Chic Hairstyles: Part 5

Marley Smith: Period 6

Flipped Over Ponytail

Picture of hairstyle from the book

Looking professional doesn’t just mean the way you dress, the way your hair looks is important too. Recently I have been looking for a way to fix my hair for job interviews and other professional events. When I found this hair style I found a perfect way to achieve the professional put together style I was looking for.

Materials

-hair brush or comb

-elastic hair tie

The hairstyle I chose was something simple but still elegant. The style is called a Flipped Over Ponytail. This gives volume and body to this classic ponytail. It is an accessory in itself, although simple embellishments can be added. The first step to this look is to brush the hair out for any knots. Next you gather the hair into a loose ponytail that sits low on your neck. Then, you use your fingers to make a split above the elastic. Lastly, flip your ponytail through the split above the elastic (Butcher, 23).

My rendition of the Hairstyle

At first, I used a pink elastic to tie the hair with. However, this bright color made the look improper for a professional style. I couldn’t find a way to hide the elastic so I followed a tip in the book. The book states “Use hair elastics that match the color of your hair to keep them inconspicuous (Butcher, 22).” Adding the brown elastic to match the hair was a much easier way to complete the look than trying to hide the elastic.

After completing this look, I learned in order to look the part of a professional, simplicity is the key. A clean cut and simple look is sure to look great. This hairstyle perfectly suits this definition. Overall, I recommend this look to anyone who has medium-long hair. This hairstyle looked great and was the easiest one I’ve had to completed. It took very little effort and less than a minute to complete om myself. 



Would you wear this hairstyle to an interview or professional event?
Do you think that simplicity is a way to look professional?




Butcher, Christina. Braids, Buns, and Twists!: Step-by-Step Tutorials for 82 Fabulous Hairstyles. Chronicle Books, 2013.

Chic Hairstyles: Part 4

Dutch Braid Pigtails

By: Marley Smith

I have tired many new braids through my previous posts and decided to build my skills on a particular one, the Dutch braid. The Dutch braid is created by adding in strands while you braid. But instead of crossing the new hair over like in a French braid, you're passing it from side to side underneath.

For this hairstyle, I decided to do Dutch Braid Pigtails. The braids are created by splitting the hair down the middle of the head into two equal sections. Next you Dutch braid along your hairline until you reach the level of your ear. Once reaching the ear add in all extra hair and start braiding normally (Butcher,65). Make sure to secure the hair with an elastic so the braid won’t come apart. Do the same on the other side of the head. You will then be left with a beautiful style that frames your face!

While creating this style I learned that it is easier to use a comb to ensure that your hair is parted evenly. I also learned it could be worn in different ways. In the book Butcher claims “By stretching out the braids you’ll emphasize their shape.. to keep the look modern” (Butcher, 64). This is an important tip because it helps the braid elevate from a simple look to a more complex one.

After completing this look I was amazed with the results. It was so

simple, fast, and looked great! The braided pigtails perfectly shaped the face leaving an elegant look. Best of all it took only about 5 minutes to complete and is a perfect go to hairstyle for someone in a rush!

Would you wear a Dutch braid in pigtails?

What would you do to get creative with this hairstyle?

Citation:

Butcher, Christina. Braids, Buns, and Twists!: Step-by-Step Tutorials for 82 Fabulous Hairstyles. Apple Press, 2015.

Chic Hairstyles: part 3

Instructions With Pictures

For my third hairstyle, I decided to and up-do called Dutch Crown Braids. This hairstyle creates a crown of hair to sit on top of the hairline. It is perfect for long hair because you can pin the hair all around your head to create a double crown look.  It is a great way to wear your hair up, and perfectly frames the face making it gorgeous for any occasion.

To achieve this style, it is helpful to brush out your hair to ease any tangles. Also, the book recommends using a comb to perfectly achieve diagonally parted hair for this style (Butcher,109). Next, I started Dutch braiding all the way around the hairline adding hair in from the part line of the model’s hair. The last step is to take the braids and to pin them along the hairline to create a crown look.

Me braiding one side of the models head

Tips:

In the book, it states that it is helpful to “finish the style by Stretching out the braids” (Butcher,109). When learning this tip it gave me a helpful way to make the look more voluminous. Another tip from the book was to add to the style by placing flowers in the hair (Butcher,108).  This is a good tip because it can turn the look from an everyday up-do into elegant hairstyle for special occasions.

I really recommend this braid because I was amazed by the finished look. It is a great way to wear your hair up and can be worn for many different events. However, it was a more difficult style than other ones I’ve done previously, so it is helpful to be experienced in braiding before attempting this hairstyle.

The Finished Look!

Do you like this hairstyle?

What occasions would you wear it for?

Make sure to keep an eye out for my next post to see another amazing hairstyle!

Butcher, Christina. Braids, Buns, and Twists!: Step-by-Step Tutorials for 82 Fabulous Hairstyles. Apple Press, 2015.

Chic Hairstyles: Part 2

As I have practiced more hairstyles I have improved my skills, so I have decided to try a more complex hairstyle. The hairstyle I tried was called a fishtail braid. This braid looks elaborate and difficult but is surprisingly easy to master!

I started off the look by thoroughly brushings the model’s hair to remove any knots. Then I split the hair into two equal sections. The book encourages that you should hold one side of the braid in each hand and keep the sections separate as you braid (Butcher, 51). This helps to make the braid look more put together. Next, I crossed sections from their hair form each side repeatedly. The result was an amazing beautiful hairstyle with a unique texture!

Tips:

Step by step pictures

A tip in the book stated, “When you’re learning to fishtail braid, it’s easier to put your hair up in a ponytail” (Butcher, 51). This was the most helpful tip because I had just learned how to do this hairstyle. This tip provided me a helpful way to keep the hair in place, especially for layered hair. Another tip was to wet the hair a little before styling (Butcher, 51). I found this helpful because it I learned that it was a way to make the braid become more precise. Also, the damp hair was much easier to brush out and hold.

Me in the process of braiding

Overall, I recommend this hairstyle for people with long hair. I found it hard to complete on people with short hair because the layers of their hair made it hard to make even sections. On the long hair, I found this look to be quite easy to complete, but a little time consuming. However, I feel that the braid was worth the time! It is easy to personalize and can be worn tighter for a put together look or loose for a bohemian one!

Finished look!

How useful is this hairstyle, and how often would you use it?

Also please make sure to check out my next post for another chic hairstyle!

Source:

Butcher, Christina. Braids, Buns, and Twists!: Step-by-step Tutorials for 82 Fabulous Hairstyles. London: Apple, 2015. Print.

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Chic Hairstyles: Part 1

Taming hair in the morning is stressful and time consuming, but what if there was a way to speed up this process. Well, there is! This hairstyle is both quick and easy, while still being elegant. It also suits all hair types from curly to straight and short to long! 

A book called  Braid, Buns, and Twists by Christina Butcher gives chic hairstyles that can be worn for all occasions. It provides simple how-to illustrations and photographs showing these breathtaking styles.

The first hairstyle I tried was the French Braid. I was interested in this hairstyle because the book stated “The French Braid sits close to your head and is a beautiful way to wear your hair up” (Butcher, 42). This means that this braid is a good way to get your hair out of your face. It also means the braid should start off tight so it is close to the head. From that I learned I had to start with smaller pieces of hair to achieve that. When I modeled this hairstyle on someone else, I started by using a basic braiding technique. Then, I started adding small sections of hair from each side all the way back down their head. Lastly, I secured the hairstyle with an elastic.

Tip: Make sure that the sections you add in are even (Butcher, 43). This is a really important tip because it helped me keep the braid keep straight.

Overall, I recommended this hairstyle because it is quick and easy to do. There are many variations to wear this braid, you can wear it loose for an effortless look or tightly for a more sophisticated one. It is very versatile and can be used on all hair types!

Would you wear a French Braid? If so, how would you  personalize it?

Make sure to read my next blog post to see what the next hairstyle will be!

Citation:
Butcher, Christina. Braids, Buns, and Twists!: Step-by-Step Tutorials for 82 Fabulous Hairstyles. Apple Press, 2015.