Hair Accessory and Method of Styling Hair

Abstract

The presently disclosed technology teaches a hair accessory for receiving and restraining a bundle of hair, a method of making the hair accessory, and methods of styling hair and instructing others to style hair using the hair accessory. The hair accessory comprises a pair of opposing ductile metallic members. In one implementation, the ductile metallic members are generally rectangular and each has a pair of longitudinal ends. The ductile metallic members are covered by at least one backing member. The ductile metallic members are generally configured in an opposing relationship to each other with at least one closed end. The ductile metallic members may be separated from each other along a portion of their longitudinal lengths to define an opening for receiving a bundle of hair. The opposing ductile metallic members may also be closed about the bundle of hair to secure the hair accessory within a wearer's hair.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A hair accessory comprising:
 a pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members, each having a major dimension face corresponding to a width of the ductile metallic member and a minor dimension face corresponding to a thickness of the ductile metallic member, the width of the major dimension face being greater than the thickness of the minor dimension face, the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members generally opposing each other along the major dimension faces and disposed within at least one backing member, wherein the ductile metallic members are fixedly attached within the at least one backing member along substantially the entire length of the ductile metallic member, each of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members comprising a proximal longitudinal end and a distal longitudinal end, the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members generally disposed in an end-to-end configuration in which the proximal longitudinal ends of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members are disposed adjacent each other and secured to each other such that the major dimension faces of each ductile metallic member are aligned with each other at the proximal longitudinal ends, and distal longitudinal ends of each of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members being free from each other, wherein distal ends of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members are configured to be separated from each other to define an opening between the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members for receiving a bundle of hair, wherein the alignment of the ductile metallic members at the proximal ends and fixation via the rivet reduces rotation of the pair of ductile metallic members with respect to each other and maintain the pair of ductile metallic members in alignment,   wherein the pair of ductile metallic members are configured to be folded over themselves by bending the ends together to form a generally round shape to secure the accessory in a wearer's hair and allow the hair to be fanned over the hair accessory between the pair of ductile metallic members to the unattached distal longitudinal ends to obscure the hair accessory.   
     
     
         2 . The hair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the generally rectangular ductile metallic members comprise at least one rounded end or corner. 
     
     
         3 . The hair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the proximal longitudinal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members are secured to each other via a rivet. 
     
     
         4 . The hair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the proximal longitudinal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members are secured to each other via a coating. 
     
     
         5 . The hair accessory of  claim 4  wherein the coating extends around the attached proximal longitudinal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members to secure the proximal longitudinal ends together. 
     
     
         6 . The hair accessory of  claim 5  wherein the coating comprises at least one of rubber, polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate, silicone, acrylic and polypropylene. 
     
     
         7 . The hair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the proximal longitudinal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members are secured to each other by a rivet and a coating that extends around the attached proximal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members. 
     
     
         8 . The hair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the backing member comprises a coating applied to each of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members. 
     
     
         9 . The hair accessory of  claim 8  wherein the coating comprises at least one of rubber, polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate, silicone, acrylic and polypropylene. 
     
     
         10 . The hair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the coating comprises a flocked layer applied to each of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members. 
     
     
         11 . The hair accessory of  claim 1  wherein the ductile metallic members comprise copper. 
     
     
         12 . A method of instructing a user to style hair, the method comprising:
 providing instruction for creating a bundle of hair;   providing instruction for providing an opening at a distal end of a hair accessory comprising:
 a pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members, each having a major dimension face corresponding to a width of the ductile metallic member and a minor dimension face corresponding to a thickness of the ductile metallic member, the width of the major dimension face being greater than the thickness of the minor dimension face, the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members generally opposing each other along the major dimension faces and disposed within at least one backing member, wherein the ductile metallic members are fixedly attached within the at least one backing member along substantially the entire length of the ductile metallic member, each of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members comprising a proximal longitudinal end and a distal longitudinal end, the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members generally disposed in an end-to-end configuration in which the proximal longitudinal ends of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members are disposed adjacent each other and secured to each other such that the major dimension faces of each ductile metallic member are aligned with each other at the proximal longitudinal ends, and distal longitudinal ends of each of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members being free from each other, wherein distal ends of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members are configured to be separated from each other to define an opening between the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members for receiving a bundle of hair, wherein the alignment of the ductile metallic members at the proximal ends and fixation via the rivet reduces rotation of the pair of ductile metallic members with respect to each other and maintain the pair of ductile metallic members in alignment, 
 wherein the pair of ductile metallic members are configured to be folded over themselves by bending the ends together to form a generally round shape to secure the accessory in a wearer's hair and allow the hair to be fanned over the hair accessory between the pair of ductile metallic members to the unattached distal longitudinal ends to obscure the hair accessory, 
   wherein the operation of providing instruction for providing an opening comprises separating the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members at their distal ends;   providing instruction for feeding the bundle of hair through the opening of the hair accessory between the separated distal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members;   providing instruction for closing the opening of the hair accessory by moving the generally rectangular ductile metallic members toward each other;   providing instruction for sliding the hair accessory downward along a length of the hair away from a wearer's head;   providing instruction for rolling the hair accessory with the bundle of hair towards the user's head;   providing instruction for rolling the bundle of hair onto the hair accessory by rolling the hair accessory toward the wearer's head;   providing instruction for folding the pair of ductile metallic members over themselves by bending ends of the hair accessory together to form a generally round shape and secure the hair accessory in a wearer's hair; and   providing instruction for fanning the hair over the hair accessory between the pair of ductile metallic members to the unattached distal longitudinal ends to further secure the hair accessory within the user's hair and to obscure the hair accessory within the hair.   
     
     
         13 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein in the operation of providing instruction for closing the bundle of hair within the hair accessory instructs that the bundle of hair is at least substantially centered between the proximal and distal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members. 
     
     
         14 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein the operation of providing instruction for rolling the hair accessory comprises instructing the user to roll the hair accessory at least two 360 degree turns toward the user's head. 
     
     
         15 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein the operation of providing instruction for creating a bundle of hair comprises providing instruction for gathering the bundle of hair and a second bundle of hair. 
     
     
         16 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein the operation of providing instruction for sliding the hair accessory comprises providing instruction for sliding the hair accessory at least fifty percent along a length of the hair in the bundle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein operation of providing instruction for sliding the hair accessory comprises providing instruction for sliding the hair accessory closer to a free end of the bundle of hair for a hairstyle containing relatively more hair of the bundle within a roll and for sliding the hair accessory closer to a root end of the bundle of hair for a hairstyle in which a portion of the bundle of hair extends outwardly from the roll. 
     
     
         18 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein the operation of folding the pair of ductile metallic members over themselves comprises inserting the connected proximal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members between the unconnected distal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members of the hair accessory. 
     
     
         19 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein the operation of folding the pair of ductile metallic members over themselves comprises juxtaposing the connected proximal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members in a side-by-side arrangement with the unconnected distal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members of the hair accessory. 
     
     
         20 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  further providing instruction for drawing up free hair not formed in the bundle adjacent to the formed bun hairstyle, twisting the free hair and wrapping the twisted hair around the bun hairstyle between the user's head and the bun hairstyle. 
     
     
         21 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  wherein the operation of rolling the hair accessory comprises instruction for leaving a gap between the user's head and the hair accessory. 
     
     
         22 . The method of instructing of  claim 21  further providing instruction for pulling hair out around the bun to make the bun larger and looser. 
     
     
         23 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  further providing instruction for drawing up free hair not formed in the bundle, twisting the free hair, drawing the free hair through an opening of the rolled up hair accessory and then folding the pair of ductile metallic members over themselves by bending ends of the hair accessory together to form a generally round shape and secure the hair accessory in a wearer's hair. 
     
     
         24 . The method of instructing of  claim 12  further providing instruction for providing a spacer over at least one of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members of the hair accessory, wherein the spacer increases a volume of the bundle of hair when rolled within the hair accessory. 
     
     
         25 . A method of styling hair, the method comprising:
 creating a bundle of hair;   providing an opening at a distal end of a hair accessory comprising:
 a pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members, each having a major dimension face corresponding to a width of the ductile metallic member and a minor dimension face corresponding to a thickness of the ductile metallic member, the width of the major dimension face being greater than the thickness of the minor dimension face, the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members generally opposing each other along the major dimension faces and disposed within at least one backing member, wherein the ductile metallic members are fixedly attached within the at least one backing member along substantially the entire length of the ductile metallic member, each of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members comprising a proximal longitudinal end and a distal longitudinal end, the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members generally disposed in an end-to-end configuration in which the proximal longitudinal ends of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members are disposed adjacent each other and secured to each other such that the major dimension faces of each ductile metallic member are aligned with each other at the proximal longitudinal ends, and distal longitudinal ends of each of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members being free from each other, wherein distal ends of the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members are configured to be separated from each other to define an opening between the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members for receiving a bundle of hair, wherein the alignment of the ductile metallic members at the proximal ends and fixation via the rivet reduces rotation of the pair of ductile metallic members with respect to each other and maintain the pair of ductile metallic members in alignment, 
 wherein the pair of ductile metallic members are configured to be folded over themselves by bending the ends together to form a generally round shape to secure the accessory in a wearer's hair and allow the hair to be fanned over the hair accessory between the pair of ductile metallic members to the unattached distal longitudinal ends to obscure the hair accessory, 
   wherein the operation of providing an opening comprises separating the pair of generally rectangular ductile metallic members at their distal ends;   feeding the bundle of hair through the opening of the hair accessory between the separated distal ends of the generally rectangular ductile metallic members;   closing the opening of the hair accessory by moving the generally rectangular ductile metallic members toward each other;   sliding the hair accessory downward along a length of the hair away from a wearer's head;   rolling the hair accessory with the bundle of hair towards the user's head;   rolling the bundle of hair onto the hair accessory by rolling the hair accessory toward the wearer's head;   folding the pair of ductile metallic members over themselves by bending ends of the hair accessory together to form a generally round shape and secure the hair accessory in a wearer's hair; and   fanning the hair over the hair accessory between the pair of ductile metallic members to the unattached distal longitudinal ends to further secure the hair accessory within the user's hair and to obscure the hair accessory within the hair.