Sock bun envy

I know we're not supposed to covet our neighbors, so to speak, but I'm regularly envious of the perfect buns I see strolling down the street, resting beautifully, balletically atop proud heads. Based on at least a dozen spontaneous interviews I have cajoled these bun queens into having, I have learned that the trick to this magnificent coif seems to be the sock bun.

At its most simplistic, this is a rolled sock which you place over the rubberband securing your hair into a ponytail. You then tuck the ends of your hair over and into the sock thus making a perfect bun. They sell similar gizmos on amazon, and I recently came across a large bin of them at H&M: they look like spongy donuts. You can choose the one you believe will best match your hair color, should a bit of the donut peek through.

While at H&M, I eagerly snapped one of these puppies up. For $3.95, bun perfection could be mine. Alas, I have failed repeatedly and seriously  need assistance. Like flower arranging, styling my own hair is not a strong suit of mine. I know there are bigger fish to fry, but sometimes you just need a little win, you know?