Tips on fish tail braid.

[theprettyreck]

I'm trying to do a fish tail braid, but its hard.
does anyone have any tips on doing it please? {:

[Torrin Paige]

Are you trying to do it French style or are you starting with a pony? I find it's always easier to start with a pony when working out a new braid. I did a tutorial some time ago on YT...here's a link for ya: http://www.youtube.com/user/torrinpaige?feature=mhum#p/u/50/ht8w19Oulio Please disregard the first part as I'm just rambling about my vacation...lol..the meat of the tutorial starts around :50. I hope that helps you!

[Balenciaga]

I'm echoing Torrin, it's much easier with a band at the top. If you use a braiding band you can always cut it after if you don't want the look of a band at the top. Mak sure that wehn you do the right to left, left to right you are picking up a different strand of hair, otherwise you'll be there for hours and you'll achieve precious little.

[Heidi_234]

You can learn it by doing the sections big. The technique is the same for smaller sections, but it just looks more like a regular english braid with big sections. Once you've got the technique down, making the sections smaller is easy. Good luck! :)

[Gumball]

You can learn it by doing the sections big. The technique is the same for smaller sections, but it just looks more like a regular english braid with big sections. Once you've got the technique down, making the sections smaller is easy. Good luck! :)

Definitely true! That's why a lot of fishtails tend to look like that right near the end.

My biggest revelation when doing them was using my thumb to hold down the hair once I crossed a strand over. Basically the braid is like making a ton of Xs down the length of the hair, but I'd always end up dropping hair when I crossed a left strand over to the right, and then had to adjust my grip to grab a section of hair from the right side to cross to the left, for example. When I had to do that gripping, I just used my left thumb to pin down where I crossed the strand over to hold it in place when I grabbed my next section to cross. Like pinning down the center of that last X that I did.It was so much easier and simpler after that.

[Juneii]

I find that once you have the braid over your shoulder it gets really easy. I would hold the strands in each hand and then use my pointer fingers to separate out the small section from the larger strand and then use the other finger to pull it over to the other side and repeat.

OH! found the youtube video! it's from Loepsie!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUNHs1AytiU

[little_cherry]

What I do when making a pony fishtail is this:

Divide hair into 2 sections.
Hold both sections with left hand using your fingers to hold them apart.
Take a small section from the outside of the right strand with your right hand and cross it over the right strand. Add it to the inside of the left strand.

Transfer both sections to your right hand (separating with your fingers).
Take a small section from the outside of the left strand, cross it over the left strand and add it to the inside of the right strand.

Repeat until all the hair is braided.

**I sit in the corner of my couch and rest my arms on the head rests. My arms don't hurt or get tired. :)

[Alix]

I've never tried to fishtail my own hair but I've fishtailed lots of other's. I just put a pony at the top, divide the hair into two sections and hold one section in each hand and go at it.

[swivelhop]

Fishtails always turn out neater when I do them as a plait rather than braid. Meaning the finger action of a dutch rather than french braid. They are my favourite braid now, no kinks!
Everyone's advice to start with a ponytail is good. A low side pony is the easiest place to learn a new braid.

[Peggy E.]

Fishtails always turn out neater when I do them as a plait rather than braid. Meaning the finger action of a dutch rather than french braid. They are my favourite braid now, no kinks!
Everyone's advice to start with a ponytail is good. A low side pony is the easiest place to learn a new braid.


Gosh, learned something new on LHC today! Never knew there was a difference between a "braid" and a "plait." Always thought they were one in the same, simply different names commonly used in different parts of the world.

Now I learn the two are actually different ways of styling!

When it comes to the fish tail, it means there are now two ways in which I can't get it to work.... I'm not real fond of the style, though, so it doesn't bother me too much...