Autumn braids

With the weather changing from sunny to rainy and windy (here in the Netherlands at least) I always start thinking about autumn. For me, autumn is the leaves changing colors and of course Halloween at the end of the month. So why not add that to your braids?

Since Halloween is something different, I won't mention it anymore in this article. Instead, I would like to give you some ideas to add an autumn vibe to your hair.

The first and simplest idea is to add some decoration:

An autumn leave is a fun decoration in your hairstyle! I've done a double waterfall braid here and then added a Dutch braid on each side with the strands from the waterfall braid. I finished off the style with a regular 3 strand braid.

An autumn leave is definitely easy and fun, but it probably won't stay in during a long or active day. A bow is a great alternative:

This pumpkin bow has autumn feeling written all over it! I've done a waterfall braid and then added the waterfall strands to a ladder braid. I then took all of the hair together, tied it into a ponytail and braided that ponytail with a 3 strand braid. I then turned the braid into a bun and added the bow.

Another fun way to add an autumn feeling to your braids is adding ribbon. Orange is usually a real autumn color, but red and yellow can work as well. The fun thing about ribbon braids is that you can use as many or as little strands in your braid as you like: a 3 strand braid can already be turned into a ribbon braid by replacing one of the strands with a ribbon. Add 1 ribbon or 2... the possibilities are almost endless!

Autumn ribbon colors in these flower braids! I've done three 4 strand braids with a single ribbon and then turned them into flowers.

I hope you have some ideas how to give your hairstyles a little extra autumn feeling. If not, here's a few more ideas!

A 6 strand braid with 3 ribbons, one of the ribbons being orange. For me, this hairstyle isn't even that much about autumn, but the background really gives me that feeling.

(Note: the YouTube video link is a 6 strand braid with micro braids, but just replace the micro braids with ribbons for this hairstyle)

If one piece of decoration isn't enough, then why not add two? I've used my pumpkin bow on top of the ponytail, that is an intricate 5 strand braid. I've used three regular strands and two braided sections: each braided section is a 3 strand braid with one of the strands being an orange ribbon.

This background just screams autumn (apart from the parked cars of course! :P). The hairstyle is a 5 strand Dutch ribbon braid. I've stopped adding in hair when I was at the ears, but I did continue the 5 strand ribbon braid all the way down. With the leftover hair, I've done two 3 strand pancaked braids. At the end, I tied all of the braids together with an elastic.

How to: Ladder headband braid

Today exactly 90 years ago Steamboat Willie was released, the movie that made Mickey Mouse world famous. Especially for his birthday a 'How to' with this mouse in the picture!

Helpful tutorials:
Ladder headband braid

You'll need:
2 small elastics
Small bobby pins (if needed)
For photo 2: 1 bigger elastic
Decorations (if desired)

How to do this hairstyle?

1. Comb all of the hair to one side and create a part from one ear to another.
2. Bring the section that's closest to the forehead to the front, put an elastic around the rest of the hair to keep it out of the way.
3. Take a small section of hair above the ear (it doesn't matter which ear) and devide this into three.
4. Do one stitch of a regular braid: cross the strand closest to the forehead (the front strand) over the middle one and then cross the strand far away from the forehead (the back strand) over de middle one.
5. Add some hair to the front strand and cross it over the middle strand.
6. Take a small strand of hair from the back strand and bring this to the side. Now cross the back strand over the middle one.
7. Repeat step 5 and 6 until you've reached the other ear. Then braid on a few more stitches and finish off with a small elastic.
8. Bring the loose strands from step 6 to the front and add a clip to it if needed to keep them out of the way.
9. Comb the rest of the hair to the take so it's smooth and then take a small section of hair above the ear (the same ear as where you started step 3). Divide it into 3.
10. Cross the front strand (the strand closest to the first braid) over the middle one and cross the back strand over the middle one.
11. Now add the first small strand you've removed in step 6 to the front strand and cross them both over the middle strand.
12. Cross the back strand over the middle one.
13. Now add the next small strand to the front strand and cross them both over the middle strand.
14. Repeat steps 12 and 13 until you've added all of the small strands and reached the other ear.
15. Braid on a little further and finish off with a small elastic.
16. If your back braid is moving forward to much, create bumps in your ladder braid, then pull the back braid tightly back and pin it into place with small bobby pins.
17. In photo 2 a ponytail has been created by bringing all of the hair back and putting an elastic around it.
18. If you like, you can add a flower or a bow.

Ladder braid

The ladder braid is a combination of a waterfall braid / waterfall twist (or a feathered braid) and another braid. This other braid can be any braid you like: a twist, a lace braid, a 5 strand braid, a knotted braid... For the waterfall braid you can also use any technique you like: a regular waterfall braid, a fishtail waterfall braid, a 5 strand waterfall braid... The most important thing for a ladder braid is to add the waterfall strands to a new braid. This creates an effect that looks like a ladder and gives the braid the name ladder braid!

The technique:
Ladder headband braid tutorial
Waterfall snake braid tutorial

Ideas:

The ladder headband braid as explained in my tutorial.

Two ladder braids, both made out of a waterfall twist and a lace braid. Combined with a small fishtail braid.

A ladder braid made out of a knotted waterfall braid and a lace braid.

A ladder braid made out of a 4 strand waterfall braid and a lace braid.

A ladder braid made out of two 4 strand ribbon waterfall braids.

A fun variation: a crossed ladder braid. For this effect first add waterfall strand 2 to the lace braid, then waterfall strand 1. Then waterfall strand 4 and then waterfall strand 3, and so on.

Waterfall twist

The waterfall braid is a very populair braid that's not that difficult either. But if you want to make it even easier, then try the waterfall twist! Simple and quick without complicated techniques, but with loads of possibilities. Below you can see some examples.

The technique:
Waterfall twist braid tutorial
Ribbon waterfall twist braid tutorial

Ideas:

The original waterfall twist, as explained in my YouTube tutorial, combined with a simple ponytail.

The waterfall twist with ribbon, as explained in my YouTube tutorial. Beautiful with red and green ribbon for Christmas, but of course there's all kind of combinations possible. You could use the colors from your favorite sports team or match the ribbon colors with the clothes you're wearing with it!

Use the waterfall strands from your first waterfall twist to easily create a second waterfall twist, which creates a ladder braid!

When you've tried the double waterfall twist, it's easy to create a third. In the photo the waterfall strands have then been added to a lace braid.

An easy variation: do braids in your waterfall strands. Of course all techniques are possible!

A variation that's a little more tricky: a woven waterfall twist braid. Take the first strand, cross it under the second, over the third and repeat under / over until you've had all strands. Then do the same thing with the second strand (under the third, over the fourth, and so on) and the other strands until you've used all waterfall strands. Then put an elastic around all the hair you've used for your braid.

Instead of doing the waterfall twist from the right to the left (or left to the right) you can also go top to bottom. The waterfall strands can then be added to a braid.

Headband braid

A headband braid is basically a braid that's done near the front of the head. You can use any braiding technique you like to do a headband braid - from French to Dutch braid, from rope braid to 3D round braid to 5 strand braid... If you know a braiding technique, you can do a headband braid with it!

The technique:
Headband braid tutorial I (Round 3D braid technique)
Headband braid tutorial II (5 strand Dutch braid technique)
Headband braid tutorial III (Ladder braid technique)

Ideas:

Round 3D headband braid as explained in Headband braid tutorial I.

5 strand Dutch braid as headband braid as explained in Headband braid tutorial II. Added to it is a Dutch waterfall braid.

Ladder headband braid as explained in Headband braid tutorial III.

4 strand Dutch braid as headband braid.

Double Dutch braid as headband braid.

French fishtail headband braid with a slide up braid.

Vakantiekapsels IV // Vacation hairstyles IV

Vakantiekapsels IV

Hieronder vind je deel vier van de vakantiekapsels. Bij elke foto staat vermeld waar de foto gemaakt is, dit staat onderstreept. De dik gedrukte tekst legt uit hoe het kapsel gemaakt is. Daarbij staat vaak een link naar een YouTube filmpje met meer uitleg. Wil je nog meer weten over hoe het kapsel gemaakt is (of heb je een andere vraag)? Laat dan even een reactie achter!

Vacation hairstyles IV

Below you'll find part four of the vacation hairstyles. Each photo has listed below where it was taken, this is underlined. The words in italic will explain how the style was done. It often includes a YouTube link to make it easier. If you'd like to know more about the hairstyle (or if you have another question), then feel free to leave a reaction!

Zion National Park

Maak een Gestapelde vlecht zoals in het filmpje, eindig nu alleen met een slordig knotje in plaats van met een staart.

Do a Stacked braid as in the tutorial, only finish off the style with a messy bun instead of with a ponytail.

Las Vegas, hotel The Venetian

Dezelfde Gestapelde vlecht als hierboven!

The same Stacked braid as above!

Las Vegas

Maak eerst een waterval vlecht die rechts begint en links eindigt. Maak dan daaronder een kantvlecht, waarbij je de watervalplukken gebruikt als haar om toe te voegen. Eindig met een slordig knotje.

First do a waterfall braid that starts on the right and ends on the left. Then do a lace braid below the waterfall braid, using the waterfall strands to add in. Finish off with a messy bun.

Death Valley

Maak een Geknoopte armband vlecht, waarbij je aan de voorste en achterste pluk haar toevoegt. Blijf dit herhalen tot je (bijna) al het haar hebt toegevoegd en maak dan een knotje. Eventueel kun je een bloem of strik toevoegen.

Do a Knotted bracelet braid, adding in hair to the front and back strand. Keep repeating this until you've added (almost) all of the hair and then create a bun. If you like, you can add a flower or a bow.

Death Valley

Maak een scheiding links en rechts van het midden. Vlecht het gedeelte tussen deze twee scheidingen een stukje in (Invlechten uitleg) en ga dan door met een gewone vlecht tot je de vlecht aan de staart toe kan voegen. Eindig eventueel met een strik of bloem.

Part the hair on the left and on the right side of the middle. Do a French braid in between these two parts (French braid tutorial) and then continue doing a regular braid until you can add the braid to the ponytail. Finish off with a flower or a bow if you like.

Vacation hairstyles II

Below you can find some more hairstyle photos taken during my last vacation.underlined. Each photo has listed below where it was taken, this is underlined. The words in italic will explain how the style was done. It often includes a YouTube link to make it easier. If you'd like to know more about the hairstyle (or if you have another question), then feel free to leave a reaction!

Montezuma Castle

Take a small section of hair and divide this into 3 strands. Cross the left strand over the middle one and the right strand over the middle one. Now take a small strand on the left side and cross it under the entire braid. Then drop the strand. Then cross the left strand over the middle one. Add hair to the right strand and cross it over the middle strand. Keep repeating this until you've reached the other ear and then continue braiding till the end of the hair. Then take another small section of hair, divide it into 3 strands and do a lace braid with this. The strands you're adding in, are the strands you've brought under the first braid. Add the first braid last of all and then continue braiding until the end of the hair.

Grand Canyon

Part just off centre and start a 5 strand Dutch braid. Add hair until you've reached the ear and then continue braiding without adding in hair. Then take all of the hair and the braid and tie this into a ponytail. If you like, finish off with a bow or a flower.

Page

Part just off centre and do a Dutch fishtail waterfall braid.

Antelope Canyon

Again a Dutch fishtail waterfall braid.

Monument Valley

Start a French braid on the left side of the head. Leave out a strand of hair just above the right ear. Then finish off the French braid. Use the loose strand to create a Slide up flower braid.

Canyon de Chelly

Part down the middle and do a lace braid on both sides, crossing the strands under as a Dutch braid. Bring the two braids together with an elastic. Then do another braid on each side, doing three braid stitches without adding in hair and then adding in hair from the small ponytail. Try to add the same amount of strands on each side (about 6). Continue braiding a little further down and then put an elastic around the braids together.

How to: triple ladder braid

Helpful tutorials:
Waterfall twist
Lace braid

You'll need:
Three temporary elastics
One small elastic
Hair accessoires (optional)

How to do this hairstyle?

1. Part the hair just off centre. Take a small strand of hair on the side with most hair (make sure to leave enough hair for more braids later on) and do a waterfall twist with this. Finish off with a temporary elastic.
2. Take a new strand of hair below the first waterfall twist (again - leave enough hair for two more braids). Make sure not to take hair from the waterfall strands. Do a second waterfall twist with this hair. The strands you put through the twist strands are the waterfall strands from your first waterfall twist. Finish off with another temporary elastic.
3. Now do a third waterfall twist (leave some hair above the ear for a final braid). Again use the waterfall strands you have to put through the twist strands and finish off with a temporary elastic.
4. Take the hair right above the ear and divide it into three strands.
5. Do a lace braid with this hair. The hair you're adding in, are the waterfall strands. Add the twists last of all. Once they're nicely in the braid, you can remove the temporary elastics.
6. Finish off the braid with a small elastic. If you like, add some accessoires.

Good luck!

Waterfall braids <> feathered braids

The waterfall braid is one of my favorite braids. The braid itself can get you a lot of compliments already ("How did you do that, those strands falling through the braid?"), but it can also be combined with another braid. If you add your waterfall strands to another braid, you get a sort of ladder effect.

But what is the difference now between a waterfall braid and a feathered braid? The answer is actually quite simple:
* In a waterfall braid you'll drop an entire strand each time. You'll replace this strand with a new strand.
* In a feathered braid you'll drop a part of the strand, so not the whole strand. You don't have to replace the strand, but you could add hair to it.

Now why would you want to do a feathered braid instead of a waterfall braid? Again the answer is simple: feathered braids can give a neater new braid. 'Neater' here means smaller. In a waterfall braid you'll drop an entire strand, so you can get pretty big strands. In a feathered braid you only have a small strand and you can often make a more beautiful ladder braid. Take a look at the photos to see what I mean.

Ladder braid made with a waterfall braid

Ladder braid made with a feathered braid