How to Braid Your Hair: Lace Braids

With celebrity fans like Molly Sims, Lauren Conrad and Nicole Richie, lace braids are a popular new trend in hairstyles. Never heard of it? The lace braid is basically a French braid where the braid goes across the top of your head, but with the extra sections of hair only added on one side of the braid.

Sound tough? Not really. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to lace braid your own hair:

1. Brush your hair into a middle part. On one side of your head, part the top section of your hair from the crown to the top of your ear. Clip off this section to keep it separated.
2. Part the other side the same way, creating a straight line the runs all the way across the back of your head. Tie off the remaining hair in the back to keep it out of the way and unclip the front sections.
3. Brush the loose front section forward with your head hanging down. Collect a section of hair at one side of your head near the temple and divide it into three sections. Braid right over middle, then left over middle to begin a French braid.
4. Put all three strands in one hand. Gather another thin strip of hair, running from the hairline to the part, and add it to the section of hair on the right. Braid right over middle while pulling the braid gently over the part.
5. Braid left over middle without adding a section of hair, but still pulling the braid gently over the part. Continue to add sections of hair on the right but not on the left, gently pulling the braid over the part.
6. Continue the braid as a simple 3-strand once you have run out of hair to add to the braid. Tie off the end of the braid as you like; I prefer to clip or pin it underneath at the nape of my neck to hide the end under a loose bun or ponytail.

Photo via CupcakesTasteNice