How to wear a claw clip with long hair: fold, twist or use two

To wear a claw clip with long hair, shorten the length before you clip it. Twist the hair, fold it back on itself against your head, and close a large or XL clip over the folded part. If one clip still sags, split the hair between two.

Why long hair falls out of one clip

A claw clip grips the part of the twist that sits inside it. On shoulder-length hair, that is most of the hair. On long hair it is a small share. The clip holds the base, and the rest hangs outside it as a tail.

That tail is weight the clip is not holding. It pulls on the twist, the twist loosens, and the clip slides down or the hair slips out of the top. The fix is the same in every method below: get the length inside the clip, or divide the load. If the basic twist is new to you, read how to use a claw clip first.

Fold the length before you clip

This is the basic method for hair that falls well past your shoulders.

1. Gather your hair at the nape, as for a low ponytail.
2. Twist the ponytail clockwise until the twist is firm from the nape to about halfway down the length.
3. Lift the twist straight up so it lies flat against the back of your head.
4. Press the twist against your head at the crown with one hand.
5. With the other hand, fold the rest of the length back down over the twist.
6. Spread the fingers of the first hand so they hold both layers flat.
7. Turn the clip vertical and place it over both layers, one row of teeth on each side.
8. Push the teeth in until they touch your head, then let the clip close.

The ends now point down and sit under the clip or just below it. If they stick out at the bottom, tuck them behind the twist. Counterclockwise works equally well. Keep to one direction.

The double twist

If one fold still leaves a tail, twist and fold a second time. The hair ends up in three layers instead of two.

1. Gather your hair at the nape and twist it clockwise into a firm rope.
2. Lift the rope up flat against the back of your head.
3. At the crown, fold it back down to make a loop of two layers.
4. Hold the loop flat with one hand.
5. With the other hand, twist the tail that now hangs below the loop a few more turns in the same direction.
6. Fold that tail back up over the loop.
7. Tuck the ends behind the loop, between the loop and your head.
8. Place the clip vertically over the loop, one row of teeth on each side.
9. Push the teeth to your head, then let the clip close.

The second twist matters. A loose tail folded over a twist tends to slide off it. A twisted tail stays compact enough for the teeth to close around.

The French twist for long hair

A French twist rolls the hair into a vertical seam and hides the ends inside it. On long hair there is a lot of length to hide, so fold it before you tuck it.

1. Brush your hair back and gather it at the nape.
2. Twist the ponytail clockwise two or three turns, close to your head.
3. Point the twist up toward your crown and keep turning, so the hair rolls into a vertical seam against the back of your head.
4. Hold the roll in place with one hand when it reaches the crown.
5. Fold the leftover length down along the roll.
6. Tuck it into the open side of the roll with your fingers, starting at the top and working down.
7. Place the clip vertically over the seam, so one row of teeth goes into the roll and the other into the hair lying flat beside it.
8. Let the clip close.

If the folded length will not fit inside the roll, do not force it. Leave the ends out at the top, or use the fold method above. A small clip at the top of the roll can hold stray ends.

Using two clips

Two clips share the weight. There are two ways to set them up.

Two clips on one twist. Make the folded twist described above. Close the first clip over its lower half and the second directly above it, over the upper half. Between them, the clips cover more of the twist than one clip can.

Two twists, two clips.

1. Divide your hair in two with a horizontal line at ear height.
2. Hold the top half out of the way on top of your head.
3. Gather the bottom half at the nape and twist it clockwise.
4. Lift the twist against your head and fold the extra length down over it.
5. Close the first clip over it, low on the back of your head.
6. Let the top half down and gather it just above the first clip.
7. Twist it clockwise, lift it, and fold the extra length down in the same way.
8. Close the second clip over it, directly above the first.

Each clip now holds half your hair. For a rounder shape, see the claw clip bun.

Which clip size suits long hair

Long hair generally needs a large or XL clip. The reason is the fold. Folded hair makes a longer and thicker bundle than a single twist, and the clip has to do two things: cover most of the bundle's length, and reach around it to the hair against your head.

• Long and fine: the bundle is long but slim. A large claw clip is generally enough.
• Long, medium thickness: large or XL.
• Long and thick: XL, or two clips. See claw clip hairstyles for thick hair.

A quick check: with your hair folded and held against your head, the clip should cover most of the bundle and close far enough for the teeth to cross. If the teeth stop short of each other, the clip is too small for that much hair. You can browse by length in the claw clips for long hair collection.

Questions

Why does my claw clip keep falling out of my long hair?

Most often because only the base of the twist is inside the clip and the rest hangs free. Fold the length so it sits under the clip, push the teeth to your head, and go up a size if the teeth do not cross when the clip closes.

What size claw clip do you need for long hair?

Generally large or XL. Fine long hair can often manage with large. Thick long hair generally needs an XL, or two clips.

Can you wear a claw clip with very long hair?

Yes, with more folding. Use the double twist to put the hair in three layers, or split it between two clips. At waist length you may need both.

Can you do a claw clip ponytail with long hair?

Yes. The tail of a long ponytail is heavy, so choose a large or XL clip. The steps are in the claw clip ponytail.