It’s the cool girl’s go-to; the style that’s both easy to create and effortlessly stylish. You can wear it as the icing to a grungy off-duty look, or as the chic accompaniment to a sporty tomboy getup. Either way, it’s one to keep on hand as part of your 2012 hairstyle repertoire.
Here, Annika Bowen shows how to create the perfect textured side braid that screams understated cool, as part of Kelly Defina‘s shoot of fresh face Shauna Sieger.
Follow the how-to guide after the break.
Prep hair by applying a volumising spray and then blasting with a hairdryer to create texture and volume.
Sweep the hair over to one side. We’re not going for a slick part here so keep it a little messy and undefined.
Pull the hair into three different sections to start the loose braid.
Start to braid the hair, adding sections into the braid loosely to keep a softness around the face.
Continue to braid to the end of the hair, keeping width and looseness.
For a nonchalantly messy look without any hair tie, wrap the hair around the bottom of the plait and spray with hairspray. Then use a straightening iron to set it in place (this gives a more lived in feel that works with the texture of the plait).
Tip: you can use your fingers to create more width and texture if desired. Spray with hairspray for extra hold.
