There’s no time like back-to-school time to freshen up your look! Before you get ready to hit the books, why not give this straight-from-the-runway style a try? Brought to you by the style experts at Aveda, it looks way more difficult to pull off than it actually is. Promise!
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You know the Heidi braids look, right? Think of this one as its hipper, easier-to-keep-in-place cousin: It swaps out the regular braids for fishtail braids, and instead of wrapping them around the top of your head, they cross in back around the nape of your neck. We’re totally in love with it—and we can’t wait to pair it with our favorite fall fashion trends!
Here’s the step-by-step, complete with pictures to help you out:
1. First, spritz Aveda Pure Abundance Style Prep spray ($24, aveda.com) throughout your hair to give it some texture and grit. Then blow dry it straight.
2. Next, create a center part from your forehead all the way to the nape of your neck (a tail comb should come in handy here). You should now have two equal sections of hair, one on each side of your head.
3. Grab one of your two sections and weave it into an inverted fishtail braid, starting at the crown of your head and working down to the back of your ear. Secure the end with an elastic band; then repeat with the other section of hair. You should now have two fishtail braid pigtails.
4. A spray of Aveda Air Control hair spray ($24, aveda.com) here will help tame flyaways.
5. This might sound a little wacky, but bear with us: Give each braid a quick, gentle massage. It’ll add some fullness to them.
6. Next, take one of the braids and fold it over across the back of your head just above the nape of your neck. Do the same with the other braid; they should cross in the middle. Tuck the ends under and secure with bobby pins.
7. Finish off the look with another misting of Air Control.
Now go get ‘em, tiger!
Lucia Peters is BettyConfidential’s senior editor.