About French Braids
If you have medium length to long hair, French braiding your hair is and easy and elegant way to style your hair. French braids are a lot like a little black dress. You can wear it just about anywhere by simply changing your accessories. French braids are an excellent cure for bad hair days and those days when you just don't have time to fuss with your hair.
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Misconceptions
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French Braids look very difficult to do, and many people think they need a hairstylist to make it work, but they do not. Creating French braids are incredibly easy once you learn how. If fact, if you can make pigtails, you an also make French braids.
Risk Factors
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There is very little risk to the hair in wearing French braids, In fact, if you want to protect the ends of your hair from the elements, it is wise to put it in a French braid. If you pull your hair back too tightly when doing any kinds braids, you will experience hair loss around the edges.
Benefits
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Besides protecting the ends of your hair from the elements, French braids are also a great way to create a hairstyle that looks like you paid a fortune for all by yourself. You can wear French braids to special and formal occasions, even weddings and formal dances. Just add a few accessories such as flowers or jeweled pins and you are ready to go.
Identification
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A French braid really isn't a braid at all -- in fact, it looks like an inside-out cornrow.
History of
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Women have been braiding hair since the beginning of time. For this reason, it is difficult to trace the origin of French braids. The name, French braid, however points to the region of France as being the first people to turn a typical braid inside-out.
Type
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There are several different ways to style your hair with French braids.
The typical French braid is done down the center of the head and may end in braid or the hair may be tucked under for a more formal style.
You can do side French braids by parting the hair down the center and creating a French braid on each side of the head. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz wore this French braid style. This is also called French braid pig tails.
A Dutch braid is the opposite of a French that looks like a simple braid is laying on top of the hair. It can be used to make intricate hair designs.
If you have medium length hair, you can start your French braid at the back leaving the bangs free for a dramatic and trendy style.
Expert Insight
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To create a French braid, you need to brush your hair to remove any tangles, then pull the front of the hair back to the top of the crown and separate it into three sections. You would braid as you would normally do accept and you bring the braid down the head, you pick up hair from each side until all the hair is pulled into the braid. When you get to the bottom of the braid, there should be no hair left free with the possible exception of bangs. For a step by step tutorial, see articles on how to French braid hair from eHow.
You can also purchase a couple of tools with instructions help you learn more about french braiding. One is called the wonder tool, and the other is the Braidini French Braiding System.
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