Tutorial :: Two Fishtails Make One

This tutorial may seem a little complicated for some readers, but if you've mastered the fishtail braid (which is WAY easier than it looks), then you can totally do this. It's two fishtail french braids that you bring together to look like one side braid. Don't worry, I promise more 2-minute tutorials are coming soon.

Here's what you need:
- bobbi pins
- two small elastics

1. Part your hair however you'd like (side part, middle part...) The finished look is a side braid that will be laying on your shoulders so pick a side you'd like that braid to be on and part a section of hair that is a small quadrant of hair in front of your ears. See photo 4 for an example of the section.

2. French fishtail braid that small section until you can't add hair anymore and then regularly fishtail braid it until you reach the ends.

 * how to french fishtail braid: with a regular fishtail, you take a small sliver of hair from one section and incorporate it into the other, always having 2 large sections of hair. When you french fishtail, instead of taking the small slivers from the braid you're creating, your small slivers are going to be the hair you're adding into the braid.

3. Tie off the small braid you just created (should be about one-fourth of all your hair) and start the other one that will go around the back of your head.

4. Now you're going to french fishtail braid the other side, starting at the top of your head and working your way around the back until you end up underneath your first braid. When you're done adding hair into the braid, finish it by doing a regular fishtail.

5. Pull it apart from the sides so it has more texture and thickness.

6. Using a small but strong bobbi pin wrap the smaller braid around the bigger one to blend them together. Weave the small bobbi into both braids to connect them while hiding the pin.

7. Hold a cute puppy and you're set!

photos by David McDonald for She Lets Her Hair Down

graphics designed by Becca Clason for She Lets Her Hair Down