With this braid, we are entering the realm of real braiding. It's the most common braid, and you may already know how to do it. Many people learn how to do this on shoelaces or leather strips. It's called many things, "Basic Braid," "Simple Braid," but I like to call it "The Lace Braid." For all these braids, you'll need an elastic to finish them.
(I apologize for not doing my nails for the next few entries. It took so long to get the camera angles right (it was pretty hard to find one you could see that still made it possible for me to do the braids!) that I didn't have time to do my nails. SheDaddy won't be happy since she always wants us to be feminine, but hopefully, she will understand.)
The Lace Braid
We'll go over these two ways. First, we'll try to give you the big picture. Then we'll drill down a bit and discuss how to do it in detail. Hopefully, one of these two ways will suit your style of learning.
High Level Description
To start, take a horizontal section of hair and divide it into three strands. Then do the following steps over and over again until you run out of hair or decide to stop:
- Take the left strand and bring it over the center strand, between the center and right strand. The left strand is now your new center strand.
- Take the right strand and bring it over the current center strand, between the center and left strand. The right strand is now your new center strand.
- Repeat these steps until you run out of hair or have the length of braid you want, then fasten the end with an elastic.
Detailed "Finger" Description
As before, take a horizontal section and divide it into three strands. Then
- Hold the right strand in your right hand with the thumb and first finger. Let your middle finger go over the center strand.
- With your left hand, cross the left strand over your middle finger, then grab it with your right thumb and first finger, which now hold two strands.
- With your left thumb and first finger, grab the current left and center strands. Let your left middle finger go on top of the current center strand. With your right hand, bring the right strand on top of your left middle finger and grab it with the left thumb and first finger.
- Repeat these motions until the braid is as long as you want, then fasten it with an elastic.
This might seem confusing, but here is a short video of how it looks:
The French Braid
The French Braid is the "Frenched" version of the Lace Braid. But it has become so well known that even though any braid can be "Frenched," this one is known as "The French Braid." It's a beauty.
To do the French braid, begin as though you are starting a Lace Braid. Do it for a couple of turns. Then, after you have moved the left strand over to your right hand, grab some more hair and add it to the strand. Then do the same thing for the right strand.
Continue this pattern until you run out of hair. If you want to keep braiding after using up all the extra hair, that's fine; switch back to the Lace Braid and finish it with an elastic.
The most important thing.
One of the most important things to remember when you are "Frenching" a braid is to keep your fingers/knuckles as close to the head as possible. That will help the braid to turn out well!
This is a gorgeous and elegant brand, and you can do much with it!
Thanks for reading, and if you have something nice to say or a good idea or suggestion, feel free to write - I always love to hear from you!