Who can do this?

[Amiblue]

It is a xo braid, but the steps she did don't add up to her finished look. Has anyone done this and can explain the differences please? I think it might be fun to try out. :D

This shows her steps and the finished at the bottom. Am I just not seeing it?

http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/instruct/x-o-braid/

[longhairedlady]

I bet Madora can! :D

[Madora]

I couldn't see the link. There's a great tutorial for the XO Braid in the Articles section (grey menu bar above). Click on Hairstyling.

I've tried this and failed massively (you can see the results in my album).

[Madora]

I bet Madora can! :D

Awww! Thanks, longhairedlady! No, I failed..completely when I tried this. Hope springs eternal, however, and I'll try again sometime. Also, I think it requires more canopy hair than I have. But it is such a beautiful style!

[sweetestpoison]

it doesn't look the same at all. the bottom image doesn't even seem to be french braided at the top.

[Amiblue]

I couldn't see the link. There's a great tutorial for the XO Braid in the Articles section (grey menu bar above). Click on Hairstyling.

I've tried this and failed massively (you can see the results in my album).


Oh No, no, no... If you weren't able to get this, then there is NO hope for me! You are amazing with your braiding!

The link didn't work at first. I think I fixed it though. *sigh*

[Amiblue]

it doesn't look the same at all. the bottom image doesn't even seem to be french braided at the top.

It doesn't does it? I have been looking at it and looking at it trying to see what I was missing and thought it might have been something missing in my head to not be able to see it. Lol! I am glad to know I am not the only one not able to add up what they showed to the "finished" braid.

[Amiblue]

Awww! Thanks, longhairedlady! No, I failed..completely when I tried this. Hope springs eternal, however, and I'll try again sometime. Also, I think it requires more canopy hair than I have. But it is such a beautiful style!

Wanna try again soon so you can tell me how to do it? :D

Also, I have been wanting to ask you, how did you do you hair in your profile? I did look through your lovely albums (couldn't help myself. You are AWESOME!) and I didn't see it.

[sweetestpoison]

I am glad to know I am not the only one not able to add up what they showed to the "finished" braid.

definitely not the only one! I can't find a tutorial for this braid anywhere else either, is there another name for it? o.O

[luckyduck]

Actually, my daughter did this style on me last summer, and it came out quite good. She did not do the final step though, and no ribbons or other stuff. We were just playing around, no pics.

[Amiblue]

definitely not the only one! I can't find a tutorial for this braid anywhere else either, is there another name for it? o.O

Not that I am aware of. I have also looked and find variations, but nothing even close to the finish of this; and, like you also said, there aren't any tutorials. :(

[mora]

I've never done this either but after looking at the LHC article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=183) and then re-reading the original link, I guess that the bottom picture might be done from the instructions. I think the ribbons add volume to the braids so that they cover more of the head and then all the scalp cleavage is covered with the flowers.

[MrsGuther]

Wow! That's amazing!!! So pretty.

[Ceridwen Iris]

It looks to me as if the difference is where the crossover in the first step occurs. In the first picture (without the ribbon) the cross over is high on her head but in the picture with ribbon it is well down the back of her head. I think you would need to change the original parts to come down further and then it would work. My hair isn't long enough to try out though.

[Apriori]

It looks to me as if the difference is where the crossover in the first step occurs. In the first picture (without the ribbon) the cross over is high on her head but in the picture with ribbon it is well down the back of her head. I think you would need to change the original parts to come down further and then it would work. My hair isn't long enough to try out though.

I disagree. As I see it, the crossover is still high on her head in the picture with the ribbon but she has taken the two loose braids, with which she forms an O in the second to last picture, and made another crossover below the first one, and then lets the ends continue along her head to meet the beginning of her braids. Exactly as she writes in the instructions.
I don't know if that makes sense. It was hard to explain. But as I see it, the instructions she has made, do add up to the finished look in the last picture.

[sweetestpoison]

I disagree. As I see it, the crossover is still high on her head in the picture with the ribbon but she has taken the two loose braids, with which she forms an O in the second to last picture, and made another crossover below the first one, and then lets the ends continue along her head to meet the beginning of her braids. Exactly as she writes in the instructions.
I don't know if that makes sense. It was hard to explain. But as I see it, the instructions she has made, do add up to the finished look in the last picture.


Bingo! Hit the nail on the head, i was trying to find a way to explain it but you definitely got it here! That's what it looks like to me too

[slz]

It looks to me as if the difference is where the crossover in the first step occurs. In the first picture (without the ribbon) the cross over is high on her head but in the picture with ribbon it is well down the back of her head. I think you would need to change the original parts to come down further and then it would work. My hair isn't long enough to try out though.I disagree. As I see it, the crossover is still high on her head in the picture with the ribbon but she has taken the two loose braids, with which she forms an O in the second to last picture, and made another crossover below the first one, and then lets the ends continue along her head to meet the beginning of her braids. Exactly as she writes in the instructions.
I don't know if that makes sense. It was hard to explain. But as I see it, the instructions she has made, do add up to the finished look in the last picture.
Actually Aprion I think Ceridwen is right, there is only one central crossover, which is lower than the tutorial one, and the difference is also in what happens to the ending parts of the braids,, which is not shown in the tutorial (on one side it's tucked under, one the othe side over, the "before crossover" part of the braids). Here is something I did to explain :

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=9150&pictureid=119272

Also I agree that there's no french braiding involved, maybe dutch at the very beginning, but it any case it has to stop quite a bit before the crossover or the final "end of braid going under the beginning before the crossover" on the left would not have been possible.

I think the fact that the crossover is lower in the beribonned one makes it much more flattering, I find the big oval thingy with a very visible center part in the first one kinda gross, and, hum, well, disturbing - no need to tell what it makes me think of, right :D ?

[Madora]

Wanna try again soon so you can tell me how to do it? :D

Also, I have been wanting to ask you, how did you do you hair in your profile? I did look through your lovely albums (couldn't help myself. You are AWESOME!) and I didn't see it.

Thanks for your compliments about my braiding:), Amiblue!

My avatar pic is just a combination of braiding techniques, as follows:

1) Detangle all hair thoroughly
2) Make a horizontal part from the top of the left ear around the back of the head to the top of the right ear.

3) Put all the hair above the part into your hand and begin to Dutch French braid. Be sure and separate the strands each time you add in a section so that the hair stays tangle free.

4) Add in thin sections of hair from each side until you reach the nape. Tie off with a scrunchie (you'll be removing it later)

5) Detangle all the remaining hair again. Divide it in two parts

6) Take one part and braid it loosely down to the end and secure with hair friendly elastic.

7) Repeat # 6 with the remaining hair

8) Remove the scrunchie

9) Take one braid and bring it to the right, around the head

10) Take the other braid and bring it to the LEFT around the head

11) Use long, crimped hairpins to pin braid in place. I hold the 2 braids together at the top of my head, and put my first hairpin in there to hold them, then add additional pins down both sides and at the back. Tuck in both tassles and pin.

This is just your basic Heidi braids style, except that you have a Dutch French braid down the middle.

My avatar dates from the 1980s..when I had a lot more hair. There's a pic in my album (pg. 2) of the same style.

Thanks for fixing the link! The style uses some of the techniques of the XO braid, but is much more labor intensive and would require a LOT of dexterity and preciseness, not to mention a fair amount of hair to really bring it out.

I'll see if I can tackle the XO braid again..a lot depends on the weather because of my Reynaud's disease (I lose sense of touch in my fingertips when it's cold).

[Celtic Morla]

The last pic is not the same person. But the way to do the style is to french braid the one piece of X all the way, then the second X that goes over will have to be plain Englsih briad for just a few plaits to carry it over the other plait then French braid it again. The last pic is of a girl who has a plait either English or French starting at her temple. I will try to do this on my DD sometime this week

[julliams]

The initial pics are done on a dummy so there wouldn't be as much hair to work with. The last picture is a real person. I think it probably does work out, it just looks "perfect" on the dummy.