How to make a ponytail and braids

So I promised you an article about how to fix girls' hair, hopefully you haven't been
sitting around with your hair falling into your face and in the way while waiting to read
this. I come to the computer to write this article with years of experience to guide my
fingers. Not that I am a great typist or fabulous writer, but I am relying on my time
spent fixing dolls' hair, then my own, then my childrens'. So here goes, time to loosen
up your fingers and gather your supplies ... let's style!

  We'll start with the simple and work up to the ... well, not-so-simple.
  First thing's first; ponytails. Ponytails can be placed anywhere on the
  head, the most typical spot though is on either side of the head.
  Start by combing the hair out so that there are no tangles, from
  there make a part down the middle of the head with a narrow comb.
  Start at the front of the head and work towards the nape of the neck,
  try to do this in one stroke so as not to have a lot of little "hiccups"
  in the line. It may take several attempts to get a nice straight part
  that is in the middle of the head. Gather one half of the hair and put
  into a loose ponytail just to keep it out of the way, then start combing
the locks on the other side until smooth. Gather it all up with your hand and secure with
a tangle free elastic band. Then move on to the other side and do the same thing.
Experiment with ponytails using just some of the hair in the front, or all of the hair into
one big ponytail either high on the back of the head or low at the nape of the neck.

Have fun with the accessories that you choose as well. This is an easy and fun way to
add some personality to your hairstyle. Tie up your tail with ribbons or yarn, add some
beads for a little sparkle. There are also things called hair jewels that twist into hair that
has been pulled tight. Barrettes can also be added to make your style pop. Another
cute way to dress up a ponytail is to not pull all of the hair through the elastic band on
the last time through. Pull until there is about 4 inches or so, depending on the length
of the pony, before all of the hair is pulled into the ponytail. This is called a dew drop at
my daughters' gymnastics gym and is very popular among girls of all ages.

Braiding is the next hair design up the ladder of difficulty. However it is as easy as
1,2,3. Seriously, if you can separate that nicely made ponytail into 3 equal sections,
you have it made. Start out with the three sections, cross the section in your left hand
over the center section and then do the same with the section in your right hand pulling
the hair as tight as you want for the look you are going for. Keep doing this crossing
right and then left until the hair is braided. It may help to spritz the hair with a little
water to keep stubborn shorties in check. Once this has been mastered try doing a
braid without the hair being in a ponytail first.

For all of you who have nimble fingers and the dexterity of a brain surgeon, the top
rung for difficulty is the French braid. Start by separating a small section at the front
or top of the head into 3 equal parts. Begin braiding, after the first left and right
overlay gradually add a small amount of hair to each right and left section.
Continue adding and braiding until you reach the nape of the neck and then finish off
the braid.
I would strongly suggest dampening the hair with a squirt bottle. Make sure the hair is
not too wet, though, it may make it very hard to get a smooth French braid. Once again
experiment with where your braid is, straight down the back of the head or one on
either side. Have fun and don't expect to have a perfect French braid on your first try.
It takes a lot of practice to figure out what works for your hands and what look you
like, a tight or loose braid.

Remember that hair is not supposed to be a serious thing. Have fun with it, play
around and find the styles that work best for you. Also, look beyond the hair
accessory section of the store, think outside of the box for ways to personalize your
do. Shoelaces, jewelry, and ribbon from the fabric store can all be cute ways to finish
off the perfect style.

Gretchen LeAnne       ©hairfinder.com

Pippy Long - Who?

How to Fix Ponytails