytail so I'd say in about two months you'll see a noticeable difference.
 
I missed this thread, but glad it was brought back to life/bumped. I am so in the awkward/in between stage and need some styling options. I normally wear my hair in twists under a lf wig, but getting tired of the wig. Thinking of getting braids to get me through this stage. Great suggestions in this thread!
 
That's me all the way. I just need about 3 -5 more inches and then I'll be over that hump. Lol.
In the meantime, it seems like a constant search for styling options and twist outs rarely come out looking cute for me. Smh
 
im on my second twa
the first time, it took about a year to get out of that phase (i think). honestly, i wasnt paying much attention to it at that time, and i kept it in kinky twist and braids. I never got into wearing puffs since i have a big fo' head lol

this time around, i believe it'll take about a year and a half to get there, maybe two to be able to put into a donut bun (?).

these are just estimates, and my hair grows average or a tad faster than average.

i'd suggest braids, twist, hiding your hair for the 1st year or so
 
I don't know if I'm in this stage or not but styling is difficult. I can get my hair into a ponytail if I grab it all when wet but the "tail" looks like a perfectly round ball when it dries up. I have a feeling that my texture and density will always look awkward.
 
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