The side plait: an underrated style

[barnet_fair]

While reading the signature style thread (https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=141671) I realised that I do have a signature style other than "flying about everywhere and getting caught in things" - the side plait.

This is an appreciation thread for the side plait, or, for the sake of search, side braid.

✹ Easy to do even for beginners - you can do it in the mirror
✹ Shows off length
✹ You can look down at your plait any time and keep an eye on it, or just stroke it now and then
✹ No need to flip it out of the way when you sit down - it lies comfortably on your shoulder, bust, belly, or lap

No hairstyle is perfect, of course. My side plaits shred terribly, especially the shorter nape hairs, which often end up in their own little tail down the back of my neck. This style is also especially unforgiving of shorter layers, especially those on the other side of the head, which will fall out all over the place until long enough to stay in the first few stitches of the plait.

Sometimes it's hard to start the plait in the right place, as well. Does anyone else sometimes get a plait sticking out horizontally at ear height?


Sectioning

Recently I've tried the Dianyla sectioning technique:
Bring all the hair to the left side of the head
Take the top layer of the hair, aiming for 1/3 of the total volume
Divide the remaining hair into two, to make three sections in total.


Variations

✺ Reverse plaiting - I'd call this "Dutch" plaiting, not to be confused with the below technique where you add sections of hair as you go. While plaiting, instead of passing each outer section over the middle section, pass it under. I think this makes for a neater start.
✺ French/Dutch/edge plaits - for the dextrous. This will hold a bit better. I don't (*cough* can't) do this as my hair is so dark and coarse/thick that you can't really see what I've done.
✺ A normal plait starting at the back, but just thrown over the shoulder. I think your hair has to be pretty long (>TBL?) for it to stay there! For some reason if I start a plait at the back it tends to be very stiff - perhaps because I have so many nape hairs, it ends up tightly bound to the back of my neck.
✺ Parandas, silk scarves, and other lovely dangly things. Beautiful with this style! I love seeing photos of traditional Indian dress with a bejewelled side plait.


Anyone else love this style? P.S. Here's a photo (https://64.media.tumblr.com/b778d1793f5f99525a5c7d2ed26c8fb1/tumblr_inline_oab02tiDkp1tat2xb_640.jpg) of me with my side plait. Sorry for the frizz!

[Complexity]

My hair is too short now, but when it was longer this was how I used to braid it for sleeping.

[Estrid]

This is a regular for me too, but my braid is getting too long/heavy, causing pain in my shoulder xD I'll keep doing it anyway because it's easy and I like it.

[Miss Thyme]

I make a side braid for sleeping because that wayI don't have any annoying lumps under my head/neck when lying on my back :)
If you see me with a single side braid in the daytime there's a 99% chance I slept with it the night before and haven't been to work :p

[lapis_lazuli]

Me! :waving: I used to wear an English side braid every day when my hair was hip-classic. That was my signature, and I kind of miss it; it became awkward as my hair got longer. Since learning French/Dutch, braids feel comfortable again, so maybe I'll bring it back.

Your plait is lovely! :rolling:

[AmaryllisRed]

I wore a side braid SO much from like... as soon as it was long enough until hip-ish. I still sleep in one most nights and exactly as Miss Thyme said, if you see me in a side braid during the day, I slept in it and haven't gone anywhere. I also quite possibly have a headache or just took a nap. :)
I like to prop it on my shoulder like a parrot.:lol:
I'd wear one more often but shredding and napetangles.

[Finda]

I wore a side braid SO much from like... as soon as it was long enough until hip-ish. I still sleep in one most nights and exactly as Miss Thyme said, if you see me in a side braid during the day, I slept in it and haven't gone anywhere. I also quite possibly have a headache or just took a nap. :)
I like to prop it on my shoulder like a parrot.:lol:
I'd wear one more often but shredding and napetangles.

I've recently gone back to braids, but this is so, so true. Especially the napetangles.

[lapushka]

Oh yeah, it's either a bun, my hair up in clips (on wash day, mainly) or a side braid. I don't wear any other type of English braid. And yes it's doable with the layers, because the styling products keep the layers in.

[baanoo]

:scissors: ...
Anyone else love this style? P.S. Here's a photo (https://64.media.tumblr.com/b778d1793f5f99525a5c7d2ed26c8fb1/tumblr_inline_oab02tiDkp1tat2xb_640.jpg) of me with my side plait. Sorry for the frizz!


I LOVE THIS STYLE and wear it all the time.

and also such a cute photo of you :o

[Iyashikei]

Unless you are an anime girl I don't think that's a picture of you 😂
But yeah, that's something I might try in the future. It might look super romantic on me.

[JasminxCat]

I do side braids sometimes. English, French or Dutch. I don't particularly like the look of it on me. I feel like any style that comes over the side of my shoulder makes my small head look even smaller than it already is? Could be just my own weird insecurity. But it is comfy for lounging around

[Miss Thyme]

I've recently gone back to braids, but this is so, so true. Especially the napetangles.

I still don't understand how there can be so many tangles when the hair is secured in a braid??? :mad:

[Nineteenbirds]

On days when I can't wear a bun I put my hair in a side braid, for example if I'm going to be outside all day and have to have a hat on. Right side, since I'm right-handed. And also that's how I sleep every night, and if I have to be somewhere early, I just comb the top part and go. I alternate between thinking that's lazy and thinking that it's practical. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person who does this!

Most often when I get a compliment on my hair it's when I have it in a braid. I have a small parrot, and when he's on my shoulder my braid turns into a bird toy. And I find myself combing my fingers through the tassel sometimes.

So, yep, me too.

[Hairkay]

I do a flat twist version of it or sometimes a cornrow version. It's convenient.

[QueenElla]

This has been one of my staple styles since i was in high school, love it! I start at the bangs area and do a dutch braid down the side, adding more hair as i get closer to the actual length! So simple and cute!

[Stardreamer]

Side braids are cool, I always wanted a long side braid when I had short hair. It's just that the side braid doesn't always stay over my shoulder - sometimes slips to the back and annoys the heck out of me.

[school of fish]

I do love a nice side braid!!! It's one of *cough cough* two or so styles I do :P

[squirrrel]

I guess side plait, in one form or another, is my go to style. Even if I plait it from the back of my head I have always pulled it to sit in front of my shoulder: at least since about hip length…. The shredding does annoy me but I don’t tend to get tangles unless I have not been careful about separating the sections when making the plait.

[spidermom]

I like the side braid, too. What I most often do is start my braid at my temple, then dutch-braid it at an angle across the back of my head so that my braid ends up at the opposite side just behind my ear and hangs in front of the shoulder on that side. I switch up from one side to the other.

[Finda]

Oh yeah, it's either a bun, my hair up in clips (on wash day, mainly) or a side braid. I don't wear any other type of English braid. And yes it's doable with the layers, because the styling products keep the layers in.

Can I ask what you're doing to keep the shredding at bay?

[Bri-Chan]

My hair hates braids, but I like them and the side braid is one of my go to and the one that works a little better on my hair.

[school of fish]

This thread inspired me to wear a side braid today :D

My hair won't hold a neat, tight braid so I make mine deliberately loose and relaxed. I tie it off very high - the tail is longer than the braid itself - and I pancake the braid a bit to fill it out.

[AmaryllisRed]

I'm wearing one now, too, after wearing a bun all day.

[enting]

I often wear a side braid or side crochet braid. It's a lot easier to reach than trying to do a centered style.

[Kake]

I like that tip of having the top section as one of the lengths. Thanks for the info.

[ExpectoPatronum]

I love side braids now that my hair is long enough for one! Before, my layers were too short to not fall out of the other side. Sometimes I like to do a side dutch braid too.

[sapphire-o]

I like side braid for travel, it's super comfortable and you can keep it out of trouble. At home I always wear buns, but it's less comfortable against car seat or airplane seat. Plus I don't want to have my hairsticks confiscated. Somehow I think it has a fantasy sort of look. :)

[Nineteenbirds]

I like side braid for travel, it's super comfortable and you can keep it out of trouble. At home I always wear buns, but it's less comfortable against car seat or airplane seat. Plus I don't want to have my hairsticks confiscated. Somehow I think it has a fantasy sort of look. :)

This is true, and it's also the best thing for trips to the dentist and the gynecologist.

[barnet_fair]

AmaryllisRed, interested to hear you wore this style until hip or so: I've found it has really come into its own since WL and am at HL now enjoying it more every day. I wonder how long it'll be when it starts to get in the way too much. lapis_lazuli says classic: if I am fortunate to grow my hair that long, let's see!

At the moment I'm really enjoying where the tassel lies. I mix a little perfume with leave-in conditioner and spray it on the tassel, and the scent keeps me company throughout the day.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47526&d=1659365433

[tuanyiji]

At the moment I'm really enjoying where the tassel lies. I mix a little perfume with leave-in conditioner and spray it on the tassel, and the scent keeps me company throughout the day.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47526&d=1659365433

That’s a lovely tassel. I used to leave very little room for my braid tail, because back when my hair was shorter, I always wanted to show my braid as longer. The top part was a very easy lace dutch braid, I like that it gave my hair more volume.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1001725273378668557/1003686166752669696/IMG_2549.JPG
The brown outfit and the mask somehow made my hair look brown as well.

I alternate between a left and right side elastic-free braid when I go to sleep now, for balance for both sides. I also keep the braid inside my very long silk bonnet for I twist and turn a lot.

[mermaid lullaby]

I like side braids too. Recently, I have gotten into the pull- through braiding and it makes my braids look massive!

[AmaryllisRed]

AmaryllisRed, interested to hear you wore this style until hip or so: I've found it has really come into its own since WL and am at HL now enjoying it more every day. I wonder how long it'll be when it starts to get in the way too much. lapis_lazuli says classic: if I am fortunate to grow my hair that long, let's see!

At the moment I'm really enjoying where the tassel lies. I mix a little perfume with leave-in conditioner and spray it on the tassel, and the scent keeps me company throughout the day.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47526&d=1659365433

I wore side braids a lot even at knee length! Just around the house.

[Bat]

That’s a lovey tassel. I used to leave very little room for my braid tail, because back when my hair was shorter, I always wanted to show my braid as longer. The top part was a very easy lace dutch braid, I like that it gave my hair more volume.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1001725273378668557/1003686166752669696/IMG_2549.JPG
The brown outfit and the mask somehow made my hair look brown as well.

I alternate between a left and right side elastic-free braid when I go to sleep now, for balance for both sides. I also keep the braid inside mg very long silk bonnet for I twist and turn a lot.

That style really suits you too

[tuanyiji]

That style really suits you too

Thank you very much. <3

[Diana Prince]

That’s a lovely tassel. I used to leave very little room for my braid tail, because back when my hair was shorter, I always wanted to show my braid as longer. The top part was a very easy lace dutch braid, I like that it gave my hair more volume.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1001725273378668557/1003686166752669696/IMG_2549.JPG
The brown outfit and the mask somehow made my hair look brown as well.

I alternate between a left and right side elastic-free braid when I go to sleep now, for balance for both sides. I also keep the braid inside mg very long silk bonnet for I twist and turn a lot.

It looks so cute! Very nice, tuanyiji!

[knobbly]

I have a side braid today for now! Held with a velvet ribbon braided into the last few inches. I won’t keep this in all day as it will shred and I’m cleaning the house later, but it’s a nice change to have my hair down for a bit.

[lapis_lazuli]

AmaryllisRed, interested to hear you wore this style until hip or so: I've found it has really come into its own since WL and am at HL now enjoying it more every day. I wonder how long it'll be when it starts to get in the way too much. lapis_lazuli says classic: if I am fortunate to grow my hair that long, let's see!

At the moment I'm really enjoying where the tassel lies. I mix a little perfume with leave-in conditioner and spray it on the tassel, and the scent keeps me company throughout the day.

https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47526&d=1659365433

To be fair, Classic was when I learned how to make my first stick bun, and I became pretty biased toward that. I would have probably rocked the side braid longer otherwise :)

Seeing this thread again inspired me to put my hair in a side braid today (underhand English) since my scalp needs a break anyway. It definitely has a bigger aura, but not as cumbersome to wear as I thought. My tassel comes to mid-calf now. Maybe the extra length actually keeps it out of my way more?

It's nice for around the house; I wouldn't wear it out because of social anxiety. But I think this would have been my dream when I was a teen wearing this style every day :o