Have you ever wished that you were that *one* girl—YK, the one who can do any braid in the book flawlessly in under two minutes? Well, we’ve got news for you…you totally can be! If you’re not feeling super confident in your hair skills but you’re ready to start your braiding journey, read on to learn how to do all the cutest braids.

French Braids

Can you get more classic than the quintessential French braid? It’s giving Elsa and that one scene in Tangled all rolled into one (the best combo).

The breakdown: Grab a small piece of hair on the top of your head towards your hairline, and split it into three sections. Start out like you’re doing a smaller, normal braid (crossing over, pls!) for about two stitches. Then, once your braid is off to a good start, begin to add a little more hair to each section every time it crosses over. Keep on with this pattern until you reach the very end of your length, tie it off and you’re done!

Dutch Braids 

Dutch braids are an adorbs twist on the classic French braid. They give your plaits a bouncy, 3D look (perf for livening up a boring fit). And guess what? Some people even find Dutch braids easier to do than French, so go ahead and give it a go!

The breakdown: If you’ve already learned to do French braids, you pretty much have this style down already. Once again, start out with a small piece of hair on the top of your head and divide it into three chunks. You’ll braid this section normally for one or two rounds, and then start adding in more hair with each stitch, similar to French braids. The only difference? Instead of crossing pieces over each other for each stitch, cross the strands *under* each other. And, ofc, remember to lightly pull at each loop in your braid to add volume once you’re done.

Fishtail Braids

Fishtail braids look intricate and tricky, but IRL? They’re pretty easy once you get the hang of them. These braids give you a whimsical, Viking princess vibe, and we are totally loving it.

The breakdown: To start your fishtail braid, split up your locks into two big sections. Take a tiny piece from the outer edge of one section, cross it over its home section and then under the opposite section (it should merge with the other section, so make sure to hold it in place there!). Take a piece from the edge of the other section and do the same. Keep repeating this with teeny-tiny strands until you’ve worked your way down.

Bubble Braids

We’re calling it–it’s totally time to bring back the iconic bubble braids. This fun style works for anything from the gym to the dance floor, and it’s probably one of the easiest braids out there. You can even try customizing it by alternating the colors of your ponytail holders or switching up the size of the bubbles (small = sophisticated, wide = more whimsical).

The breakdown: Tie two ponytails in place at the top, and then add a few more evenly spaced hair ties all the way down your braids. The amount of ponytail holders you add determines how large your bubbles will be–less rubber bands will mean bigger bubbles, while more will give you teeny-tiny ones (we heart starting out with about eight for newbies, but it’s your choice!). Between each rubber band will be a small section of hair. Pull on these sections to fluff them into full-blown bubbles until they’re all the perfect size. Super cute *and* super easy!

More cute hair how-tos, right this way!
⏰ Running Late For School? Try These 5-Minute Hair Styles
🎀 Here’s How To Make Your Hair Grow Faster (And Stronger!)
💇‍♀️ Warning: These Bangs Will Make You Want To Get A Haircut

Images: @annalovesbraids, @martikabraidbar, @megan_plastlow , @claytonhawkins