headband braid

My hair is super thick, so I get layers cut into it to lighten it up a bit.  While layers are great for keeping my hair from giving me a migraine, they're not so great for when I try to wear a braid.  I'm sure it's happened to you - pieces falling out, bobby pinning until you can't feel your fingers.  Not so pleasant.
Well, here's a solution for when you want a side braid and your hair won't cooperate.

Here's how:

1. Put your headband on so that it goes around the front of your forehead - like you're going to wear it boho style.

2. Take pieces from the sides of your hair and flip them through the headband.  I do about two pieces to a side.  How much you use depends on how thick you want the braid to be - for a thicker braid, use less hair on the sides so that there's more in the braid.

3. Take the remaining hair and braid it!  You can do a regular braid, a fishtail, one of those ladder braids I have yet to master... go crazy.

And you're done!  Takes 5 minutes and looks fancy :)

how to: messy bun

Yes, I know, there are approximately 82 billion tutorials for messy buns online.  Which is funny, to me: isn't the whole point that it looks "undone?" Much like no-makeup makeup, it takes a whole lot of effort to look like you didn't make effort.
Anyway, back to what I was saying - yeah, there are tons of these tutorials out there, but I was never able to make one work for me.  My hair was either too short, too long, too layered, too brown... you get the idea.
This is how I've been making a messy bun, ever since I discovered it last week.  It was a feeling akin to finding the holy grail.  It works great on my hair, and it's pretty secure, so I would assume it works well for layered hair.  Its also pretty easy to tweak if your hair is super long.

Start by parting your hair straight down the middle:

Take the two sides of your hair and tie them in a knot, like you're starting to tie a shoe.

This is where you tweak it if your hair is super long: tie two knots.  

Take the loose ends of your hair left after you tie the knot(s) and put a hair tie around them, like a ponytail.

After you add the hair tie, mess your hair around the knot and pin.  You can pin it however you want and make it as messy or sleek as you like!

This looks nice and messy, but its actually very secure and stays in all day.  You can make it fancy by adding in some braids on the sides if you like.  As always, this stays in better if you have a little texture in your hair - hello, third day hair excuses!

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around the world braid

I have shared about my issues with growing my bangs out and how I'm dealing with it.  At work especially, having my long bangs in my face is really irritating, and I get bored just bobby pinning them back.
The other day I was messing with my hair before work, trying to find a way to put it up that I liked and kept my hair out of my way.  As usual when I start messing with my hair, braiding was one of the first things I tried. This is what I ended up with, and I've worn my hair like this about a dozen times since. It's like a half milkmaid braid - I like it better because it's not all up; there's still a bit around your shoulders.

Start by deep side parting your hair, almost all the way to your ear.  If you care about whether the part is straight, you'll probably want to use a comb, because it's hard to do with just your fingers.  Once you have it parted, start french braiding across your forehead.

Instead of stopping at your ear, keep the french braid going around your head.  Do it pretty tightly to keep it from falling apart - after the braiding is done, you can always go back and rough it up.  I prefer my hairstyles messy, so I always go back and loosen the braids up.  Grab small-ish pieces of hair to add to your braid so that it doesn't get too lumpy around the top.

Eventually you'll want to switch the side of your head you're braiding from to bring the braid around the nape of your neck. Once you get back around, there's always an annoying strand just left hanging there.  I grab it, twist it under the braid  and finish it off by regular braiding the rest of my hair.

(forgive my derpy face here)

This style is great for second or third day hair, or any time you just want it all out of your way.  Plus, it only takes about 5 minutes!

braidy lady

My bangs are in that awkward too-long-to-leave-alone, too-short-to-go-in-a-ponytail stage.  Braids have been my friend for a while now because they hold my bangs back with minimal effort.  Leaving my hair down with the bang braids is pretty casual, so for my friend Chelsea's rehearsal dinner, I messed around with it until I had a pretty, messy, twisty fishtail going on that looked really good with my bangs braided back.
Here's how:

1. Gather your hair into a side ponytail and secure with an elastic.  Make a hole by dividing your hair into two parts between where it is secured with the elastic and your head, take the rest of your ponytail, and stuff it all the way through so that there's a twist at the top of the ponytail.

2. Fishtail the remaining hair in your ponytail.  I've tried to explain fishtailing as well as I can here.  The only difference is we aren't doing a fishtail french, so just divide your hair in two sections, take a piece from the back of one section and add it to the other, and then do the same on the other side all the way down.

Once you get the hang of it, it's super simple!

3. Add some volume by taking your hands and pushing your hair up at the roots.  Add some dry shampoo for extra grit, depending on how messy you want the end result to be.

4. Take one side of your bangs, braid, tuck the ends into your hair and pin. Do the same on the other side, and you're done!

I've worn this style tons of times because its easy and can be dressy or casual.  It's also great when your hair is dirty!

cracking the pretty code: good hair when you wake up with no heat

You know those girls who always look good?

I'm not one of them, but I do my best.

They always have gorgeous wavy hair that looks healthy and shiny.

This is how I've been copying the waves, and doing it without heat for the healthy part:

I wrap my hair up in a bun (twisting it out, then down to my head) and bobby pin it in place.  I do two buns for bigger, messier waves, four for smaller. Sleep on it, and wake up with pretty girl hair.

The code isn't cracked yet, but I'm chipping away.

Side Braid for Layered Ladies

Sometimes I feel like my hair is way to short for some styles. That's saying something, since my hair really isn't short at all. But there are some things it's just not long enough to do. 

Like the boho side braid.

Until now.

Honestly, you may have already thought of this. It really isn't innovative at all.

Basically all I did was pull my hair back in a low ponytail, braid it, secure the braid, and then rough it up.  The top elastic keeps your layers from falling out so that you get a messy look without your hair going nuts and all falling out of the braid.

I'm a fan! It's super easy and a little more interesting than a plain ponytail.

Milkmaid Braid Tutorial

Have you washed your hair in the past 3 days?

No? Me neither.

So I did this to my hair.

Cute, right? And it hides all your greasies.

Here's how you do it:

Part your hair down the middle like you're putting it in pigtails. French braid one side straight down the side of your head, not towards the back like you would if you were just gonna rock the pigtails.

Loosen the braid up a little. You're gonna be weaving the end of one braid into the top of another, so make sure it isn't flush to your head and there's a little wiggle room.

Now take the end of one braid, wrap it around the base of your head, and tuck the tail into the french braided part at the top of the braid on the other side.

See how it's woven in there? Just take the end and tuck it into the french braided portion of the opposite braid. If you have super long hair, bring the braid around your forehead and tuck the end of the braid back into the top of the same one (making a loop all around your head).

Bobby pin it in place (Use LOTS) and bobby pin the braid around the back. 

Do the same on the other side and you're done!

I love this look, it's super cute with a sundress!