What is considered "too flashy" for hair accessories for competitions?

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I am trying to find a nice bow or some kind of accessory for my dd's team for competitions. I was told by the coach that we need to be really careful because the judges WILL deduct points for anything that they consider too flashy for the hair. I have a sample that someone made me (it is a cheerleading bow without the tails). It is about 6 inches across and about 2 1/2 inches wide.

Does anyone know the specific "rules" for things like this? I would love to get the bows for the team but if they are too big or flashy then I will pass.

Thanks!
 
Md mom,

We just use our scrunchie that came w/our comp leo along with TONS of glitter, LOL

I tell all the "new" moms that they need to load up on cans of the stuff at Halloween!

I've seen some gyms use colored hair nets over buns or do the fancy braids w/colored bands. And cheer curls DO exist in the gymnastics community so you should be good with that, LOL, but I haven't seen bows used in any of our meets.
 
Thanks for the input! DD's coach did say absolutely NO glitter. So maybe Md has more strict rules on this. I'm thinking that curls could be okay if it isn't all poofed out. I mean, there are a lot of girls that have naturally curly hair.
I'll check out that link you sent me. Thanks again for the tips!
 
Our old gym had strict hair rules - dd either had to do a bun or sleep with rollers in - kinda like cheer curls. She has long thick hair - so we opted for the bun. Now she has more freedom - which is good since she can't stand buns or curls. I have never seen bows either - just matching scrunchies. Keep in mind with gymnastics meets simpler is better. And just one tip before she competes - make sure that scrunchie is in good. Once as a level 5 my dd was doing her 2 bhs in the floor routine and during the second one it popped out of her hair (stupid bun!!!). Anyway I'm pretty sure it was a deduction - I still haven't lived that one down with dd.
 
How do you keep the bun from falling out?

Our old gym had strict hair rules - dd either had to do a bun or sleep with rollers in - kinda like cheer curls. She has long thick hair - so we opted for the bun. Now she has more freedom - which is good since she can't stand buns or curls. I have never seen bows either - just matching scrunchies. Keep in mind with gymnastics meets simpler is better. And just one tip before she competes - make sure that scrunchie is in good. Once as a level 5 my dd was doing her 2 bhs in the floor routine and during the second one it popped out of her hair (stupid bun!!!). Anyway I'm pretty sure it was a deduction - I still haven't lived that one down with dd.

Is there any kind of hair net that you put over the bun so that it wont fall out? Just wondering how to secure the bun neatly without using bobby pins.
 
There is some kind of hairnet for buns. I've never used them but one of DD's old teammates used them all the time.
 
Yeah--after some research on the net, I found a website for hair bun covers. They are pretty cute and come in lots of different colors. it's called www.coverthatbun.com

I went ahead and ordered some and I'll let you all know how they work out if any one is interested.
 
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You could also try a dance shop for bun covers.

When I think too flashy, it's that the hair is so distracting that's all I can focus on. When it detracts from the routine. When you ask me about the meet the next day, and all I can remember about the routine is the crazy hair.

Some examples of slightly over-the-top hair would be the Romanians circa 2000 with their 20 bazzilion hair clips or Shannon Miller's giant white scrunchie/bow. It's partly a fashion thing - Miller's scrunchie was appropriate (but still huge!) in the early 90s because everyone was doing it, but by 96 she was too old for that style and no one else was doing it anymore.

I *think* glitter is not allowed in high school. It's partly a safety thing - don't want glitter falling in the eyes or getting on the equipment, but hair spray glitter might be ok.
 
Here in the UK cornrows are very fashionable something like this picture but then tied up in a high pony tail:

World of Braiding Gallery

Also, sparkly glitter hairspray is almost the norm. It always makes me laugh when we drive up to a competition and see all the girls sitting in cars in the parking area with their hair in curlers and in varying stages of hair completion.

Makeup is also coming into play now, quite alarmingly quickly. It seems normal for the girls of about 12+ to be wearing a little silver/white highlight on their eyes and for the older ones to be taking it a step further. What do the girls in the USA do about makeup?
 
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I loved Shannon Miller's white scrunchie!!!

You could also try a dance shop for bun covers.

When I think too flashy, it's that the hair is so distracting that's all I can focus on. When it detracts from the routine. When you ask me about the meet the next day, and all I can remember about the routine is the crazy hair.

Some examples of slightly over-the-top hair would be the Romanians circa 2000 with their 20 bazzilion hair clips or Shannon Miller's giant white scrunchie/bow. It's partly a fashion thing - Miller's scrunchie was appropriate (but still huge!) in the early 90s because everyone was doing it, but by 96 she was too old for that style and no one else was doing it anymore.

I *think* glitter is not allowed in high school. It's partly a safety thing - don't want glitter falling in the eyes or getting on the equipment, but hair spray glitter might be ok.

LOL--Yes, the bazzillion hair clips...I mean, how many hair clips do you need???? And they were ALL DIFFERENT colors:confused:!!! LOL And I thought Shannon Miler's white scrunchie looked very pretty and elegant--it went with her style when she was younger.

I will definitely keep in mind what you said about any style that looks distracting. My dd's coach said that judges want to see them do their skills and routines NOT look at the hairstyles so much. Which I agree with. BUT, girls are still girls and like to fix their hair...:D!
 
The gyms around here are pretty basic. The girls wear the mathching scrunchie that comes with their leo and use glitter spray. Hair is usually either a bun or a curled pony. Wal Mart has glitter spray year round in gold, silver and multi color----you have to know your sources for these things! Our former gym had a policy on clips---had to be the same color as the girl's hair. Current gym doesn't care, so some girls get clips in the color of their leo, but only put a few in.

I would avoid bows. They can come out too easily and they don't look good on every girl.
 
The more and more I think about this and hearing everyone's responses, I think I am going to stay away from the bows. I guess it is best to start the hair out conservatively and then see what other people do at competitions. December is going to be here before you know it!!

Thanks everyone for the input!!!
 
Most all of our girls just wear their hair up in a bun with the scrunchie that matches the leo. I do think some of the use the glitter hairspray but I'm not sure.
 
Is there any kind of hair net that you put over the bun so that it wont fall out? Just wondering how to secure the bun neatly without using bobby pins.

If you have a Sally Beauty Supply store near you - or likely ANY beauty supply store - they usually have them near the bobby pins. I have to usually wrap it around twice but it does hold it pretty good.
 
DD's coach has what she jokingly calls a "NO BUN POLICY!" When she was a gymnast, she hated buns.

She likes our girls to have the front braided back and the rest pulled into pigtails for the L4s and single ponies for L5 and above. Bangs must be above the eyebrows. Here's the fun part, we then curl the ponies using Soft Spike curlers on dry hair. My DD's hair last season was down to her bum and is very thick. It took me two hours, 100 curlers, and a lot of mousse to get all of her pigtails curled. Because of the thickness, we had to curl her early the previous day and sit her under the dryer for a few hours so that she doesn't have any wet pieces come meet time. This is ALOT of work, but the end result is SO worth it. We usually take the curlers out right before her performance time. People at meets think it is part of her uniform and are surprised when we start taking them out. The curlers are quite a conversation starter and we sometimes feel like a walking ad for the lady who sells the curlers. Because the curls are so tight, she can usually wear the hair do until Tuesday or Wednesday.

This year should be easier as she has cut her hair to her shoulders. But, we still have the thickness to deal with.

As far as accessories, DD's coach usually gets them some cute ribbon that matches the pink in their leos. Last year DD wore fushia ribbons with white polka dots. It was very cute. Oh, and lots of glitter!!:)
 
I *think* glitter is not allowed in high school. It's partly a safety thing - don't want glitter falling in the eyes or getting on the equipment, but hair spray glitter might be ok.

It's not in VA, although as far as I know at USAG meets it still is. It seems to have fallen mostly out of favor though and most coaches I know don't really like it. I prefer just a ponytail or a bun with a scrunchie but I doubt judges would deduct for a bow unless it was really over the top. You could do ribbon scrunchies I guess, I know someone who did that for a high school team, I don't know how hard it was for them to do. The kind with shorter ribbons all around. I don't mind those on younger girls but I don't like the ones with longer ribbons that have stuff on the ends (I see that at compulsory meets sometimes).
 
Our coach isnt picky- the only requirements are 1) hair off the face and secured and 2) lots of hairspray so it you dont have to worry about it coming out during warmups or the meet
 
MdGymMom1---try a few styles with your dd now. See if she really likes a bun or if there would be any problem with it staying up. Some kids don't like buns if they are doing a back roll or something like that. You can put her hair up in several styles and send her to practice to see which is most comfortable and looks best after a few hours.
 

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