French braids

When you've mastered the art of simple braiding, the next challenge is to learn how to master the fashionable French braid. Though this is part of the simple braid, French braids are considered beautiful for girls with all hair types.

For those of you who are blessed with long, silky tresses, you can style your hair with the basic French braid and create a different variety of styles from it. The French Braid is very simple to learn.

The typical way to start the French Braid is by making a simple three-strand braid. You must definitely make at least two full turns of braiding before you learn how easy it is to do it. Another alternative to start with is would be to start with a thin ponytail that is skimmed from the top layer of your hair.

While you braid, it becomes easy for you to bring together the thin sections of the hair and simply add them to the ponytail strands. This would give your braid a ‘draping' effect.

Here are some simple steps to get the perfect French braid.

Step 1: Place your thumbs a little behind your ears. The idea is to gather the hair back and upward, so that it looks like an unanchored ponytail.

Step 2: Make a simple English plait. Remember to cross the left strand to the center. Do the same with the right strand too so that there is trading of places.

Step 3: When you have the plait in your right hand, you must separate three loose strands below it. Then you must keep your left thumb above and behind your left ear. Then use it to draw a strand towards the ponytail.

Step 4: Your next step would be to add the newly gathered hair to the left strand. Then cross this to the center and take the strand at the center to the left. This is what you normally do for an ordinary English braid, right?

Step 5: Hold the plait in your left hand, separating the three loose strands below it with your fingers. Place your right thumb above and behind your right ear and use it to draw a strand half as thick as one of the original strands toward the ponytail.

Step 6: Keep on gathering hair from the left and the right as discussed earlier. Once you've done several braids, you would naturally run out of ‘new' hair at the nape of your neck. So, there won't be any hair that lies loose for you to gather.

Step 7: All you need to do is to braid the remaining strands in a simple English braid and fasten the end of the braid with a rubber band or any fancy, stylish hair accessories that would help to accentuate your new look.

With these steps to start with, you are bound to stun everyone with the new French braid style that you carried out so well. With lots of practice, you'll become a true French braid expert!

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