Fancy Braid Hairstyles: From Beginner Basics to Advanced Techniques

Introduction: Embracing the Art of Braiding

Hair braiding, often seen as a practical way to manage hair, is also a creative outlet, a craft you wear. Braids can secure your hair during physical activities or express your personal style for any occasion. They can even be conversation starters. This article will guide you through the basics of braiding, offer practice exercises, and introduce advanced techniques for creating intricate and stylish braided hairstyles.

Braiding Basics: A Beginner's Guide

For those new to braiding, it's essential to start with the fundamentals. This section outlines the basic tools and techniques needed to create simple braids.

Essential Supplies

To begin your braiding journey, you'll need:

• Brush: A brush helps smooth your hair as you work. Natural bristles like boar hair or wood are preferable, as they distribute oils from your scalp down the hair shaft.
• Comb: A comb is useful for creating clean sections by parting your hair at the scalp.
• Hair elastics: These secure the ends of your braids. Tiny, clear elastics are suitable for most braids.
• Bobby pins: These are used to secure loose ends and keep the braid in place. Choose bobby pins that match your hair color.
• Clips: Duckbill clips are useful for temporarily securing sections of hair.
• Dry shampoo: This can be used to refresh oily roots between washes and add volume. A DIY version can be made from cornstarch (for lighter hair) or a mix of cornstarch and unsweetened cocoa powder (for darker hair).
• Hairspray, styling paste, and conditioning oil: These products help prevent frizz and flyaways, depending on your hair type.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Basic Braid

1. Grab a Section: Take a section of hair at the front of your head, near your center part. Tie the rest of your hair back to keep it out of the way. Brush the section away from your face to smooth it out.
2. Create Three Sections: Divide the section into three equal parts using your fingers. Hold two sections in your left hand and the third in your right hand.
3. Cross Over: Move the right section over the center section, swapping hands. The right section becomes the new center section. Repeat with the left section, crossing it over the new center section. Maintain tension in all three sections.
4. Criss Cross: Continue alternating the rightmost and leftmost sections, crossing them over the center section. Repeat this pattern down the length of your hair.
5. Secure With an Elastic: When you reach the end of your hair, secure the braid with a tiny elastic.

Refining Your Technique

Notice how your braid looks and identify areas for improvement. If the braid sticks out awkwardly, it may be due to the initial direction of the hair. To fix this, undo the braid, brush out any tangles, and try again, sweeping the hair to the side of your face before dividing it into three sections. Practice this technique to develop muscle memory, and aim to braid without looking in the mirror. Keep the first few stitches close to the scalp to avoid slack at the braid's origin.

Elevating Your Braids: Intermediate Styles

Once you've mastered the basic braid, you can explore more complex styles. Here are a few intermediate braids to try:

Read also: Mastering French Braids

Fishtail Braid

Level of difficulty: 1

Time to complete: 5-10 minutes

1. Brush your hair and decide which side you want your braid. Split your hair into two even sections.
2. Take a small piece of hair from the outside of one section and bring it over to the inside of the other section. Repeat on the other side, grabbing from the outside part of the section each time. Continue down your braid.
3. Secure with a hair tie and "pancake" the braid by gently tugging at small pieces to loosen it and create volume.
4. Curl any shorter layers or bangs with a curling iron.
5. If you have longer layers that didn't make it into the fishtail, braid them into a three-strand braid and tuck and pin them into the fishtail.

Dutch Braid

Level of difficulty: 5

Time to complete: 10 minutes

1. Separate your hair into three even sections.
2. Create a Dutch braid by braiding the sections in a "left under, right under" pattern, weaving the left piece of hair under the center piece, then the right piece under the center, grabbing and adding small sections of hair each time as you go. (Think of it like an inverse French braid.)
3. Add hair from your roots as you continue down the back of your head. Secure with an elastic.
4. If any pieces from the bottom don't fit into the braid, simply clip them up toward the middle to make it look cohesive.

Front Crown Braid

Level of difficulty: 3

Read also: Learn the Braid and Down Style

Time to complete: 5 minutes

1. Divide your hair into three sections by creating a clean part at the arch of each eyebrow. Clip all the hair on either side of the middle section away.
2. Brush out the middle section and prep it with braid balm to tame flyaways. Starting at the back, Dutch-braid the section toward your face. Stop when you get to your forehead.
3. Divide the unbraided hair into two sections and clip one off to the side behind your ear. Braid the loose section using a three-strand braid and pin it behind your ear.
4. Repeat on the other side.
5. Prep the rest of your hair with braid balm and do a three-strand braid (all your hair should be braided at this point). Twist and pin the braid into a bun on the back or side of your head.
6. Make sure all pins are secure and hidden. Loosen the two braids in the front.

Headband Braid

Level of difficulty: 3.5

Time to complete: 5-7 minutes

1. Separate your hair down the middle into two equal parts.
2. Starting with the left side, take a handful of hair and separate it into three pieces.
3. Following the Dutch-braid mantra, "left under, right under," adding small sections of hair as you go.
4. Continue braiding around your hairline and secure it at the top of your head.
5. On the right side, create a second Dutch braid (following steps 2 through 4 above) and wrap it around your head on the opposite side, making sure the two meet.
6. Wrap the end around the first braid and pin it in place.

Braided Ponytail

Level of difficulty: 4

Time to complete: 10 minutes

Read also: Easy Braiding Steps

1. Do a deep side part.
2. Taking the right section, separate your hair into three strands and create a Dutch braid along your ear.
3. Pancake the braid.
4. Take a two-inch section at the middle of your head (this will be your "Mohawk" part) and do a standard three-strand French braid (right over, left over, grabbing pieces as you go) down the middle, stopping at the curve of your head.
5. Now, on the other side, create a two-strand twist and secure with a clear elastic.
6. Pull all your hair up into a high ponytail and secure with an elastic.

Half-Up Crown Braid

Level of difficulty: 1

Time to complete: 2 minutes

1. Part your hair in the center. Taking a one-inch strand from the right side, create a classic three-strand braid. Secure with an elastic.
2. Do the same thing on the left side.
3. Pull the two braids behind your head and crisscross them.
4. Pin the braids into place underneath one another.

Half-Up Braided Bun

Level of difficulty: 4

Time to complete: 10 minutes

1. Part your hair into three small sections at the top of your head.
2. Clip the right two sections down and focus on the remaining left piece first.
3. Create a small braid, angling it toward the back, but stopping at the curve of your head.
4. Do the same thing with the remaining two sections.
5. Pull the braids into a half-up ponytail and style it into a bun. Secure with an elastic.
6. Take any pieces sticking out and wrap them around the bun, securing with pins.

Low Ponytail Braid

Level of difficulty: 5

Time to complete: 15 minutes

1. Part your hair into three sections.
2. Taking the middle section (the "Mohawk" section) first, start a Dutch braid.
3. Continue braiding down the back of your head, making sure everything is tight.
4. As you continue down the braid, add in extra pieces from the middle section to create a thicker plait.
5. Secure with an elastic.
6. Take the remaining hair from the left and the right and start a second French braid on top of the first one.
7. Continue grabbing more pieces and finish the braid.
8. Secure with an elastic.

Double Side Braid

Level of difficulty: 2

Time to complete: 2 minutes

1. Take a one-inch section at your hairline and separate into three smaller sections.
2. Create a French braid: right over, left over, adding hair from the root as you braid along your hairline.
3. Secure with an elastic.
4. Next, add a second French braid about an inch behind the first.
5. Secure with an elastic.
6. Pin back any flyaways or shorter pieces that are sticking up.

Upside-Down Braid

Level of difficulty: 4

Time to complete: 7 minutes

1. Flip your head upside down. Take a large section and split it in two.
2. Start braiding the left section up. Secure with an elastic. Do the same thing with the right section.
3. Now, flip your head up, pulling all your hair into a high ponytail.
4. Twist the ponytail into a bun and secure with a bobby pin. Done!

Advanced Braiding Techniques: Intricate and Unique Styles

For those seeking to push their braiding skills further, here are some advanced techniques to create truly stunning hairstyles.

Side Dutch French Braid

This braid combines a French braid and Dutch braid, bringing it to the side.

1. Decide which side you want your braid on, then part your hair on the other side and bring all your hair over.
2. Create a 3-strand Dutch braid at the front of your head, leaving a 1-inch section out.
3. To turn this into a French Dutch braid, take the section of hair you left out at the front of your face and add it to the left strand.
4. Then, take another section of hair on the other side of your head and add it to the right strand, before continuing to braid.
5. Gently pull out the hair from the inside of the braid to make it thicker and fluffier.

Faux Knot Braid

This hairstyle looks intricate but is simple to create.

1. Grab a 1-2 inch section of hair from the front of your head toward the back and tie it into a knot.
2. Take another section of hair from the right and left, just below the first sections, bring them to the back, and tie into a knot.
3. Continue this process all the way down for a full braid or only halfway down for a half-up hairstyle.

Braided Bubble Hairstyle

This hairstyle works as a ponytail or a braid alternative.

1. Start by creating a simple 3-strand braid.
2. Tighten the elastic, then pull at the braid from all sides to create a three-dimensional braid effect.

Twisted Braid

This is a new take on the 3-strand braid.

1. Divide your hair into two sections: a smaller 1-2 inch section on the left (section 1) and the rest of your hair, which is the thicker section (section 2).
2. Take section 1 and wrap it around section 2.
3. While doing so, take a third section from the right side of section 2 and join it with section 1.

Layered Braid

This braid is perfect for summer festivals or special occasions.

1. Create four twists at the crown of your head.
2. Split the hair into three sections.
3. Create a regular three-strand braid on the left side and the right side. Fan them out.
4. Create a fishtail braid with the middle section. Fan it out.
5. Pin the three braids together, weaving the side braids through the fishtail braid.
6. Secure everything together at the bottom with a hair elastic.

Twisted Crown with Braids

1. Create four twists at the crown of your head. Take a section of hair at your temple on the right side and twist it toward the back. Pull on the twist slightly to fan it out.
2. Create another twist on the left side of your head, wrap it around your head, and pin it just below the first twist.
3. Separate the remainder of your hair into three sections, then create a 3-strand braid on the left most section. Repeat on the right most section of hair.
4. Take a bobby pin, secure it to the top of the right 3-strand braid, weave it through the middle fishtail braid, and secure it to the left 3-strand braid.

Double Braid

1. Create a French braid along your hairline.
2. Carefully fan out the second braid for extra volume.

3-Strand Fishtail Braid

This braid is perfect for romantic occasions.

1. Tease your hair at the crown and sides to add volume.
2. Take a section of hair at the left side of your head and twist it toward the back, adding a bit of hair from the front every time you twist.
3. Keep adding hair and twisting until all the hair on the left side has been twisted.
4. Separate your hair at the back into three sections: the left twisted section, the middle section which is loose, and the right twisted section.

Floral Braid

1. Create a braid.
2. To create the flower, anchor the top of the braid with your fingers, then start twisting the braid around into a circle around itself.

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