Braid length versus down length

**roismireag** · February 16th, 2009, 08:56 AM

I have been looking at all the pictures of hair braided and hair down. My own hair is just at my waist, but when I braid my hair it is quite a bit shorter. When I look other peoples pictures, their braids don't seem so short. Can anyone explain this for me? Am I braiding it wrong?

Thanks
Roismireag.

**GlassEyes** · February 16th, 2009, 08:58 AM

It's because their hair is longer. xD;

Braided hair is usually, with some exceptions, shorter than hair that's fully down because it's woven in and out, cutting some length. Those with curlier hair, like me, sometimes look like they gain length with braids. I know I do.

**darkwaves** · February 16th, 2009, 09:00 AM

My hair is many inches shorter now when braided.

When it was above mid-back, though, it was about the same, braided or loose. And even, for a while, longer when braided. (The braiding stretched out the curl.)

**Denebi** · February 16th, 2009, 09:01 AM

With straight hair, a braid normally is shorter than hair down. That's due to the fact, that braided hair makes a lot of curves. (Sorry, don't know how to explain better). But, if you have very curly hair, the braid also stretches the curls out of the hair, so the braid looks the same length or even longer.

I'm quite sure you are braiding correctly

EDIT: Whoah, lots of cross posting

**rhubarbarin** · February 16th, 2009, 09:10 AM

My braid is just a tiny bit shorter than my hair down, as my hair is curly and thin. Thick hair can shorter up a braid a lot.

**Euphony** · February 16th, 2009, 09:18 AM

My hair is to my tail bone when loose, the tips are barely to waist when braided. I do have to have about a 6" tassel though because of my layers, if I was able to braid it to the bottom it'd be roughly bsl.

**Haith** · February 16th, 2009, 09:51 AM

My braid is a shorter than my hair when its loose. I loose a few inches of length.

**JamieLeigh** · February 16th, 2009, 09:56 AM

It depends on how tightly you're braiding. I've noticed that when I braid loosely, I'm only really losing a couple of inches of length, at most, due to just plain old wrapping strands around each other in a non-vertical pattern. But when I braid more tightly, my near-thigh length looks barely tailbone-length again.

**Katla** · February 16th, 2009, 10:06 AM

My hair is at waist as well, and you can see the length of my braid in my avatar and profile photo (head is tilted slightly, so the braid goes a little bit further down in reality, but still). Having wavy hair, the difference doesn't look as big when I compare in the mirror at home, but if I stretch it out, it definitely shows that braiding it takes away quite a few inches.

**aprilmay** · February 16th, 2009, 10:41 AM

I will have to pay better attention next time I braid my hair. I imagine it depends on what type of braid you are creating. I don't do french braids, but usually a nape of the neck ponytail braid. OK, I just braided it and it is about 3.5 inches shorter braided than it was in just a nape of the neck ponytail. I have thick hair.