Maria Mukhortova, Figure Skater with interesting braid

[Jim]

I was watching the figure skating the other night and noticed a russian skater with an interesting braid. I tracked it down on a Youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku7RfaElTcY

It isn't very clear, and I am sure there are better videos out there.

[steph in tx]

Wow. I wish I could see a better view. That's really pretty.

[Spike]

Sighhhhh . . . they just don't UNDERSTAND what's really important, do they??? Would it KILL them to give us just one good shot of the back of someone's head?

Talk about a specialized audience, huh? The Cable Hair Channel, where all they have are fun do's found in other programming . . .

From what I could see, it looked like a french braid started low, behind her left ear, drawn around the head (like the spiralling french braid) then turned into a cinnabun at the "point" of her head. See 5:35--5:39 in the video for a good side view, then 5:55-6:00 for a back view.

Can you tell it's a slow day at work??

[ravenreed]

I thought it looked like 2, possibly 3 horseshoe shaped french braids, running around the crown of the head, each a smaller circumference. Not sure. What ever it is, it is lovely and not something I will ever be able to reproduce. =P

[Carolyn]

That's pretty cool. And she didn't have a hair out of place when she finished her program.

[vampodrama]

That's pretty cool. And she didn't have a hair out of place when she finished her program.

ultra-strength hair spray. ;) and lots of it.

did you know that back in the USSR competitive dancers actually used superglue on their hair to make it hold through the entire competition?

[Trinka]

ultra-strength hair spray. ;) and lots of it.

did you know that back in the USSR competitive dancers actually used superglue on their hair to make it hold through the entire competition?

OWIE!!!!!!

[Silverlox]

OooOOOoo!! Figure skating! Not "just" an elegant sport, but a Hair Inspiration! :cheese:


Sighhhhh . . . they just don't UNDERSTAND what's really important, do they??? Would it KILL them to give us just one good shot of the back of someone's head?


You spoke my mind! :agree:
Did she really have to move around all the time? That's so annoying when you're trying to get a good look at the 'do. Not to mention the camera crew.. Don't they know how to use the zoom feature? They're just all so darned inconsiderate!! :justy:

I agree that it looked like 3 (as far as I could see, perhaps more) horse shoe shaped nape-to-nape french braids with a braided bun at the top. It looks beautiful and completely hurricane proof too! :thumbsup:
Unfortunately, it also looks like something next to impossible to accomplish on your own head. :wail:

... And I was concentrating so hard to get a good look at her hair, that I was more than halfway through the video before I realised that the commentators spoke Swedish! :silly:
Not that they said anything interesting at all. Not one single, helpful tip on the hairdo. :(
Just unimportant, endless blabbering about jumps, landings, skating techniques, points, whatever. :lala:

Seeing this acute lack of priorities, no wonder the world is so scr*wed up. :no:

[stardustbreeze]

ultra-strength hair spray. ;) and lots of it.

did you know that back in the USSR competitive dancers actually used superglue on their hair to make it hold through the entire competition?


Wow. I know dancers who need perfect curls and have had to put elmer's glue in their hair. :boohoo:

Just out of curiosity, where'd you see that? I don't doubt you, just wondering.

[misstwist]

OooOOOoo!! ... And I was concentrating so hard to get a good look at her hair, that I was more than halfway through the video before I realised that the commentators spoke Swedish! :silly:
Not that they said anything interesting at all. Not one single, helpful tip on the hairdo. :(
Just unimportant, endless blabbering about jumps, landings, skating techniques, points, whatever. :lala:

Seeing this acute lack of priorities, no wonder the world is so scr*wed up. :no:

LOL!!! You darned polyglot Scandies!

[Silverlox]

LOL!!! You darned polyglot Scandies!

What can I say? When I was a kid, the entire population of the Kingdom of Denmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark) was a whopping 3 million. It's since grown to about 5.5 million. But the fact remains. There are so few of us, that if you want to be able to have interesting conversations with new people, you need to learn another language! Or two, or three.. :p

Of course, Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden), likewise a Kingdom, being a much bigger country than Li'l Ol' Denmark, has a population of approx 9.2 million. Still not a lot. And still an incentive to learn a new language in order to speak with someone you don't already know..

Basically you Yanks*) have a larger population in any single one of your larger cities, than we have in our two entire countries combined! :bigeyes:

Please also note that I did also, in fact, provide the public service of relating the context of what the commentators said, for the benefit of my less polyglot(?) (polyglottal? polyglottish? polyglottic? Never mind!) brothers and sisters here. :wannabe: :whistle:

*) When a Scandie says "Yanks", we mean any and all citizen/s within the US of A.

[Curlsgirl]

I saw that today! It was beautiful, it did look like 2 or 3 braids wrapped, very very pretty!

[Roseate]

On the topic of crazy gloop athletes use to keep their hair in place: synchronized swimmers? Gelatin. :bigeyes:

[vampodrama]

Just out of curiosity, where'd you see that? I don't doubt you, just wondering.

it simply was my childhood. I grew up in the USSR and my father was a dancesport coach. so naturally I lived and breathed that world. I myself was too young (and shorthaired) but I saw it on older girls. hair products were difficult to get back then so they used whatever they could to hold their hair in place (not only superglue, but also furniture varnish and god only knows what else).

[Melisande]

Mukhurtova's style was a wonderful break from the quite horrible bleached and layered hair of the other ladies. Hardly a natural head in sight. Of course, to make this braid work, you can't have really long hair. To me, it looked like a crown braid (http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/braid_examples/braid_examples_crowns.htm) in spiral form. I thought they started on the crown of the head braiding in circles and didn't take all of her hair and made another round. APL and a bit would be a good length for that, and she had it last year (http://media.photobucket.com/image/maria%20Mukhortova/MoreAbsoluteSkating/Europeans2008/Pairs/P1140207copy.jpg).

Maybe I'm totally ignorant? I'd love to know how they did it. And although I love Simon and Chris on Eurosport, it was a pity they didn't have anything to say about the hairstyle!!!

[Chanterelle]

On the topic of crazy gloop athletes use to keep their hair in place: synchronized swimmers? Gelatin. :bigeyes:
yup. And some glitters on top of that. I used it as well when I did synchronized swimming but it's only for competitions, not every day. And actually it can be washed out rather easily with hot water.

Back to topic:
here is a slighly better view of Mukhortova's braid (http://s43.radikal.ru/i101/0903/e8/2641af29f871.jpg). And another version here (http://s49.radikal.ru/i123/0903/66/fccd9320e434.jpg).

[oneKnight]

*) When a Scandie says "Yanks", we mean any and all citizen/s within the US of A. Just don't come to the south and call us that. That's a serious insult down here.

I liked the braid too, it reminded me of a crown braid, although it seemed a lot more secure than I remember them being. hehehe

I've always liked crown braids, and wore one to my senior prom, but I regrettably did not get any great pictures of it. I also can't do one on myself so I never get to wear them.

[Silverlox]

Just don't come to the south and call us that. That's a serious insult down here.


Really? :shocked:

I'm so sorry! While I did know that most Americans use the term Yanks/Yankees for Northerners, which I why I added my explanation, I truly had no idea it could be perceived as an insult by anyone. :(

[misstwist]

What can I say? When I was a kid, the entire population of the Kingdom of Denmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark) was a whopping 3 million. It's since grown to about 5.5 million. But the fact remains. There are so few of us, that if you want to be able to have interesting conversations with new people, you need to learn another language! Or two, or three.. :p

Of course, Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden), likewise a Kingdom, being a much bigger country than Li'l Ol' Denmark, has a population of approx 9.2 million. Still not a lot. And still an incentive to learn a new language in order to speak with someone you don't already know..

Basically you Yanks*) have a larger population in any single one of your larger cities, than we have in our two entire countries combined! :bigeyes:

Please also note that I did also, in fact, provide the public service of relating the context of what the commentators said, for the benefit of my less polyglot(?) (polyglottal? polyglottish? polyglottic? Never mind!) brothers and sisters here. :wannabe: :whistle:

*) When a Scandie says "Yanks", we mean any and all citizen/s within the US of A.

T'wasn't a criticism in any way, just pure, green-eyed jealousy. :D

[Lady Lilya]

To me it looked like a really tight crown braid using a french braid and spiraling around from the nape of her neck, clockwise.

[Silverlox]

T'wasn't a criticism in any way, just pure, green-eyed jealousy. :D

It honestly never crossed my mind that it could have been critical. :bigeyes:

At least your feelings are pure. Pure is good. :p

[Anje]

To foreigners, a Yankee is an American.
To Americans, a Yankee is a Northerner.
To Northerners, a Yankee is an Easterner.
To Easterners, a Yankee is a New Englander.
To New Englanders, a Yankee is a Vermonter.
And in Vermont, a Yankee is somebody who eats pie for breakfast.

-E.B. White


Oh, and very cool braids!

[oneKnight]

Really? :shocked:

I'm so sorry! While I did know that most Americans use the term Yanks/Yankees for Northerners, which I why I added my explanation, I truly had no idea it could be perceived as an insult by anyone. :( Don't worry I didn't take it as an insult. We can still be friends :flowers:

Online life is much different than local, in-person. Everyone comes from so much different backgrounds. It's actually one of the perks to get to learn about other places without actually traveling. :D

[AutumnLeaves]

Boy! She is stunningly beautiful!