Braided Updo for Shoulder-AP Length Hair - TUTORIAL & PICS

[Arctic]

I finally did the hair tutorial I've been mentioning since... hmm... March or so? I couldn't come up with jazzy name, so I called it Arctic's braid. (Any ideas?)


I believe I have invented this style. I have never seen anything similar, although at the same time, with millions of people here on Earth, I have no doubt someone, somewhere, at some point of history has done the same style. :) It doesn't matter, I'll still think I invented it :D


Boring stuff: The image I drew is under Creative Commons Licence (CC-BY-NC-ND) that allows anyone to use, post and spread it, as long as credits are given to me (forum handle Arctic is enough), it is not used commercially, and is not edited, changed, or used for making something else. Feel free to share the written instructions too, with credits. (Basically: share away, but give credits.)

The hair photos, however, are copyrighted. Please do not post my hair photos anywhere (Pinterest etc.). /end boring stuff


First, the final product looks like this:

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/2015-03-16%2020150316%20005-muoms-sm-arctic_zpslvzk37fe.jpg



I find this style very elegant, different, and interesting. It can be worn in everyday life, but also on special occasions (the latter is how I personally perceive it). It is very comfortable (at least on me), and sturdy. It has a flat profile, so this could be great for excercising, or under a helmet too.

On my hair I prefere this style when I have used styling products, especially hair powder. The style simply does not look the same without it. Hair powder takes this from blah to WOW, and also helps to make hair more manageable.

All and all it is relatively hair friendly and protective, and not difficult to do (no french braiding, etc).

I think this is a style exclusively for shorter hair, from shoulder to maybe APL, depending on the thickness. My own hair started to feel too long when it was about half way between shoulder and APL. BUT if your hair is too long for this exact style, you can use this method for Heidi braids and thus avoid the parting at the back! That would be a nice variation too!

I imagine all hair types and thicknesses could do this updo. Thinner haired people can do it sooner (and will grow out of it sooner). I think having some texture helps; a very slippery and straight hair might need some prep work. I would love to have feedback from people of all hairtypes and lengths who try this!


You will need:

- ability to make 3-strand braid
- styling product that gives grip, I recommend hair powder
- mini claw clip or similar
- small elastics
- bobby pins


Here's my Tutorial. The written instructions are right after the image.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/ArcticsBraidTutorial-CC-BY-NC-ND_zpspeaz0hkl.jpg



STEP BY STEP HOW-TO:

1) Comb hair and divide in two, as if making pigtails. (If you use other products than hair powder, it can be applied here, at/before this point.)

2) Divide blue side* into two (no need to be perfectly even). *For clarity's sake, let's use colours blue and red as indicators, per my image. But the sides don't really matter, you can test if chaging sides makes a difference.

3) Take red side to the right, so that it goes between the two blue sections, as you move the blue sections to the left.

4) Combine blue sections into one, and temporarily secure them together, with for example mini claw clip. The red half now runs through the blue half. (Try not to drop the blue sections at this point, the hairs need to be alligned to the direction they are in the final look.)

5) Braid red half first, secure with small elastic (after getting a hang of this, elastics might not be needed necessarily). Then release the blue half and braid it too. Try to start both braids, but especially the blue one very snuggly against the head. Secure with small elastic. At this point there should be 2 braided pigtails that start at the middle of your nape. For both braids, leave an ample tassle, it will be needed later (it doesn't need to be huge, just don't braid to the very tips). This, steps 3 to 5, are the method I invented and which makes this style unique. It allows the finished style look as if one continuous braid with no visible end or beginning.

6) Now it's time to take out the hair powder. I need to highlight that at least for my hair, the updo simply does not look the same without. Take each braid one at a time, tap some hair powder along the braid's length, on both sides, and very gently rub and work it in the braid. The braid becomes easy to manage and starts grow in size (sort of). After applying hairpowder, gently pancake (tug each braid bump wider and flatter) both braids as wide as possible. Mine expands quite a bit this way. The ample tassle comes neccessary here, as pancaking will shorten it.

7) Fold blue braid so, that the tassle and the elastic will be under the braid and not visible. Bobby pin the "corners" of the fold, as the arrows indicate. Do the same to the red braid. Now you can pancake the braids some more, before adding more bobby pins (when there are more pins the pancaking is difficult or impossible). Basically, depending on the day and my activities, I don't need that many pins. I like to make mine feel very secure, so I probably use approx. 6-8 or so. If there are any areas that sag or stick out or don't look right, you can adjust them with gentle tugging and pinning. (If you have any visible part at the back at this point, tug the scalp hair around the part gently a bit looser, so the part will vanish.)

DONE!


I have done this with 3-strand braid (photo in the beginning of this post) and fishtail braid (photo below). Both look really nice! It might work with other braids too (maybe not with rope braid?). If you make fishtail braids (or try the rope braids), make sure you divide the 2 braid sections differently than the original divided sections were in step 3. I fear otherwise a gap might form at the base of the braid, and it wouldn't be giving the illusion of one continuing braid with no end or beginning (or maybe I just worry too much, ha ha).

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc33/LingonberryMist/Hiukset/2015-06-21%2020150621%20012-muoks-sm-Arctic_zpsw3exwxie.jpg




I hope You liked it! Please let me know how it works and if the instructions are clear! :toast:

[AZDesertRose]

That's very cool! I'll have to try that. Thank you for posting the directions. :)

[Arctic]

AZDesertRose I hope you like it and it works for you! I'd love to hear how it came out!

[meteor]

That looks amazing, Arctic! :applause Great invention!
Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful style and instructions! :D

Looking at the end result and the first steps of your awesome pictorials, reminded me of a video tutorial of the "pull-through braided updo". Maybe it can help some folks who need video instructions (it's not the same style at all but it demonstrates that sort of "pull-through" principle at the beginning of the style on video :) ): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W0yYvZX8c8 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGObla0gfm4

[Arctic]

Thanks Meteor! OOH that was nice video, the end result looks quite a bit like mine! The video also shows the pancaking really well, that steps makes such a difference!

[AZDesertRose]

Arctic, I just tried to do it and had an incredibly difficult time getting it to work, which may be a failure of patience on my part or may be that my hair is very slippy by nature. Not sure.

I'll give it another try on a day when I feel more patient with my hair.

For now, it went back into the cinnabun I'd had it in earlier.

[Arctic]

Oh no, sorry to hear that AZ! Maybe it is a thickness issue also, I only assumed it would work for all thicknesses. Hopefully you'll get it work later on. Which step did you have problems with? If your hair is very slippery, you might need some product to help you, mousse or dry shampoo or salt spray maybe? My hair isn't very slippery (at least not when I compare to my old hair type before it changed), but I couldn't do the step 6 without product (hair powder), my braids would fall apart from that much pancaking.

[cutekitty]

Both styles look so pretty on you! Thanks for the tutorial.

[Arctic]

Thank you cutekitty! I've been meaning to make this for ever! I visualized it as step by step photos, but I didn't get anyone to take the photos for me, so out came the wobbly touchpad mouse drawings :D

[Éowyn_GreyEyes]

Oo I bet this would look fantastic as rope braids too! Im ready to try it, great invention!!!

[vpatt]

Arctic, wow! I have not yet tried it, but it looks great and best of all.....I understand your instructions! That is no small thing, I often have to set instructions aside and work things out myself. But I understood every step....thank you so much. I will let you know how my hair cooperates when I try it.

[lapushka]

Oh wow, I like the very clear instructions. I think my hair's too long for this, though (wow, never thought I'd say that). It might be a *great* solution for those of us with thick hair that's growing out and no updos to do!

[Arctic]

Oo I bet this would look fantastic as rope braids too! Im ready to try it, great invention!!!

I'm looking forward to your version! I think, without actually trying it myself, that rope braids would be difficult to get as flat and wide so that they a) hide the tassle and elastic and b) don't start unraveling. But if someone gets it to work, I take my words back! Then again, your hair is so long you don't need the folding under steps, you could do the milkmaid version, and for that I am sure rope braids would be suitable! Let us know how your experiments succeed (hopefully well!)!



Arctic, wow! I have not yet tried it, but it looks great and best of all.....I understand your instructions! That is no small thing, I often have to set instructions aside and work things out myself. But I understood every step....thank you so much. I will let you know how my hair cooperates when I try it.

I am delighted to hear, thank you for the feedback! Maybe the drawings are better option that photo tutorial would have been, more clear to see. Good luck with trying this, I do hope it works!



Oh wow, I like the very clear instructions. I think my hair's too long for this, though (wow, never thought I'd say that). It might be a *great* solution for those of us with thick hair that's growing out and no updos to do!


Thank you Lapushka! I often have to go trough many tutorials if I am learning a new style, untill I find the one that clicks with the way my brainds are wired. I'm really happy if I managed to make the steps clear! Ha ha, yeah I think for this version I did, your hair is too long. But maybe milkmaid version or some other version I can't yet even imagine would be suitable?

I do hope this would work for thick hair also, and I imagine it would. AZDesertRose's first experiment wasn't very encouraging, but I keep the hope alive!

[AZDesertRose]

Oh no, sorry to hear that AZ! Maybe it is a thickness issue also, I only assumed it would work for all thicknesses. Hopefully you'll get it work later on. Which step did you have problems with? If your hair is very slippery, you might need some product to help you, mousse or dry shampoo or salt spray maybe? My hair isn't very slippery (at least not when I compare to my old hair type before it changed), but I couldn't do the step 6 without product (hair powder), my braids would fall apart from that much pancaking.

I couldn't get it to braid worth a darn at that angle. I might see if my daughter will let me try doing it on her hair to see if the problem is that I couldn't see what I was doing.

It also might help to put some dry shampoo on it to make it less slippery.

I'll try it again when I'm feeling more patient with my hair. :)

[meteor]

I couldn't get it to braid worth a darn at that angle. I might see if my daughter will let me try doing it on her hair to see if the problem is that I couldn't see what I was doing.

It also might help to put some dry shampoo on it to make it less slippery.

I'll try it again when I'm feeling more patient with my hair. :)

AZDesertRose, I don't know if you do this already, but I'll suggest this anyway :flower: : you could try to braid in the exact direction that the braid will lie/be pinned in the future - it really helps a lot to hold all the strands specifically at the angle of the braid's future positioning/pinning.

[AZDesertRose]

AZDesertRose, I don't know if you do this already, but I'll suggest this anyway :flower: : you could try to braid in the exact direction that the braid will lie/be pinned in the future - it really helps a lot to hold all the strands specifically at the angle of the braid's future positioning/pinning.

Thank you, meteor. I usually do that anyway (holding the braid and braiding at the approximate angle that I want the braid to be in the end), but when I tried this do, I felt very clumsy and got frustrated very quickly (after about three tries).

[floraflowerpowe]

Nice! I'll have to try it :D.

[Arctic]

The 3 strand braid version I am able to do without having to change hand position, but the fishtail was more difficult, and I needed to change hand position. That's always a bit of an hassle, and a spot where mistakes are made easily.

One other thing about steps 4 and 5. The blue half that is split into 2 and brought to the left from above and below red half, this is for me personally the most critical spot. Through trial and error I have noticed I need to braid the red half first (the half that goes through the other one). An that I need to secure the blue half together temporarily. I need to keep the blue half contained and sort of going to the intended direction while braiding red half. If strands from blue half fall out of before I get to braid it, it usually means I need to start all over again from the beginning. It just seems very difficult to regather and reallign the blue strands and work around the red, already braided hair, and have it all come out looking neat. I hope this makes sense, it's hard to explain. But keeping both halfs alligned to the direction I need them to be in the finished look is important (both scalp hair and the braids), and that's why temporarily securing the blue half ,and avoiding dropping any of it accidently from my fingers, is important. Mini claw clip has been the best for my thinnish hair for this temporarily securing.

One more thing, the blue side, or the side that is split in two before bringing them back together, it might be good to be hair from your non-dominant side. This would mean the actual braiding of this half would be made on the dominant side, which might make it easier to control. I just now realized my drawing might work better for lefties, I am a right handed person myself, so I actually now that I think of it, do the steps as mirror image of the tutorial myself. This didn't occure to me while drawing it.


Summary: one could experiment with different braids (3-strand is probably the easiest), braiding blue hair first and red hair second, switching sides to mirror image of my tutorial drawing, and experimenting with hand positions while braiding. Who knows maybe some simple change like these works for someone perfectly.

[Arctic]

Bump! Any brave souls (ha ha!) who have tried this?

[proo]

My version:
rope braids wound around a stretchy headband crown-style.
I've tried this before, but your trick in the back makes it alot smoother -
genius Arctic!

[Arctic]

Thanks Proo! Your variations sound beautiful!

[Arctic]

Hmm, I tried this technique (steps 3-5) to make a braided headband! I still need to test it out some more, but it looks promising variation!

I have very thin and sparse hair in the front, which often makes all kinds of braided styles where the braid is in the front/side parts of my hair a bit difficult to make (so much scalp showing through, so little hair, very thin braids). But so far this seems to give me a wearable looking "headband" style, without the problems I normally have if I'd start braiding the headband from behind one ear, over the head to the other ear. :thumbs up:

So, basically I made the 2 pig tails at the very front/top of my head, did the trick (steps 3-5), and started braiding each side downwards with lace duth braids. Seemed to work nicely, but needs more testing. I don't have photo yet, but it looks like 1 continuing braid, rather than 2 braids, looks like a headband in other words.

PS. If someone has thin, sparse hair like me, you don't need to add more hair at each dutch lace braid stich, add as often as your hair thickness allows.

[samanthaa]

I stumbled across this style and tried to make it work for my nearly waist-length hair--successfully, I think! Now, this picture is from my very first attempt and I only had 4 bobby pins on me, so the style a bit messy/insecure, but I think it looks pretty:

http://i.imgur.com/aIXlNsq.jpg

Basically I just doubled the braids back and pinned them under the section of the hair where the two braids cross. My hair is straight and SO soft, and I don't have any hair powder (dry shampoo would probably suffice, but I'm at work!), so the "pancaking" didn't happen, but the doubling back of the braids added some thickness to the look. Overall, pretty and comfortable :) Will definitely try to duplicate this when I have more resources/time/am not at work. Thanks, Arctic!

[irodaryne]

Oh I love this! I need to find more bobby pins, but once I do I'm going to give it a try!

[Arctic]

I'm glad to see this thread being bumped up!


I stumbled across this style and tried to make it work for my nearly waist-length hair--successfully, I think! Now, this picture is from my very first attempt and I only had 4 bobby pins on me, so the style a bit messy/insecure, but I think it looks pretty:

http://i.imgur.com/aIXlNsq.jpg

Basically I just doubled the braids back and pinned them under the section of the hair where the two braids cross. My hair is straight and SO soft, and I don't have any hair powder (dry shampoo would probably suffice, but I'm at work!), so the "pancaking" didn't happen, but the doubling back of the braids added some thickness to the look. Overall, pretty and comfortable :) Will definitely try to duplicate this when I have more resources/time/am not at work. Thanks, Arctic!

That looks great on you! Yes the double braids give a nice, wide effect too! I've had few other members with long hair also saying this worked for them. It needs a bit of tweaking, but what updo wouldn't.


Oh I love this! I need to find more bobby pins, but once I do I'm going to give it a try!

I hope it works for you! This has been my go-to style when I want to have an elegant 'do that is comfy and functional :)

Oh, and someone figured out - I wish I'd remember who it was - that if one braid is done as english braid, and one as dutch braid (or if it's fishtail braid, one is normal fishtail and one is reversed fishtail), they will form a continuos braid pattern. It was pretty cool invention!

[irodaryne]

I hope it works for you! This has been my go-to style when I want to have an elegant 'do that is comfy and functional :)

Oh, and someone figured out - I wish I'd remember who it was - that if one braid is done as english braid, and one as dutch braid (or if it's fishtail braid, one is normal fishtail and one is reversed fishtail), they will form a continuos braid pattern. It was pretty cool invention!

So even though I don't have any bobby pins, I decided to see if I could get at least the braid parts done (because if I can get the braids braided, I can get the rest of the updo).

I couldn't get the braids, but it may have more to do with my inexperience with braiding my own hair combined with my hair only being SL right now, so the braids are short and stubby. I would imagine that as I get closer to CBL, it'll get easier to do.

[Arctic]

I think this should work at collarbone the latest, for us with thinner hair. I might have been more at collarbone than just brushing shoulder when I invented this last spring. But when I try to remember the first times I did this, I do think that even a bit shorter hair (with my hair stats) would have worked. You don't need long braids, but there needs to be some room for pancaking (if one wants to pancake - that eats some length) and for the tassel to be folded under and hidden (depending on hair's slipperyness, you might or might not need an elastic. For those of use who don't need elastic, I think we have a small advantage over those who do, when it comes to how short hair is too short - no elastic to hide, needs less tassle length). Hair powder, salt spray or dry shampoo (etc.) might help, especially when pancaking shorter hair. They help keeping the hair together rather than starting to unravel.

I hope you get it to work if not right away, then very soon! Collarbone is not far from shoulder.

[irodaryne]

I think this should work at collarbone the latest, for us with thinner hair. I might have been more at collarbone than just brushing shoulder when I invented this last spring. But when I try to remember the first times I did this, I do think that even a bit shorter hair (with my hair stats) would have worked. You don't need long braids, but there needs to be some room for pancaking (if one wants to pancake - that eats some length) and for the tassel to be folded under and hidden (depending on hair's slipperyness, you might or might not need an elastic. For those of use who don't need elastic, I think we have a small advantage over those who do, when it comes to how short hair is too short - no elastic to hide, needs less tassle length). Hair powder, salt spray or dry shampoo (etc.) might help, especially when pancaking shorter hair. They help keeping the hair together rather than starting to unravel.

I hope you get it to work if not right away, then very soon! Collarbone is not far from shoulder.

I really do think that most of my problems with it is my inexperience with braids. Prior to getting a pixie in 2011, I'd never learned to braid my own hair behind my head (I could do braids if I could see them). I've been learning how to sort of do braids (I can mostly do a french braid now!), but my hair hasn't really been long enough to actually do full on braids with. I honestly feel that if I were just a tad better with braids, I could manage this with my hair where it is.

Maybe tonight I'll experiment around with it to see if I can figure it out.

[sumidha]

Hmm I think this might also be helpful to those of us that hate scalp cleavage when doing double braids. I'll try it out the next time I do a faux crown braid. Thanks Arctic! :)

[irodaryne]

Update: So I spent a good while trying to get this style on hair that is more at just shoulder, less so collarbone (my hair is long enough that I can hold it down to my shoulder while standing straight with shoulders completely relaxed, but that's about it. So it is solidly at shoulder, but only just). I think that if you've got thinner hair it may be easier to do because well, you can manipulate the hair more easily.

With my hair at average thickness (it's at a solid 3 inches around the ponytail) with sort of layered hair (when my pixie mullet got cut to chin length in October, she could only get to about chin and there was definitely still a wee bit of layering from the pixie), I don't think I can really do this style until collarbone. The good news is that my hair has been giving me a solid 3/4" of growth a month, so I'll be there pretty shortly!

[Mirabele]

thank so much for sharing, Arctic, this looks very interesting and elegant style. it looks romantic and elegant for special ocassion, also, something like i could use for everyday and even when i use hat or helmet. looks "doable" for me! i will definitely try. i have almost bsl and thin hair, so it would work good for me, i believe. i have seen some videos on youtube about similar hairstyle but with heavilly panckaked pull through braid, these are nice, but i am very reluctant to use so much eastics in my weak damaged hair, (i would loose half of my hair when taking out this kind of elastics :P). i love how clear you presented the illustrations, every step looks really well understandable. it looks also a fun and cool! thanks for sharing!

[Arctic]

Hmm I think this might also be helpful to those of us that hate scalp cleavage when doing double braids. I'll try it out the next time I do a faux crown braid. Thanks Arctic! :)

Yes it's perfect for that, I can't wait that I ca use it myself that way too!



Update: So I spent a good while trying to get this style on hair that is more at just shoulder, less so collarbone (my hair is long enough that I can hold it down to my shoulder while standing straight with shoulders completely relaxed, but that's about it. So it is solidly at shoulder, but only just). I think that if you've got thinner hair it may be easier to do because well, you can manipulate the hair more easily.

With my hair at average thickness (it's at a solid 3 inches around the ponytail) with sort of layered hair (when my pixie mullet got cut to chin length in October, she could only get to about chin and there was definitely still a wee bit of layering from the pixie), I don't think I can really do this style until collarbone. The good news is that my hair has been giving me a solid 3/4" of growth a month, so I'll be there pretty shortly!

You'll need to update your hair stats then, lady :D I was actually hesitating whether I'd say "we thinner haired", because your photo looks very thick, but I went with the i/ii of your hairtyping. My hair is noticeably thinner than yours, so that might be why you've had problems. But i still hope you'll get this to work, and it would be lovely if you'd update when you can make it work. Would maybe help other with your hair stats! (Wow nice growth rates too!)


thank so much for sharing, Arctic, this looks very interesting and elegant style. it looks romantic and elegant for special ocassion, also, something like i could use for everyday and even when i use hat or helmet. looks "doable" for me! i will definitely try. i have almost bsl and thin hair, so it would work good for me, i believe. i have seen some videos on youtube about similar hairstyle but with heavilly panckaked pull through braid, these are nice, but i am very reluctant to use so much eastics in my weak damaged hair, (i would loose half of my hair when taking out this kind of elastics :P). i love how clear you presented the illustrations, every step looks really well understandable. it looks also a fun and cool! thanks for sharing!

I'm so happy this thread surfaced again, and that was able to see it! I've seen the hairstyle you refer to, and yep those elastics do look scary! With this style you might not need elastics at all even at the ends of braid, depending on your hair's slipperiness and length. If you try this, let us know how it went!

[reilly0167]

I love this one. It is really pretty and the instructions are clear. Thank you for sharing.

[irodaryne]

You'll need to update your hair stats then, lady :D I was actually hesitating whether I'd say "we thinner haired", because your photo looks very thick, but I went with the i/ii of your hairtyping. My hair is noticeably thinner than yours, so that might be why you've had problems. But i still hope you'll get this to work, and it would be lovely if you'd update when you can make it work. Would maybe help other with your hair stats! (Wow nice growth rates too!)

I'll have to go update that! I think when I did those stats (in like 2014) I couldn't quite get all of my hair into a ponytail.

So... yeah, if you've got an average thickness this probably isn't doable till CBL, and if you've got like, mega thickness this may not be doable until longer than that.

(I am pretty proud of my growth rates, though!)

[lillielil]

This is totally revolutionary.

I may have mentioned once or twice that I have a HG hairstyle - a crown or coronet braid (or whatever it is Princess Leia wears on Hoth). My hair is both too short and too thin to do this using most of the tutorials I've found (even yours, Arctic - the front ends up a thin, piece-y mess no matter where I start it). This is the closest I've gotten. This was a first try, with no product or mirror.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=21400&d=1454694475

[Daydreamer.]

It looks nice and it looks simple to do. Great idea!

[DoomKitty]

Prowling through threads and found this lol it took me two tries (worked second time by clipping blue side up the side of my head) but it works! I probably need more bobby pins though as my hair tends to spit them out. I have a pic in my album. Thanks Artic!

[Arctic]

Prowling through threads and found this lol it took me two tries (worked second time by clipping blue side up the side of my head) but it works! I probably need more bobby pins though as my hair tends to spit them out. I have a pic in my album. Thanks Artic!

I didn't see your pic, but I'm I'm glad this worked for you! Note to self: do this style tomorrow! It's been a while!

[Arctic]

This is totally revolutionary.

I may have mentioned once or twice that I have a HG hairstyle - a crown or coronet braid (or whatever it is Princess Leia wears on Hoth). My hair is both too short and too thin to do this using most of the tutorials I've found (even yours, Arctic - the front ends up a thin, piece-y mess no matter where I start it). This is the closest I've gotten. This was a first try, with no product or mirror.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=21400&d=1454694475

:thumbsup:!

[triumphator!]

Bookmarking this for later experiments :popcorn:

[Lanalavallama]

Arctic That is such a beautiful style!
That will be my protective style of choice when I have hair long enough to protect :)

[PixieP]

I totally need to try this method for making milkmaid braids! I love how they look in front but hate the back, this should solve that :D :D :D This is brilliant Arctic!

[Arctic]

Bookmarking this for later experiments :popcorn:

Let us know how you liked it!


Arctic That is such a beautiful style!
That will be my protective style of choice when I have hair long enough to protect :)

Thank you! I hope you'll love it!


I totally need to try this method for making milkmaid braids! I love how they look in front but hate the back, this should solve that :D :D :D This is brilliant Arctic!

Thanks! Yes this would solve that problem, and I can't wait till my hair long enough to use this with milkmaid braids! (ha ha, might never be that long!)

I'm glad this got bumped, I often feel embarrassed bumping my own threads :p

[Anya15]

My braids seem to be too long/thick to be tucked under, but this will probably work for milkmaid braids on my hair like PixieP said :) Thanks for the brilliant idea Arctic!

[PixieP]

This really is brilliant! I did a quick try tonight. No pictures; my hair is super slippery after henna last night so braids NOT pretty, lol. And I'm gonna need a bit of practice to get them tighter in the back. But first impression is, I love it!

After taking out the Bobby pins I left the two braids. And it looks really cool with the two braids loose too!

[Arctic]

My braids seem to be too long/thick to be tucked under, but this will probably work for milkmaid braids on my hair like PixieP said :) Thanks for the brilliant idea Arctic!

Hmm, how about making 2 sets of these braids, one on top of eachother. That way you could divide your hair into 4 braids, which should significantly make their manageability easier for you. And I can imagine in my mind it would look AWESOME like that! Or, make a halfup Arctic's braid (you can only take enough hair for the halfup that the braids/folding works, so you are in control) and let the rest flow loose, that would be super pretty too.



This really is brilliant! I did a quick try tonight. No pictures; my hair is super slippery after henna last night so braids NOT pretty, lol. And I'm gonna need a bit of practice to get them tighter in the back. But first impression is, I love it!

After taking out the Bobby pins I left the two braids. And it looks really cool with the two braids loose too!

That's so nice to hear! I'd be delighted if you do take a photo some time!


***

As for me, I am wearing Arctic's braid today. My hair is not yet too long for folding.

[hayheadsbird]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/hayheadsbird/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshxzxck85.jpeg (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/hayheadsbird/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshxzxck85.jpeg.html)
Gave it a quick try! Not perfect, can see the tie and the spin pins are not quite perfectly placed, needs more practice, but feels secure!

[Temme]

I think my hair is a bit too long. :(

http://s33.postimg.org/ka4ljzbzz/image.jpg (http://postimage.org/) hosting images (http://postimage.org/)

[Arctic]

Gave it a quick try! Not perfect, can see the tie and the spin pins are not quite perfectly placed, needs more practice, but feels secure!

Once you get the elastics hidden it will be perfect!


I think my hair is a bit too long. :(

Aww sorry to hear it didn't quite work. Maybe you could sort of curve the braids upwards a bit and make them longer, so that the end results would look a bit like shallow U? And maybe soon you could use this technique for milkmaid braids!

[PixieP]

Arctic I did the special parting thing for this braid when I did this hairstyle https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVg-nMH17Q

And that made the bottom look so good! :D I'll post pictures later!

[Arctic]

Arctic I did the special parting thing for this braid when I did this hairstyle https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVg-nMH17Q

And that made the bottom look so good! :D I'll post pictures later!

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing! I saw your photos in other threads (and your avatar ;)), your hairstyle looks great on you!

[cailinbee]

This is so cool Arctic! Love it! *scurries off to try it*

[Duchess Fuzzy Buns]

Nice tutorial Arctic- that's very creative! I definitely will be trying this one.

[Arctic]

Bumping this up!

[Shanawavy]

Thanks, Arctic, this looks great! I can do the crossing over bit, but can't get much of a braid at the moment. It's nice to have a new style to grow towards though!

[Arctic]

Thanks, Arctic, this looks great! I can do the crossing over bit, but can't get much of a braid at the moment. It's nice to have a new style to grow towards though!

I think I invented this when my hair was about shoulder-collarbone length. I hope it will work for you soon!

As a side note, now at APL this still does work for me technically, but at this length I don't visually like how it looks so much. The braids extend and curve higher up which makes me think of laurel crowns, ha ha. On the other hand my hair is too short to make heidi braids with this method, so I haven't been doing this style in a while. It's definitely one I miss though!

[Shanawavy]

Thanks - it's one of my mini-goals!

[Dendra]

I love your pictures! So nicely done and really intuitive to follow. Thanks for putting in all the work to share this :)

[mistythebandit]

Love it! I want to try it.

[DarklingAndy]

This looks so cool! I want to try it but I'm afraid my hair is too long. :[

[Serimel]

Wonderful hairstyle, such a romantic look! I love how clear and detailed your instructions are. Have you ever considered teacher's profession? :D