Lately I've  been getting bored with the normal half-ponytail (my normal 'do), so I decided to try sprucing it up by doing a mini french-braid on just that top section of hair I'd normally pull back for a half-pony, then braiding it normally the rest of the way down. I really love how it looks. It's quite easy to do if you already know how to French braid, and doesn't take any longer.

The problem is that I have a kinda big forehead and I don't look as nice with my hair pulled straight back, like I have to do for this. Normally I start my French braids lower than normal so it frames my face better. I guess I'll just keep working at it to see if I can find a more flattering (from the front, at least) way to do it on myself... :-/

I think it's definitely worth a try for anyone wanting to spruce up a down-do. :)

Why not try doing a double french part way and gather into the pony tail?  I've done this many times  and really like the look.

What is a double french braid?

For a half double french braid:
Part your hair down the center .  French braid each side of the hair, keeping the hair closer to the front hairline.  When you get to about your ears.  Continue to braid the hair until the braid would meet at the back of your head. Combine the two braids and either make a pony tail or braid them together.

That sounds interesting, but not like something that'd look good on me. I like the idea, though. I'll try it sometime.

Give it a try, Cairn. I also have a big forehead (or weirdly shaped head, I'm not sure which), so pulling my hair straight back looks odd. I sometimes do a center part, but find that that can look a bit juvenile. So I mostly do an off-center part before putting my hair in a ponytail or whatever. You can French braid each side or just pull 'em straight back.

/Kate

Kate,
I part my hair off center in the front as well.. and I usually clip the sections up with little barrettes or jeweled bobby pins before pulling the rest of my hair back.


I look like cousin It if I part my hair straight down the middle  ;D

I can't part my hair on the side; I have a very natural and stubborn middle part, and my hair refuses to sit nicely going any other direction. It makes it really hard to do high updos.  :-/

wrote on Dec 1^st, 2004 at 4:22am:

The problem is that I have a kinda big forehead and I don't look as nice with my hair pulled straight back

I also have a wide forehead, so what I do when I french braid is leave my fringe (bangs) in place and start braiding just behind it.

wrote on Dec 27^th, 2004 at 5:43pm:

I also have a wide forehead, so what I do when I french braid is leave my fringe (bangs) in place and start braiding just behind it.

I had bangs for years, and finally grew them out because I got sick of them, and they just seemed to get in the way. Starting my frenchbraids much farther back on my head works for me, and I've actually gotten a good number of compliments on it.