Beautiful Braids With Bows - Learning the many modern styles
When I was a child in the 1950s and 1960s, I saw braids, which were known in England as plaits. I helped plait my granny's silver hair.
Braids or Plaits?
In the UK we say plaits. In the USA they say braids. Using both words in online searching could bring different results.
How To Plait
A basic braid consisted of three strings of hair, three each side from a central parting. The three strands were plaited from the neck downwards. You simple moved each strand over another, holding the middle one of the three in your left hand and crossing over another from the right and left in turn.
Styles of Braid
The simplest braid had three strands. One plait. For example a single long fishtail, worn in the centre of the back.
Two plaits. Multiple strands. Multiple plaits, African style.
To list those I know of, and which you might learn in a class,
1fishtail braid,
2 a five-stranded braid,
3 rope braid,
4 a French braid and
5 a waterfall braid.
African Braiding Class From Hairdressers
A member of my family went to a braiding class. It cost a modest twenty-five pounds. The teacher chose to have classes in a group of no more than half a dozen. The pupils learned five different styles of bow.
Adrican Hairstyles For Holidays
On holiday, I admired a multi-braided wig on a stand in the street outisde a shop. It was not for sale, but to advertise the hair-dresser's service of giving you multi-braid hairstyle. It cost, at that time, about 40 to 80 pounds, depending on the style, and your lenght of hair. Why so expensive? Because it took about four hours! The hairdresser pointed out that you did not have to pay out that amount of money every week. The style might stay secure for a month, or more.
I did not like the idea of not washing the hair or myself for a month. I asked, 'Do you need to wash it? If so, how?'
'You could shower and get it wet. Or shower with a shower cap.'
You might get different answers from different hairdressers, and different customers.
Add A Bow
At the end of the plait you could leave the hair loose or fasten the plait with a rubber band (elastic band). For special occasions you might add a ribbon.
Bows were at the end of the plait. Bows can be made of the same fabric as the dress. To match the colour of the hair. Or to contrast. To be seasonal, white for summer, autumn colours, black for winter or evenings. Multicolour to go with different outfits. Fashionable. Favourite fantasy colours such as blue for Disney's Elsa outfits.
National Fashions
Braid have been used worldwide, recorded from ancient Egypian times.
In the 1990s encyclopaedias showed German or Austrian girls with plaits. Dolls with plaits had blonde hair.
Plaits Down And Up
At school in the UK, children wore plaits down their fronts. Sophisticated adults, with longer plaits, might tie two plaits on top of their head.
I remember trying to do this. But my plaits were too short to meet each other.
In addition to looking smart, you might plait hair for practical reasons. To get a suntan and feel cooleer in hot weather.
Working Hairstyles
To get hair out of the way.
When working with machinery.
In the 1990s woman workin in food departments had to have their hair hidden under hair nets to ensure that hairs did not fall into food.
Doll Braids
Dolls had plaits, to stop the hair getting untidy. The plaits might be glued together and tied with a bow. My favourite dolly had a fringe and thick plaits.
In the 21st century all of that changed. In came long plaits for Indian girls with waist-length black hair. Then multiple long thin plaits, in patterns, creating diamond shaped partings on the head.
Buying Bows
Now you can buy not just one ribbon to make a bow but sets of many colours of ribbons. Also pre-tied ribbons on a circular elastic band.
Making Bows
You can make bows, either tying them each time, or tying them neatly, fastening with a pin or glue, adding an elastic band or fabric covered elastic hairband. The ribbon can be ended with an A shape cut.
What about the braids?
Here are braids tied with ribbon at the top of the braid.
How long does it take to make basic braids on a child under five with moderate length hair? One mother told me, 'Longer than you might think. Ten minutes for two braids.' That's ten minutes to add to the time taken to dress to go out, whether just for shopping, a family dinner at the weekend, or to a birthday party.'
I went onto Wikipedia and discvered that ou can also braid the manes and tails of horses in polo games. I shall add websites as I find them. You might like to list useful suppliers in your phone contacts under braid supplies.
You can buy Elsa wwigs from Temu for under ten pounds.
Useful Websites
Wikipedia braids
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Braiding
Ribbons online
Wigs with braids
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