STYLE

We *love* braids, but sometimes we want a style that's chicer than just the simple 3-strand braid everyone has. That’s where a French braid comes in. They’re elegant, adorable and take second-day hair to the next level. It may look tricky, but if you follow these steps, we’ll have you looking like Katniss Everdeen in no time!

Step 1: Prep your hair

You’re a hair artist! Get yourself a clean canvas to work with by brushing all the tangles out of your hair. Pro tip: It’s actually better to braid hair that hasn’t been recently washed because dirty hair has more grip. (That’s what makes this hairstyle perfect for lazy days!)

Step 2: Grab a section

Gather your hair as if you were going to put it in a half-up, half-down top knot. Don’t grab any hair from the sides, as you’ll pull it into the braid later. Make sure all the hair you have in your hands is on the same level.

Step 3: Section that section

Split the chunk of hair you picked up into three even sections. It’s just like a regular braid except you’re not using all of your hair yet.

Step 4: Braid those pieces

Braid them together like you would in a regular 3-strand braid. For all you braiding newbies: that means crossing the left section over the middle piece and then crossing the right side over both of those pieces. Repeat that, alternating sides.

Step 5: Pull in new hair

Keep your regular braid pattern going, but each time you cross a section over, pull in a new piece from the side (the hair that has not been sectioned). The less hair your grab each time, the more intricate the braid will look. Make sure you’re pulling from the sides and the front, not just from the middle. Once you get to the nape of your neck, you should have pulled in all of your hair.

Step 6: Get all of you hair in the braid and finish up

As you start running out of free hair to pull in, continue to braid as far down as you want the braid to go.

Step 7: Tie your braid off

The hard work’s over! Use a hair tie to secure your braid. That’s it, you did it! Congrats, French braiding expert.

Do you have any french braiding tips? Let us know in the comments!

Photo credit: Favim

by Emily Cavanagh | 1/28/2017