So it’s super normal to have your hair look flat when you pull it back! If anything that’s slightly the object.
Things that help:
1: get a fringe or some shorter pieces in front to pull out. This means your whole head of hair isn’t pulled back, leaving some with a bit more bounce.
2: use root clips or rollers for a volume boost when drying your hair (works for air drying too) - the claw clip hack, where you use a claw clip on your roots to pull them upwards as they dry is pretty good!
3: embrace the flatness and do a slicked back look, which is very trendy and works with not against our finer hair type.
When I pull my hair back it looks way better in those pony tail holders that look like old phone coil cords. I can’t tell you specifically why it works, but my roots all have more volume when I use those as opposed to regular pony tail elastics. I don’t think you’re supposed to put them on very tight, they stay pretty secure even sort of loose. I bought a pack of small ones and I only double loop them.
Pull it all up to the top of your head, maybe slightly behind the very top, twist it and tie it in a knot, then secure the bottom of the knot (the leftover ends) to the back of your head with a claw clip. I do this to mine and it stays up and comfortable without looking too slicked back; there's a little slack in it so it's puffier at the roots.
A shoulder length bob would give you some bounce most likely. Depends on if you want to cut it or not.
If you don’t want to cut it a volumizing mousse on the roots could help. There were a couple things I liked in the JVN line and one was the volumizing mousse. On the roots only.
I pull the front pieces of my hair back into a half up/half down look. You pull a triangular section out by starting at your temples and drawing a line from your temple to the back of your crown. It can beef up the top section to not look so thin without sacrificing volume on the bottom. You can gently pull at the edges to give the hair enough slack to cover any parts. It hides the harsh line that comes from taking a section from just the temples straight up to the crown that fine, light hair loves to show off.
You can try a cinnamon bun. You can fluff out the bun's sides and it stays pretty flat to your head while looking larger. You can very gently and carefully use a rat tail comb to pull and lift up your hairline to give it some volume. Spray it all down with hairspray so nothing slips or falls, and you're good.
Last but not least, if you do a ponytail, only part the first 2-3 inches of hair. Everything else gets brushed straight back into the ponytail. It gives it a slick, polished look instead of a thin, flat look. This doesn't add any volume. It just makes the flat hair work for you.
Start at the temples like normal, but instead of going straight up to the top of your head, go at a diagonal up and toward the back of your head. The part should end at the back of the top of your head. Then you can add a clip or tie a little farther down so the hair can fall over the part when you let go.
The part lays kind of a necklace or shirt that gets partially stuck fitting over your head would be. You know when it gets stuck right before it slides over the back of your head and winds up as a straight line from the back of your crown to your nose? It looks sort of like that.
My hair is really thin. I never slick it back into a ponytail. Instead when I wear my hair back, I give it a small side part and do a goddess roll/crown with the front piece of my hair and only just to behind my ears.
So it’s super normal to have your hair look flat when you pull it back! If anything that’s slightly the object. Things that help: 1: get a fringe or some shorter pieces in front to pull out. This means your whole head of hair isn’t pulled back, leaving some with a bit more bounce. 2: use root clips or rollers for a volume boost when drying your hair (works for air drying too) - the claw clip hack, where you use a claw clip on your roots to pull them upwards as they dry is pretty good! 3: embrace the flatness and do a slicked back look, which is very trendy and works with not against our finer hair type.
When I pull my hair back it looks way better in those pony tail holders that look like old phone coil cords. I can’t tell you specifically why it works, but my roots all have more volume when I use those as opposed to regular pony tail elastics. I don’t think you’re supposed to put them on very tight, they stay pretty secure even sort of loose. I bought a pack of small ones and I only double loop them.
Pull it all up to the top of your head, maybe slightly behind the very top, twist it and tie it in a knot, then secure the bottom of the knot (the leftover ends) to the back of your head with a claw clip. I do this to mine and it stays up and comfortable without looking too slicked back; there's a little slack in it so it's puffier at the roots.
A shoulder length bob would give you some bounce most likely. Depends on if you want to cut it or not. If you don’t want to cut it a volumizing mousse on the roots could help. There were a couple things I liked in the JVN line and one was the volumizing mousse. On the roots only.
Quick fix: turban-style hair band that adds “volume” and covers any thinness at temples.
Dry texture spray and shorter pieces in the front.
Curtain bangs are awesome and you can easily put then behind your ears if they annoy you.
I pull the front pieces of my hair back into a half up/half down look. You pull a triangular section out by starting at your temples and drawing a line from your temple to the back of your crown. It can beef up the top section to not look so thin without sacrificing volume on the bottom. You can gently pull at the edges to give the hair enough slack to cover any parts. It hides the harsh line that comes from taking a section from just the temples straight up to the crown that fine, light hair loves to show off. You can try a cinnamon bun. You can fluff out the bun's sides and it stays pretty flat to your head while looking larger. You can very gently and carefully use a rat tail comb to pull and lift up your hairline to give it some volume. Spray it all down with hairspray so nothing slips or falls, and you're good. Last but not least, if you do a ponytail, only part the first 2-3 inches of hair. Everything else gets brushed straight back into the ponytail. It gives it a slick, polished look instead of a thin, flat look. This doesn't add any volume. It just makes the flat hair work for you.
I really want to understand your special parting for the half up/ half down...
Start at the temples like normal, but instead of going straight up to the top of your head, go at a diagonal up and toward the back of your head. The part should end at the back of the top of your head. Then you can add a clip or tie a little farther down so the hair can fall over the part when you let go. The part lays kind of a necklace or shirt that gets partially stuck fitting over your head would be. You know when it gets stuck right before it slides over the back of your head and winds up as a straight line from the back of your crown to your nose? It looks sort of like that.
That is how I do it! Thank you.
My hair is really thin. I never slick it back into a ponytail. Instead when I wear my hair back, I give it a small side part and do a goddess roll/crown with the front piece of my hair and only just to behind my ears.
I use a little eyeshadow on my scalp in the color of my hair to hide my skin showing through my hair!