[PIC] - My first attempt at Madora's faux crown braid (inversion braiding)

[LauraLongLocks]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/Bestbirth/Hair%20Gallery/Madorasfauxcrownbraid12-2014.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/Bestbirth/media/Hair%20Gallery/Madorasfauxcrownbraid12-2014.jpg.html)

Okay, sorry it is enormous.

Not bad for my first attempt. I must tell all of you that this is heaps easier than attempting a regular crown braid. Madora has given excellent drawings and has written a tutorial for this style here on the forum. I hope she will chime in and repost it here, along with her finished perfect faux crown braid photo. Mine is a far cry from her gloriously executed style. A few things that would have made this more successful for me:

1. Keep my hands right next to my scalp the whole way across with the lace braid. I accidentally allowed my hands to get a few inches away from my head and that made it poof a little more than I wanted on that side.

2. Somehow my braid ended up with one piece significantly shorter than the other two pieces, and this made it so that my tassel was several inches longer than it might have been otherwise. The result was a shorter braid to stretch across the backside of my head and a longer tassel to hide. So I need to figure out how to make all the pieces end up the same length.

3. Grow a few more inches of hair. Unlike the usual crown braid, a little more length makes this one easier. I imagine in a year (with 3-4 more inches of hair), this will be a much better-looking style on me because I will have more braid to work with.

Thanks, Madora! This is extremely comfortable and my bangs are totally under control with this style, too. Looks as much like a crown braid as I think necessary, and is so much easier than regular crown braiding.

[Beckstar]

Beautiful!!

[winship2]

I've been wanting to try this after reading Madora's directions-- thanks for posting your results!

[Quahatundightu]

That looks great!

This looks like Madora's tutorial here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=126977), right? I love this method! And very well explained thank Madora.

Although my problem is always with A) starting the braid in a neat way and B) getting the hair that is swept over my scalp to look nice. I also wonder if the end result gets less painful with time? I often have to take it down as the hair being brushed that way gives me a headache.

[Merlin]

Fantastic, and so pretty

[Henrietta]

It's great! Way better than my first attempt :D And personally I like the loose finish I get when I forget myself and braid a bit away from my head. It's omore difficult to pin securely, but it looks nicer :)

[squirrrel]

I like it. :)

[aforestfae]

Beautiful :)

[lapushka]

Lookin' great! :D

[LauraLongLocks]

Yes, that's the correct link Quahatundightu.

I tried it again this morning and I think I truly nailed it. Looks a lot nicer than my first attempt. I'm going to school like this today.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/Bestbirth/Hair%20Gallery/2ndtryMadorasfauxcrownbraid.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/Bestbirth/media/Hair%20Gallery/2ndtryMadorasfauxcrownbraid.jpg.html)

[MeAndTheMaz]

Wow. Not that your first attempt looked bad, but this one looks very well done.

[MeowScat]

What a difference from the first to the second, you're a fast learner! It looks fantastic, I bet you'll get compliments on it today.

Yoohoo! Madoraaaaa! Take a look at this!

[lapushka]

I agree. Your first attempt looked great, and your second even better. Good luck wearing it out today. :D I'm sure your fellow students will be amazed!

[Madora]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/Bestbirth/Hair%20Gallery/Madorasfauxcrownbraid12-2014.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/Bestbirth/media/Hair%20Gallery/Madorasfauxcrownbraid12-2014.jpg.html)

Okay, sorry it is enormous.

Not bad for my first attempt. I must tell all of you that this is heaps easier than attempting a regular crown braid. Madora has given excellent drawings and has written a tutorial for this style here on the forum. I hope she will chime in and repost it here, along with her finished perfect faux crown braid photo. Mine is a far cry from her gloriously executed style. A few things that would have made this more successful for me:

1. Keep my hands right next to my scalp the whole way across with the lace braid. I accidentally allowed my hands to get a few inches away from my head and that made it poof a little more than I wanted on that side.

2. Somehow my braid ended up with one piece significantly shorter than the other two pieces, and this made it so that my tassel was several inches longer than it might have been otherwise. The result was a shorter braid to stretch across the backside of my head and a longer tassel to hide. So I need to figure out how to make all the pieces end up the same length.

3. Grow a few more inches of hair. Unlike the usual crown braid, a little more length makes this one easier. I imagine in a year (with 3-4 more inches of hair), this will be a much better-looking style on me because I will have more braid to work with.

Thanks, Madora! This is extremely comfortable and my bangs are totally under control with this style, too. Looks as much like a crown braid as I think necessary, and is so much easier than regular crown braiding.

Ah, LauraLongLocks, your faux crown braids looks wonderful!!!! I'm delighted you had such great results and that you like the style. Don't worry about the back of the head messiness. I had that problem a lot (still do). You try really hard to get that back hair "just so", but it gets messed up a trifle when you do the braiding.

You're right about keeping the fingers close to the scalp when braiding...helps a LOT!
If you want to get really fancy/schmanzy, once you are finished doing the lace braiding part, then gather all the hair together, detangle it gently, then divide in 2 and start a fishtail braid....or, if you want simpler, divide the hair in two, and then twist one section over the other section down to the ends, then take the twisted hair and bring it along the back of the head and up to where the lace braid started. You can have a lot of fun with this inversion hair styling! Even Milkmaid (Heidi braids!). Sure beats trying to fight off the pain of French braiding while standing erect!

[Madora]

Here's the diagram for the inversion method of crown braiding:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w225/07Erzbet/101114Invertedfakelacecrownbraiddiagramresized.jpg (http://s177.photobucket.com/user/07Erzbet/media/101114Invertedfakelacecrownbraiddiagramresized.jpg .html)

How to:
1) All hair in front of you, like a curtain. Detangle it gently with a wide tooth comb.
2) Starting in front of the tip of your right ear, take a thin strand of hair, divide in 3, and braid it once (that is, make one complete cross over (left section over the middle, then right section over the middle section)
3) Then start to do the "lace" braid effect..ie. adding hair to the section nearest the LEFT side, then taking in that left section, crossing it OVER the Middle section, hold the middle section in the fingers of one hand, while you "rake down" the strands with the fingers of the other hand. Now, take the section from the RIGHT and cross it OVER the middle section. Hold the middle section in your fingers with one hand, use your other fingers to rake down the strands, then take all the hair in the RIGHT section and cross it over the MIDDLE section. Now, move over to the left a little bit and carve out a small section of hair. Now, add this tiny bit of hair to the LEFT section. Hold the section with all the hair you just added in (pinch it with one hand and use the other hand to rake down the strands). Cross ALL the LEFT section OVER the Center Section. Pinch, rake, cross over the Middle/hold/rake/take all hair in the RIGHT SECTION over the Middle Section/pinch/rake, Cross over the Middle section. Now, take another thin section of hair from the LEFT and add it to the LEFT section and so forth and so on.... until you reach the tip of the left ear.
4) When you reach the tip of the LEFT ear, hold the hair (or clip it) and comb it out so that is is smooth
5) Divide hair in 3 sections
6) DUTCH braid the remaining hair in a single plait until you reach the end/fasten w/elastic
7) Take completed Dutch plait and circle it behind your head and up to the rear of the "lace" braid you just made in the front. The 2 braids should be flush (next to each other), not one on top of the other.
8) Voila..one faux 2 strand lace crown braid in the front and a single Dutch plait around your head! Inversion braiding at its sneakiest!
I realize that in the beginning it may be a little tricky dealing with all your hair in front of you. But if you keep your sections separate (i.e. pinching and raking down the strands), you shouldn't have any trouble.
Also, when bringing the hair forward and detangling, be sure to check the back of your head to make sure all the hair is lying smoothly (comb or brush it if it isn't).
The whole effect should be of an uninterrupted smooth swath of hair at the back of your head, surrounded by braids.
pps. I cheat if I have a section that just doesn't want to lie flat in the back or sides. I squish it under the nearest braid and use a 2 inch crimped hairpin to hold it there.

[Madora]

That looks great!

This looks like Madora's tutorial here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=126977), right? I love this method! And very well explained thank Madora.

Although my problem is always with A) starting the braid in a neat way and B) getting the hair that is swept over my scalp to look nice. I also wonder if the end result gets less painful with time? I often have to take it down as the hair being brushed that way gives me a headache.

Quahatundightu, if you have difficulties with follicle pain, you might have to train your follicles to accept this new way of laying. See if your scalp can tolerate it for 15 minutes w/o pain. If that works, extend the time the style is up for another 10 minutes. If you feel scalp pain, take it down immediately. It takes time to train your follicles to accept a new hair position, but it does work! Good luck!

[LauraLongLocks]

Ah, LauraLongLocks, your faux crown braids looks wonderful!!!! I'm delighted you had such great results and that you like the style. Don't worry about the back of the head messiness. I had that problem a lot (still do). You try really hard to get that back hair "just so", but it gets messed up a trifle when you do the braiding.

You're right about keeping the fingers close to the scalp when braiding...helps a LOT!
If you want to get really fancy/schmanzy, once you are finished doing the lace braiding part, then gather all the hair together, detangle it gently, then divide in 2 and start a fishtail braid....or, if you want simpler, divide the hair in two, and then twist one section over the other section down to the ends, then take the twisted hair and bring it along the back of the head and up to where the lace braid started. You can have a lot of fun with this inversion hair styling! Even Milkmaid (Heidi braids!). Sure beats trying to fight off the pain of French braiding while standing erect!

I like this style for the crown braid look better than milkmaid braids. Milkmaid braids are a bit skinny on me because my hair compacts so well. I like them, but that style isn't as close to the real deal as this one is. I think this is fancy schmanzy enough, lol! Switching to a different type braid after the lace braid might blow my brain cells. Thanks for sharing your tutorial. This is a winner!

[Madora]

I like this style for the crown braid look better than milkmaid braids. Milkmaid braids are a bit skinny on me because my hair compacts so well. I like them, but that style isn't as close to the real deal as this one is. I think this is fancy schmanzy enough, lol! Switching to a different type braid after the lace braid might blow my brain cells. Thanks for sharing your tutorial. This is a winner!

Sure thing! As long as you're happy with it, that's the ticket! You've got your own "Julya Tmochenko" going on now! Congrats!

[TrapperCreekD]

:thud: So beautiful! Congrats on an even more stunning second attempt!

[Agnes Hannah]

Beautiful Laura, really really beautiful! Not sure if I have enough hair for this one though. Wanna swop? x

[LauraLongLocks]

Thank you, everyone. I have to give credit where credit is due. Madora's idea. Madora's instructions. Madora's inspiration. I just followed.


Sure thing! As long as you're happy with it, that's the ticket! You've got your own "Julya Tmochenko" going on now! Congrats!

My braid isn't near as thick as hers, but it's nice, nonetheless. I love her beautiful braid.


Beautiful Laura, really really beautiful! Not sure if I have enough hair for this one though. Wanna swop? x Uh, sorry. Not happening. But you can grow your own, I promise.

[yahirwaO.o]

It looks totally awesome in both pics..... The variations on the crown braid are so awesome once u nailed, well only when I do it on my mother.... on me would be impossible LOL ;)

[gthlvrmx]

That is totally pretty! :)

[Halliday]

This is gorgeous, I'm gonna try it:popcorn:

[DreamSheep]

This is so beautiful Laura! And as usual, it inspired me to give it a go too =)

[jacqueline101]

It's pretty. Thanks for sharing your success story with madora braid.

[hennalonghair]

Yes, that's the correct link Quahatundightu.

I tried it again this morning and I think I truly nailed it. Looks a lot nicer than my first attempt. I'm going to school like this today.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/Bestbirth/Hair%20Gallery/2ndtryMadorasfauxcrownbraid.jpg (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/Bestbirth/media/Hair%20Gallery/2ndtryMadorasfauxcrownbraid.jpg.html)


Thank you, everyone. I have to give credit where credit is due. Madora's idea. Madora's instructions. Madora's inspiration. I just followed.



My braid isn't near as thick as hers, but it's nice, nonetheless. I love her beautiful braid.

Uh, sorry. Not happening. But you can grow your own, I promise.
Oh you nailed it for sure. Very nice. This style is especially great for those with fibro or just have difficulty with other braids because its so much easier bending the head down instead of lifting the arms up in order to braid.
I'm also happy knowing that there are people reaping the benefits of Madoras tutorials. She puts so much time and effort here helping others its good that she gets some type of acknowledgement .
Nicely done Lauralonglocks :thumbsup:

[nakima]

That looks really good!

[LauraLongLocks]

Thank you!

[ARG]

So pretty, Laura! I love how your henna gloss comes through it.




My braid isn't near as thick as hers, but it's nice, nonetheless. I love her beautiful braid.

She uses tons of hair pieces. I believe her hair is only APL.

[LauraLongLocks]

So pretty, Laura! I love how your henna gloss comes through it.

She uses tons of hair pieces. I believe her hair is only APL.

Thank you, I, too, enjoy the way the henna shows up when I do this style. Yulia Tymoshenko's hair looked too short (about BSL, wavy) when I saw a photo of it down to be able make a braid that wrapped all the way around her head like that. Mine is longer than hers seems to be, but I can't quite make it all the way around with a braid yet. I need about two more years' growth to make it nicely all the way around and be able to tuck my tassel in properly, about 6 inches.

[BrightEyes]

Your crown braid looks beautiful, both times! I love the color and texture of your hair. You're an inspirational for this finey :)

[LauraLongLocks]

Your crown braid looks beautiful, both times! I love the color and texture of your hair. You're an inspirational for this finey :)

Thanks! <blushing> That I could be an inspiration to anyone is very flattering.

[Annalouise]

Lauralonglocks - your hair looks fantastic! I love that hairstyle. It's very elegant. I hope I have enough hair someday to do it.

[LauraLongLocks]

Lauralonglocks - your hair looks fantastic! I love that hairstyle. It's very elegant. I hope I have enough hair someday to do it.

With this version of it, you do need a bit longer hair, but your profile says you are almost there with 29". Try doing a regular crown braid. Lillith moon has a tutorial.


http://youtu.be/B3J9aGjX_tc

[LauraLongLocks]

I had to break up my post into several posts because you are only allowed one video per post, so here are the rest of my posts.

I also like Siobhan's faux crown braid.


http://youtu.be/iw9tgIIkUII

[LauraLongLocks]

Someday when I have a glorious crown of hair, I'm going to do Torrin Paige's hair taping.


http://youtu.be/KqbAdvL8kME

[LauraLongLocks]

Here's another tutorial for crown braiding I liked, but find it difficult.


http://youtu.be/3IXOr2ABXbo

I have decided that I will stick with Madora's version for now. It's by far the EASIEST crown braid style I have tried, and the one that looks the best.