How often do you wear a braid (down, not in a bun)?

[shikara]

I used to wear a braid all the time, and also liked to bring it up front, but then it started pulling all time where the braid stops. Once I stopped using coney condish, I am able to wear one again. Want to get some 'friendlier' tops though!!! I'll probably start wearing onea couple times a week. It's nice to have it back, because I like to see the length throughout my day sometimes:p

[gthlvrmx]

Rarely, trying to protect these ends. But i do really love wearing braids down, they are fun and remind me of native americans and the village woman in mexico :p

[krissykins]

Not very often because my poor ends always take a beating. If I had something to cover them up (ribbon? hmm), maybe I'd wear a braid more often. I love the look of it, even if it feels annoying.

[Rafusen]

I probably wear a single braid on my right side at least once a week. When I do, I usually cone the bejeezus out of my ends.

[|Xei]

Considering that I sleep with one, I'd say very often :P
As a daily style though, rarely. I prefer to wear my hair loose, and the times I don't, it would be in a ponytail.

[Nastasia]

All the time. I tend to wear my hair in a french braid the day before it needs washing, so 2 or 3 times a week. I also wear it braided for karate, which I do 3 times a week. I'll often go to work with my hair in a bun, and then take it down and braid it for karate. Does that count? Sometimes the day-before-washing and karate overlap, so call it a minimum of 3 times a week and a maximum of 5.

My ends do get beat up from the elastic, but I've accepted that as a fact of life.

[teela1978]

I probably wear a single braid on my right side at least once a week. When I do, I usually cone the bejeezus out of my ends.
Same, but it gets worn on the left (despite being braided starting down the back). I don't bother coning my ends. Smoothing my fingers over them all day is habit when wearing a braid so they get coated with whatever oils are on my fingers and generally look pretty good after a long day :)

[Phexlyn]

I wear a braid every night, but I guess that wasn't quite what you wanted to know ;)

During daytime, I rarely wear a braid because it gets messy and fluffy so easily with bits sticking out everywhere. Plus I have to be really careful not to pull it (I kept sitting on it when my hair was longer, too), so I mostly wear braids at the weekend when I'm at home and I can rebraid when it bothers me or gets too messy.

I wear them to work maybe once or twice a month, if at all, for the above reasons. It's just not as neat as a bun.

[BranwenWolf]

I do a braid much more frequently than a bun...it just works better for me. I've never been able to figure out how to drive comfortably with a bun and no matter what, it gives me a headache after a while.

[Teufelchen]

Very rarely. My hair hates being braided. I get split ends instantaneously.

[bunzfan]

Not very often as my braid won't lay flat:mad: but i love the look on others.

[jasper]

That is often my weekend hairdo. I like a braid for lounging around because sticks and forks for updo's don't mix well with lying on the couch. :)
Very occasionally I will wear it that way to work if I don't have my regular duties, like today!

[Amelia]

Almost every day. I'm still waiting for my hair to grow enough to do more buns:neutral:

[Lielananna]

I've been wearing a braid down more often lately because I want it up, but buns are hurting my head too much right now so I try to not use a bun as my go to style every day.

[nobeltonya]

Only really when I sleep, as they're not very neat.. heh If I could french braid it myself, I'd probably wear that during the day. I try to keep it loose as long as I can, but it usually gets in the way, or I get hot and have to put it up in a ponytail.

[ashke50]

I wear a braid every night, but I guess that wasn't quite what you wanted to know ;)

During daytime, I rarely wear a braid because it gets messy and fluffy so easily with bits sticking out everywhere.
Same here.
All the bits of hair that come out of the plait look like they will rub on my clothes, and the end catches on my chair at work, so I stick to buns.

[pepperminttea]

Quite often; if I'm honest with myself, and include sleeping time, my hair's probably braided about 85% of the time. When I go out I bun it, but if I'm having an off day at home I'll leave it be.

[nucleardelusion]

I wear my hair in some sort of "down" braid nearly every day. I know how to do some updos, but I really like braids and I'm not as tempted to take them out as I am with buns and such during the day.

[Firefly]

I really love a braid. I don't wear one often only because it never seems to stay looking neat. I always wind up with a frizzy braid by the end of the day!

[Madora]

Every single day! I adore braids. My ends don't suffer because I've just about given up using tiny elastic hair friendly bands. I braid 3'4s of the way down, then sneak the tassle part under the lace French braid that is already in place (my "go to" style is Yulia Temchenko's coronet braid). Works like a charm!

[Angeletti]

Every time I have to go to work or leave the house you will usually catch me in a french or dutch braid. I would wear my hair in buns more, but lately the weight of them have really been pulling on my scalp where as a braid doesn't bother me at all, it's the most comfortable way for me to wear my hair other than down of course.

[Mannaz]

Quite often, maybe three times a week. I often braid my hair in two dutch braids after washing, sleep in them and let them be for the next day too (sometimes I ropebraid the two together), then open if I'm going out, they give me nice waves.
A side ropebraid is also my go-to style, although i bet it isn't that good for my hair.
If my hair is very oily I'll put it in two english/rope/boxbraids and top it off with a scarf...

[Anje]

During the day, often. Maybe 2-3 days a week. However, I often unbun my hair in the evening, so it eventually ends up in a braid more days than not, just to contain it and prevent tangles.

[Sweet Beat]

About one time in two weeks... But it variates.

[Kristin]

I love braids and always wear them to yoga and usually for running, too. I also wear them to work 1-3 times a week and all day Saturday for oiling or deep conditioning. I generally oil the length when I braid it and then put extra on the ends.

[tinti]

I used to wear braids all the times before I cut layers. Now it's better but still too layered whth my short hair, so I'm going to have to be patient for some months.

[ArienEllariel]

Often. I wear a braid at least 2 or 3 times a week.

[christine1989]

Even with my hair nearing waist, my braids still look like they were done by a drunk chimpanzee. :( I'm definatly looking forward to wearing a braid but I either have to wait until my hair is longer or until I can aquire some braiding skills :).

[HintOfMint]

At least once every week. I usually do twin french braids or one english side braid.

[Rivanariko]

I braid it every night, and if I'm not planning on going anywhere other than just my house and around town during the day, I won't take it out of the braid to put up in the morning. I usually braid it when I'm riding, and french braid when I'm teaching to make it look a little bit neater. When I start my new job, I'll probably be wearing it braided more often. Since I work with food right now, I feel better having it all the way up. I don't think people would appreciate it if my braid were to fall onto their cake while I'm leaning over to write on it!

[khan]

I do a braid much more frequently than a bun...it just works better for me. I've never been able to figure out how to drive comfortably with a bun and no matter what, it gives me a headache after a while.

I agree. Plus it's time for summer hats. If I bun low enough for the hats to sit well, it drives me nuts being on the nape of my neck. My hair stays well in a braid, it's all pretty much the same length.

[JuliaDancer]

Every single day! I adore braids. My ends don't suffer because I've just about given up using tiny elastic hair friendly bands. I braid 3'4s of the way down, then sneak the tassle part under the lace French braid that is already in place (my "go to" style is Yulia Temchenko's coronet braid). Works like a charm!

How do you do Yulia Temchenko's coronet braid? Is that your avatar pic?

I wear either a french braid or double english or dutch braids almost every day to work. If I have to put my hard hat on, buns won't work, and ponytails would have to be really low. If I have to dress up in the evenings I can let them out, or like this week, when I was surprised with having to go to a gala event for my company with greasy hair in dutch braids, I just pinned them up into a criss cross bun on the subway in 10 minutes. Everyone thinks it's so fancy, but it's so quick! I let my hair down on weekends usually.

[carabean]

Ummm...my hair is braided most of the time. And yes, the ends fly out and its tumbling everywhere by the end of the day. I am a real mess! But, I bike a lot, and the braids fit under my helmet!

[Idun]

I very very rearly wear a free hanging braid! If I do I feel that my hair is damaged from swinging back and forth over the clothing. Most of the time a braid gets in the way aswell, when you´re bending down, fastening seatbelts, putting on a jacket, etc. Or you end up dipping it in the dishwater or dusting furniture with the tassels. Nope, not a good style for me. :o

[Madora]

@ Julia Dancer...

The pic in my avatar is not the Yulia T coronet braid.

The avatar pic is a combination of a French "Dutch" braid down the back of my head. The hair is tied off at the nape with a hair friendly band, then detangled, then sectioned into 2 parts.

Each part is then divided into 3 sections

Braid 3 of the sections together to form one braid.

Braid the other 3 sections together to form the other braid.

Take one braid and wind it CLOCKWISE around your head, pinning as you go.

Take the other braid and wind it COUNTER CLOCKWISE around your head, pinning as you do.

Hide the ends of the braids under the braids already in place.

This was my "go to style" for many years until I discovered the Yulia T style. The Yulia T style is faster to create because I just need to Lace French Dutch braid the hair around my head. Takes about 10 minutes total and I love the look! ("Lace French Dutch braiding" is only adding hair from one side of the head. It is a lot easier to do than true "French" braiding!

[RitaPG]

Every time there's wind, my hair is braided. If it's a predictable windy day, I already leave the house with a neat French braid, if it's a sudden storm I make a quick English braid or a side braid.
I like the way it looks, it's neat and yet you can still see the length :) Not many people seem to do them around here, though...

[Vipera Berus]

I braid my hair almost every day. I like the way it looks and feels.

[elbow chic]

Pretty much never. My hair's an awkward length for it at the moment. The tassel winds up brushing around my upper back and it doesn't look or feel right to me.

I do like braided styles but for now I almost always pin the braid up.

One thing that inspired me to start growing mine was the thought of having a long single braid with some substance, so hopefully someday I shall get there. :D

[lapushka]

Same, but it gets worn on the left (despite being braided starting down the back). I don't bother coning my ends. Smoothing my fingers over them all day is habit when wearing a braid so they get coated with whatever oils are on my fingers and generally look pretty good after a long day :)

I love side braids! :D I wear mine on the left too (starting from the left). My ends just stay the way they are.

Besides a side braid, I love twin braids (just below the ears), and French/Dutch braids. But that's just about the extent of it, unfortunately.

[JuliaDancer]

@ Julia Dancer...

The pic in my avatar is not the Yulia T coronet braid.

The avatar pic is a combination of a French "Dutch" braid down the back of my head. The hair is tied off at the nape with a hair friendly band, then detangled, then sectioned into 2 parts.

Each part is then divided into 3 sections

Braid 3 of the sections together to form one braid.

Braid the other 3 sections together to form the other braid.

Take one braid and wind it CLOCKWISE around your head, pinning as you go.

Take the other braid and wind it COUNTER CLOCKWISE around your head, pinning as you do.

Hide the ends of the braids under the braids already in place.

This was my "go to style" for many years until I discovered the Yulia T style. The Yulia T style is faster to create because I just need to Lace French Dutch braid the hair around my head. Takes about 10 minutes total and I love the look! ("Lace French Dutch braiding" is only adding hair from one side of the head. It is a lot easier to do than true "French" braiding!

I'll have to try those! Your avatar is beautiful. So shiny!

[washurei]

quiet often really, whether it's a french, english, or rope braid, when ever I'm doing something and my hair decides" oh! hey lets get in the way." it ends up in a braid.

[allmixedup88]

hmm not often before all these hair forums I use to wear my hair down everyday and flat iron/blow dry etc. Now I never use heat and almost aways wear it in a donut bun & sometimes pig tail braids

[Jomo]

until recenry almost never, but now my hair is starting to get a bit big for my favourite claw clip so I've been wearing it in a plait sometimes... still on the hunt for a new favourite hair implement!

[MissManda]

I wear my hair in an English, French, or Dutch braid quite often since it's easier for me to do than a bun and looks better, too, IMO. If the braid isn't down, I've tucked it, looped it, or blobbed, er, I mean bunned it. I love how fat my braid is, but it's so annoying that I can't make a nice-looking braided bun.

[hsdoodles]

I wear a braid to sleep in every night. And throughout the week, I either wear one or two french braids maybe three days. I love braids. :)

[Xandergrammy]

Not very often because my poor ends always take a beating. If I had something to cover them up (ribbon? hmm), maybe I'd wear a braid more often. I love the look of it, even if it feels annoying.

spidermom has a great way of using ribbons to protect her ends.

[Xandergrammy]

I wear a side braid every night for sleep and for work I wear a braid at least twice a week. I always wet and oil my ends after I braid it.

[Arya]

How do you do Yulia Temchenko's coronet braid? Is that your avatar pic?

I wear either a french braid or double english or dutch braids almost every day to work. If I have to put my hard hat on, buns won't work, and ponytails would have to be really low. If I have to dress up in the evenings I can let them out, or like this week, when I was surprised with having to go to a gala event for my company with greasy hair in dutch braids, I just pinned them up into a criss cross bun on the subway in 10 minutes. Everyone thinks it's so fancy, but it's so quick! I let my hair down on weekends usually.
The way that Yulia does her braid is a side parted english braid wrapped around her head and pinned. Her hair is classic length (some suspect with extensions..it's hard to find dated pictures to be sure). A Crown braid doesn't allow for a part in the front of your hair, and leaves a part at the back. I came up with a way to get the side part and make no part at the back without having classic length, but it's pretty complex, does taper a bit (so does hers) and can leave a part that follows the braid around your head.

[maysum]

Every night to sleep in - never during the day (unless I am at home). I would never leave the house with my hair in a plait (well, okay ... to fetch something out the car, or if the house was on fire, but otherwise ...)

[lesbia]

At least twice a week. I don't really like it because it's so thin :(

[C.H.]

I wore my hair in a braid every day for years. It was a nice way to keep it neat while still being able to see the length. In fact one of the reasons I've kept it so long was because it made such a nicer-looking braid. My hair is naturally very curly, and in that state neatness is always a concern for me.

Now that I've switched to a straighter style I don't wear it in a braid anymore because I don't want the braid waves. One thing that always did annoy me about the braid is that whenever I leaned down, it had a tendency to swing down and smack me in the face. I got pretty good at catching it or twisting my head to prevent it, but still.

[Neneka]

When my hair was BSL I braided it very often. I love braids. :)

[Yozhik]

I guess I often braid my hair, because my students wrote me a goodbye poem last week, which had a line in it that said "she always wears interesting braids." :p

I really do like braids and experimenting with them, though. My favorites are probably lace braids (of any sort) and twin braids toward the back of my head.

[ReadHeadGirl]

1 or 2 Braids,every day ! in traditional Mennonite communities this is normal for girls ,also including teenage girls

[Automne]

I wear my hair in one or 2 braids every night and almost every day! If not down I wear it in a bun.

[luxepiggy]

I never wear my hair braided, unless I'm going swimming.

[slz]

My hair is braided 99% of the time. At night of course, and during the day, braided bun when I'm out and about, loose braid at home or anytime during the day when the bun starts to hurt.

[Immera]

Once in a while. I find my braid stays neater if it's bunned. I do sleep in a folded down braid sometimes.

[islandboo]

Excluding bunned braids and sleep braids, I wear a braid maybe once every few weeks or so. When I do, I oil the tassel and I don't seem to get more splits than I normally do wearing it up.

[Confessor]

I am a fan of messy herringbone pigtails. I wear them at least once a week.:p

[Venefica]

I wear braids quite often but I have noticed that since my hair got to tailbone it get in the way more and more even when braided and I have to put it into a bun. However I usually sleep with a braid.

[littlestarface]

How do you guys put your braid into a bun? I try to do this but it always falls out,I have never figured it out.

I have my hair mostly in a bun or braided espessially after oiling my hair, my hair is never left open unless its drying after a washing.

[slz]

How do you guys put your braid into a bun? I try to do this but it always falls out,I have never figured it out.
I use a stick (ummm, chopstick, to be precise :D ).
Here is how I proceed :
- I twist the base of the braid, coiling it upwards from the right, flat against my head.
- I work the stick in between the braid right there on the right, quite close to the base, then at the base of the braid close to the skin, and let it out on the lefft, approx. symmetrically from where it went in.
- I coil the braid around (under) the stick, as many turns as needed.
- When the braid gets past the pointy end onf the stick for the last time, instead of coiling under, I work the stick through it.
- Then the end and tassle are tucked under the bun.

Using this method, I do not need any pin and it usually holds pretty well, sometimes the braid's end will have to be put back in place a few hours later, but it wont come undone all of a sudden unexpectedly.
Here is what it looks like in the end : picture one (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2389&pictureid=69572), picture two (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2389&pictureid=69571) with accent braid, tassle coming off at the end of the day (in my album).

(edit - re-reading myself I'm not so sure my explainations make sense .... hope you understand them !)

[homeeduk8tor]

Hardly ever, I don't like the weight or feel of the braid on my neck and back. Today, however, I did braid my hair because I was going to be doing some outdoor work. I found it very helpful to cover the top of my head with a bandanna so the roots and scalp could remain dust-free. Who knows, after looking around LHC some more I may be inspired to do more braid wearing once I master a few more techniques.

[littlestarface]

I use a stick (ummm, chopstick, to be precise :D ).
Here is how I proceed :
- I twist the base of the braid, coiling it upwards from the right, flat against my head.
- I work the stick in between the braid right there on the right, quite close to the base, then at the base of the braid close to the skin, and let it out on the lefft, approx. symmetrically from where it went in.
- I coil the braid around (under) the stick, as many turns as needed.
- When the braid gets past the pointy end onf the stick for the last time, instead of coiling under, I work the stick through it.
- Then the end and tassle are tucked under the bun.

Using this method, I do not need any pin and it usually holds pretty well, sometimes the braid's end will have to be put back in place a few hours later, but it wont come undone all of a sudden unexpectedly.
Here is what it looks like in the end : picture one (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2389&pictureid=69572), picture two (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2389&pictureid=69571) with accent braid, tassle coming off at the end of the day (in my album).

(edit - re-reading myself I'm not so sure my explainations make sense .... hope you understand them !)
Wow I like it!!! Thanks so much for explaining to me. This will be a style I can wear everyday :D Mine will be a pencil though :p

[Malibu Barbie]

Almost everyday. If Im really busy I coil my braid and use a hairstick. I don't sleep in braids, It bugs me too much.

[allnight avenue]

I really like to sleep with my hair in a french braid, and i wear it out sometimes. but i am starting to think that banding my hair in the same place might be why i always get breakage about an inch from the ends. :( does anyone else have this problem?

[long&blonde]

Very rarely. My hair hates being braided. I get split ends instantaneously.
I wear a braid about 4 days a week, down. Ashamed to admit I haven't mastered french braiding yet,if I get someone to do it for me, I leave it in 3 days. Gym,Bandanas on & off, pouring sweat, and all. Otherwise it's in a plain braid I do myself.

[RuLueashk]

I braid several times a week and secure with a scrunchy as loosely as I can. I leave several inches of tail so the braid diameter doesn't get too tiny. The braid is either down my back (& ends up in front) or I go ahead & braid it to the front of one shoulder. Sometimes I wear 2 braids.

[Gumball]

I pretty much only wear a braid down when I'm sleeping or getting ready to sleep, as it's my nighttime style. If it's during the day I move too much and it gets more wear and tear than I'd like. Chia braids weren't for me, so keeping them bunned made the braids happier at the end of the day. I could just take it down and it was already prepared for bedtime.

There are very seldom times where I'll wear it down for the day, but usually I don't have a reason to.

[slz]

Wow I like it!!! Thanks so much for explaining to me. This will be a style I can wear everyday :D Mine will be a pencil though :p
You're welcome, glad you understood me :D - please tell me how it works for you, if it stays on just as well as it does for me.

[littlestarface]

You're welcome, glad you understood me :D - please tell me how it works for you, if it stays on just as well as it does for me.
I'm wearing it now and it is staying really good, I only have the pencil holding it up and has not fell down once :D Having knee length hair it is difficult to hold my buns up with a scrunchy or claw clip and stay up there so this is perfect cause I only need a pencil. Thanks again!

[Barbie Diamond]

About once or twice a month. English braid usually but sometimes a side braid.

[Zindell]

How often do you wear a braid (down, not in a bun)?

I love braids! :)

I pretty much always have my hair in one of these three different styles;
- All down
- Dutch braid (down)
- Half-up with a little braid

[celebriangel]

Every other week or so. If I'm going to be really busy, I'll often french or dutch braid my hair and leave it there for a few days, sleeping in it and everything. I also french or dutch for my martial arts class (usually dutch, because you don't get the poofy bits at the nape of your neck) which is twice a week.

I fell back on a french braid when I was ill recently, because with lying down and tossing and turning I couldn't bun, and it was stressing me out having it down. So I oiled heavily and frenched (fortunately DBF can braid my hair) and left it in till I was feeling better.

However, most of the time I bun. I find the tail of the braid gets in the way, and I also have the urge to fiddle with it too much.

[Eva_M]

I braid my hair quite often, mostly a single braid on one side. For me it's more confortable (and nicer) than a bun, maybe because I haven't practiced buns so much... Anyways I love braids!

[Anje]

SLZ, that makes a lot of sense to me. I may have to try it, though I don't get nearly as many wraps around the bun....


I really like to sleep with my hair in a french braid, and i wear it out sometimes. but i am starting to think that banding my hair in the same place might be why i always get breakage about an inch from the ends. :( does anyone else have this problem?
I get mangled-looking ends sometimes from the hair tie. In addition to securing the braid in different places (which at least spreads the damage out, which may or may not be a good thing), I like to secure the braid in different ways that don't require the wrapping action of an elastic, which seems to be part of the problem. Tiny jaw clips seem to work very well, but occasionally come out. Strips of that stretchy sticks-to-itself elastic bandage material (vetwrap or about a zillion alternatives) also work well, but they tend to lose stickiness if you use them on oiled hair.

For sleep, I prefer to leave my hair unsecured, just to limit wear, but I also put it in a sleep bonnet. :shrug:

[rosek]

I wore one today, and remembered why I never usually do it. It flops everywhere, especially at work. Good thing I love buns :)

[bte]

Do you count night time? If so, the answer is every night, just occasionally during the day.

[Becky9679]

An English braid is my 'go-to' style that I wear most days (maybe a loose french or dutch braid if I have time in the morning). I don't feel that my hair is really long enough that I have to protect the ends yet and if I put it in a bun or similar I have to do it really tight which pulls on my hairs and my roots so that isn't a good thing! I'll be very happy when it's long enough that I can wear looser updos without worrying that it's going to fall down any second ;)