Girly Post: Beach Braid

I've seen this braid done a few ways but I like the way Refinery29 describes the method best, especially because the girl in the photos does her braid REALLY neatly. I think it's a look I'll rock when I'm in Provo for fancy dinners. After all, my hair will be lovely and wavy from swimming in the ocean all day.

It's a little complicated so the simplest way I can describe it is to say this:

Start a braid on one side of your head, the way you might start a french braid pigtail, and braid around your head, kind of like a crown. Drop one strand of the braid (on the side closer to your neck) as you pick up a strand (from the side closer to the tip of your head).

Or, to be a bit more detailed but also confusing, I might show you this diagram and say this:

looks like some weird science textbook diagram, doesn't it?

1. Start a braid on the left side of your head by taking a chunk of hair and separating it into three strands.
2. Braid the left strand over the middle so they've now switched positions.
3. Then the right strand over the new middle - that's one full plait.
4. & 5. You still have three strands but now each strand is in a new position so start over and do one more plait.
6. Now, braid the new left strand over the middle
7. but instead of braiding the right strand, grab a chunk of hair from the top of your head
8. and braid it over that right strand.
9. Now you will have four strands. DROP the left most strand and braid what is the new left strand over the middle strand.
10. Finish the plait by by braiding the right strand over the middle and repeat this pattern of plaiting and adding and dropping until you've made it around the crown of your head to the other side. Confused yet???

I don't do the double version, like Refinery29, but maybe I will in the future. Either way, it's a good way to keep hair out of your face and looks best if your hair has beachy waves.


Sorry for the bleached-out looking photos below. I wanted to take the photo in a bright light since my dark hair can make it difficult to see the detail of the braid. Also a tip for girls with dark hair - be careful of how you grab the strands from the top of your head because you can make it look like you have bald spots if you segregate the strands too "cleanly" since it exposes your scalp. If you're messier with how you grab hair to incorporate into the braid then the hair will overlap and that bald spot problem will not even be an issue. You can see some bits of my exposed scalp in my version - whoops.