Short/Medium layered hair need updo ideas

I'm not sure if your hair is long enough but you might be able to do a Gibson Tuck.

There are some instructions here
longlocks.com/hairstyles.htm

Maybe you could use some bobby pins to keep the shorter ends in place?

Layers are tough. It just depends how grown out the layers are what you can do.  You may be able to do a french twist (not with the way I show on my site, but by using several loose ponytails down the back of your head to hold the layers in, then rolled up to look like one).  If its too short, you may just have to do a ponytail on the high upper back of your head to hold all the layers in, then do something with the ponytail (curl it, spike it etc.).  And there's always twisting it up in claw clips, letting shorter pieces just stick up.

To use a curling iron, you just clamp the end of the hair and roll it up, and unclamp and slide it out of the hair when the hair is hot.  (This is really bad for hair, as any heat treatment is, but if you don't want it to get very long -like past bra strap - then you'll be trimming off the ends on occasion so it should be okay).