3 Simple Braid Hairstyles To Try

Happy Sunday everyone!

Today I have three hairstyles for you, all involving dutch braids, that are perfect for spring.  I love throwing my hair back in a braid and getting it off my face in a beautiful way.  If you already have a knack for braiding your own hair, these hairstyles should come pretty easy to you.  If you are a newbie to braiding, it just takes practice and getting used to how to hold your hands to keep the braid tight as you go, but you’ll be a pro in no time!

As I already mentioned, the base of all these styles is a dutch braid.  For those that don’t know, a dutch braid is created by doing essentially a reverse french braid.  Instead of gathering more pieces as you go and putting them over the center section of the braid, all the sections get braided under the center section of the braid.  This creates a popped-out, much fuller braid than a french braid and can be easily fluffed up to be even fuller.

Hairstyle #1: The Braided Crown

Step 1:

Part hair on the side. I like to make another part too, from the “end” of my side part (on the top of my head toward my crown) and across my head.  This way I have more hair around the crown of my head going straight back and covering that area cleanly, rather than getting pulled all around in pieces and looking messy in the back.

I divide that little section into three parts to begin the braid.

Step 2:

Braid down the side of your head, gathering new pieces as you go, until you reach the area behind your ear where it would get difficult/impossible to keep going around the back of your head with your hands in that position.

 

 

Step 3:

Here is the tricky part.  You will have to change your hands for the rest of the braid, and the switch can be a little difficult the first time you try.  Basically, your hand that was holding the bottom piece will now be holding the top piece and vice versa.

Just remember where you are in the braid and which piece is due to go under next, so you don’t get lost.

 

Step 4:
Continue dutch braiding around the back of the head, gathering pieces as you go.  Braid and gather all the hair by this point:

 

 

 

 

Step 5:

With the remaining hair, braid normally until you reach the ends of the hair, and tie with a small elastic.  I like the Scunci brand tiny black elastics. (They also come in clear for those with lighter colored hair).

 

 

Step 6:

With all my braids, I lightly pull out all the little sections to make the braid fuller and fluffier.  Some people call it pancaking– I’m into it.

Then, take the rest of the braid, and with a couple bobby pins, wrap and pin the braid across the top of the head.  Hide any flyaways or little pieces that poke out of the braid.

 

Hairstyle #2: The Dutch Braid Bun

 

Step 1:

Brush hair straight back with no part.  Take a small section from the front of the head and divide into three sections to start braid. Braid down to a little lower than ear level without gathering all hair from the bottom of your head into the braid.

 

Step 2:

Tie this half-up braid with a little hair elastic.  Do your pancaking again that we love- loosing up all those little sections and making it all luscious.

Make sure, again, that there is hair leftover outside of the braid.  This will help you make a fuller messy bun at the bottom.

 

Step 3:

Make a nice fluffy messy bun with the rest of the hair.  We all know that sometimes messy buns don’t come out perfectly at first.  Feel free to get bobby pin-happy to make it just the way you want!

Hairstyle #3: The Side Braid

 

 

Step 1:

Start with the same first step as the crown braid: side part and little starting section.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 2:

Continue dutch braiding normally just down the side of the head, gathering pieces as you go, also from the hair on the opposite side of the head.  Be mindful of keeping the hair cleanly brushed over as you go, so it doesn’t become a mess.

Pancake your little heart out.

Fasten with an elastic tie.

 

 

 

As always, let me know what you guys think! Have a happy end of your weekend <3

Ciao loves,

Amanda xx