The Uneven Quad

Here is one that's really fast and easy but looks just a bit different than the original. 

 Pull all of the hair back into a tight ponytail and divide it into 4 pieces.  Make sure that 2 pieces are large and 2 pieces are small.  Here is a video if you can't remember how to do a Quad Braid. 

 I held the large pieces between my first two fingers and the small pieces between my last two fingers. 

The end result was really neat looking because it had the large strand all on one side and if you looked at it from a different angle you could see the small plates. 

So Inspired!

Here is another hairstyle that my princess fell in love with that we found here at Babes in Hairland.  She calls this the "Figure 8 Braid" and I think that's a great name for it!  This is our version of that same braid.

 

 I just started by creating two side piggies with a straight part down the middle.  Divide each piggie into 3 pieces. 

Hold two of those pieces completely still while you wrap the third piece in and out of the two.  The third piece that you are wrapping will run out before you reach the bottom of your piggie so just secure it in place with an elastic where it ends. 

 These are really fast and have a fun new look to them. 

Reverse Knot Braids

My princess fell in love with this hairstyle we saw here at Princess Hairstyles.  I did not get a picture of her hair before she ran off to school so unfortunately these shots were taken after a full day of play.  (It did look much better when it was first done!)  :) 

I started by straightening all of her hair but you could also wave it or curl it if you like..

  I then moved up to the top of the head and made an off-centered part going from the bang line back to the crown of the head. 

I started with the larger side of the part and grabbed a group of hair form the bang line that I divided into two pieces.  Take the piece closest to the ear and cross it over the other piece and then pull it under and through - like tying your shoelaces.  Now pull it loosely to tighten it a bit and then twist both pieces in the direction of the part to "flip" the knot.  Gather in a little bit of hair from the part and add it into the inside piece of hair and repeat those steps.  Once all of the hair from the part line has been added in, you can hold that side in place with an alligator clip while you move over to the other smaller side.

  Get your two pieces of hair and remember to cross the piece closest to the ear over the other one when tying it.  Also remember to flip it toward the part. 

Once both sides are finished you can secure them together at the back of the head with an elastic.  Add a hair clip to hide the elastic and you're all done!

French Waterfall

A while ago I posted these instructions for the Topsy Tail Waterfall.  It had a very beautiful look but it was very loose so this is a bit of an updated version to that but this one does require the knowledge of the French Braid which the other does not. 

 I will give specific instruction for the hairstyle show here but you can use the French Waterfall as a headband, two braids or in any other form you like. 

Create an off-centered part that goes all the way back to the crown of the head.  Now create a parallel part 1/2 inch inside of the first and clip aside that new thin strip of hair. 

Create one more part parallel to the first two but make sire it's about 2-3 inches across the head.  Now you will create a French Braid out of the new section of hair (making sure to only gather hair from inside this parted section) and only add in hair until the crown of the hair.  Just finish plating a Regular 3-Strand Braid after that point.  Secure it at the end with a temporary elastic. 

 Now grab your Topsy Tail and that thins strip of air that you set aside.  Poke your Topsy Tail through the first plate of the French Braid and feed a bit of hair from your thin strip directly through it.

 Do this again with the second plate and so on until your entire thin strip has been fed through the plates of the French Braid. 

 Now brush all of the hair down to the nape of the neck and secure it with an elastic - making sure to include the braid.  Take the temporary elastic out of the braid and brush it into the ponytail.  Now braid the ponytail and secure it at the end with one final elastic.  Add some hair clips to finish it off.  

Low Frenchies

This is another post that is nothing new but it's more of a different way of looking at things.  So often I am caught in my habit of placing everything in it's usual spot when a common hairstyle can look so cool just by changing the placement of a few things.  This hairstyle is an example of that.

 

 It's your basic Side By Side French Braids but we've changed a few things around. 

 First we moved the part a bit.  Instead of having it directly in the middle of the head we have off-centered it a bit.  (It starts off centered but will end up in the center of the neck at the bottom.) 

It's usually easiest to begin with the larger section of hair.  You will be doing a regular French Braid but instead of placing it directly in the middle of it's section, move it a bit lower and closer to the ear. 

You will probably need to keep a comb handy to smooth out each piece as you add it into your French Braid so you avoid any "sharks".  (Hairs that bubble up like a shark fin.)  When you've added all the hair in from that side of the head, finish braiding to the bottom of the hair and secure it with an elastic.   

 Repeat the same steps for the other half of the head - pulling the braid lower by the ear. 

When you finish you will have two loose braids that you can connect with some bobby pins so that they are attached side-by-side.  Combine them at the bottom with a final elastic and add some hair clips where you would like. 

 It's a fun new look on an old favorite!

Pulled Uneven 5-Strand

I do these Uneven 5-Strand Braids quite often because I really like the look of them.  Here are some of my original attempts at this braid.  

This one is just a bit different because I pulled at the large plates throughout the braid.This popped them out just a bit and gave the braid a swirled look.  I loved the outcome and thought you may like to try it as well!

Braided Scarf

We just wanted to be a bit creative today so we decided to try adding a scarf into a normal French Braid. 

This style works best if you start with wet hair.

  Start by sectioning out the top of the hair by creating a part from ear to ear. 

Secure that section with an elastic and then pull your scarf or ribbon through the elastic so that the very middle of the scarf is next to the band. 

Now you'll want to separate the hair from the elastic into 3 strands for your braid.  As you gather sections into the braid you will want to alternate the scarf on top of the added section and underneath the added section.  Make sure you keep it the same for both sides of your scarf. 

When you have added all of the hair into your braid, add in the two pieces of scarf and finish it off with a 5-Strand Braid.  (Using the scarf as the 2 extra strands.) 

 Secure it at the bottom with an elastic and add a hair clip to hide the elastic. 

Slanted

This is one that we've done several times but never actually posted. 

It's very straight forward and simple as long as you know how to do either a French Braid or a Dutch Braid.

  Begin on the top-left side of the head and start your braid. 

 Gather in hair as you slowly move toward the middle of the head. 

 Continue adding hair into the braid as you move toward the bottom-right part of the head. 

 Once all of the hair has been gathered you can finish plating the rest of the hair and secure it with an elastic.

  I remember my first time doing this braid and feeling strange because I was so used to braiding straight but it will get easier with practice!

Waterfall Updo

I recently saw this hairstyle done over at Girl Do's and just loves it!  Basically you just need to know how to do a Waterfall braid.  (Click here to be directed to the Waterfall Braid.)

You will want to work with wet hair because it will hold it's shape better as it dries.

 

 Comb all of the hair straight back and begin your Waterfall Braid right behind the left ear. 

Work your way across the head and over toward the right ear. 

 Once you get close to the ear you will want to curve your braid back under the original plates.  This time gather in the strands that you dropped through from the top braid. 

Continue this back over to the left ear and then wrap around to come back again.  Keep wrapping back and forth as many times as you like. 

 On your last level you will want to gather into your braid but not drop any strand through.  Finish plating that braid all the way to the ends of the hair and then tuck it up underneath the previously plated braid.  Secure it with bobby pins for a nice tight hold. 

Add any hairpins that you like for decoration and you're all finished.  This also make for beautiful waves the next morning when you take the braid out!

Pot O' Gold

This one is officially my favorite St. Patty's Day hairstyle! You will need some rainbow colored ribbons, a black nylon, and some gold coins glued to hair pins.  

Begin by making six small Pull-Throughs along the bang line on the left side of the head. 

 Now tuck a colored ribbon through each individual elastic so that there are two equal lengths of one ribbon coming out of your Pull-Through.  (You want the very center of your ribbon to be folding through the elastic.)  

 Use the two equal lengths of ribbon as two strand of your braid and the hair from your Pull-Through as your third strand for your braid.  Now create a regular 3-Strand Braid out of the ribbon and each Pull-Through.  Have your princess hold each braid while you pull the rest of the hair tightly down into a low side ponytail on the right side of the head. 

Add the braids into the ponytail using a second elastic - making sure that your braids are slightly wrapping around the left side of the head.  Trim off any excess ribbon so that no more than 1 inch of ribbon is hanging out of the elastic.

  Create a bun out of your ponytail.  We've done this by using a bun mold but you can also do a regular Twist Bun or a Braid Bun.  Now fit the black nylon over the bun and secure it in place by wrapping a clear elastic band over the top of it and around the back of the bun.  (You may need to cut any excess nylon before doing this.) 

Take a black ribbon and wrap it around the bun and tie a bow on the top of the bun. 

 

Now grab your gold coin hair pins.  You can use as many as you like and they are very simple to make.  Just hot glue a hair pin to the backside and you're set to go. 

 

Tuck them into the hair just above the black bow and there you have a Pot O'Gold!