‘Heidi’ hair and chunky braids sitting close to the scalp are the ultimate in laid-back updos at the moment, but most how-to’s seem to consist of a one-line explanation; do a French plait from X to Y. The truth is, it really is that easy, but for those with slightly fewer skills in the hair department, here’s how I did it in a bit more detail!
1. Work with slightly dirty hair – this sits best in hair with a bit of hold and texture. The point is to make it look loose and undone, not tight and fussy, and freshly washed hair will just fall out.
2. Brush all the hair up and over to one side, so it goes away from one ear all the way over to the other side.
3. Take a section approximately 2 inches wide from the ear you’ve just combed the hair away from, and split it into three section.
4. Begin plaiting with this hair, but instead of wrapping the hair over as you would with a regular plait, take it underneath, so you’re essentially doing an ‘upside down’ plait / braid. This is what gives it a ‘raised’ look.
5. Continue the plait across the top of the head, pulling in extra pieces of hair each time. To make the plait look thick quite quickly, grab large sections of hair for the first 2 or 3 links, then start pulling in smaller sections as you reach the top of the head, trying not to pull hair from too far back or you’ll have odd bumps on the crown of the head.
6. Keep braiding in this way, pulling in small sections each time, until you reach just below the ear. Pop in a few grips to hold the braid in place.
7. Now very gently pull at each link in the plait, pulling it outwards to make the plait look looser and chunkier, making the whole look a bit messier and more ‘undone’.
8. Sweep any remaining hair around to meet the rest at the ear, adding grips around the back of the head to hold in any shorter layers. Then twist and coil up the hair under the ear, pinning it loosely to create a messy bun. If your hair is much longer, you could continue the braid and then pin that into a bun for more support.
9. Finish off with lots of hairspray! This also looks great with a hairband or jewelled comb / band for a bridal / special occasion hairdo.
