Braids are growing in popularity, and for some students, they’ve become a necessity to every day life–especially after those all nighters. From runways to sports events, even for the walks to the University of Idaho Commons, braids are popping up everywhere. Learn three popular braids now with this quick and easy tutorial. Getting ready for the day has never been so easy.
hayden crosby | rawr Sarah Abbot pulls sections of Kim Warburton's hair into small sections, creating the begining of the waterfall braid.
“My mom could never French braid but I liked it so I practiced on my own hair and (on) my friends hair,” sophomore Sarah Abbot said. “Being in cheer and in a sorority has definitely helped me perfect the braiding art.”
Abbott braided freshman Kim Warburton’s hair as part of Rawr’s guide to braids.
REVERSE FRENCH BRAID
Start with three strands. To do this properly, separate a section from the front and split it into three pieces. Take the middle one and go over the side and grab a piece of hair, grab the middle and go over the other side and grab another piece. It can be described as “backwards-French braiding.”
“I think the braid is a lot tighter and it’s a lot cooler looking, especially if your just learning how to braid. When you braid out you can actually see the braid,” Abbott said.
WATERFALL BRAID
Start with three strands of hair. Separate a section from the front and split it into three. Braiding a few times as you normally would makes it a lot easier when starting the waterfall section. Take the top piece and pull some hair in from the direction the braid is headed. The hair you pull in will make it bigger strand of hair and you will braid it in to the middle like a normal braid. Once you cross the lower strand pass the middle strand, drop your new lower strand. The piece you drop should be the bigger strand.
Then pick up a piece of hair towards the way you are braiding, and braid it towards the middle. Take an extra piece of hair into the top like before, and braid the top over the middle. Once you braid the bottom over the middle again, drop your new bottom piece, which again will be the piece from the top that you added in hair from. Then pick up a new section from the roots right next to where your braiding and keep going as above instructed. Continue for however long, as you like, whether it’s the whole head or just after a couple inches, that can be cute too.
The keys to this braid, like many, are to keep your hands close to your head and hold the strands of hair very tightly.
The waterfall braid can be used in the front of the hair as well as the back and is a simple and elegant braid to practice. When braiding towards the back of your hair with the waterfall, make sure you like the height of the braid because it determines how it looks at the end in the front. Once you braid all the way to the back, braid a few times normally and clip. Repeat on the other side, making sure not to braid too tight. Cross the two braids over each other and pin into it to hold into place.
FISHTAIL BRAID
“The fishtail braid is the easiest braid on the planet Earth,” Abbot said.
Take the hair down your back and hold a middle strand. Make that middle strand whatever size you would like, but leave two big strands on the outside. You should have a small middle strand of hair and two outside big strands.
Take turns pulling one side to the inside and pinning with your thumb onto the main strand. Make sure you are pulling from the farthest out of each outside strand when you alternate and keep a steady grip on the middle strand that continues to grow.
Isla Brazzil can be reached at [email protected]