pixies. french. micros. pinch. maiden. milkmaid. crown. tree. inversions. zig-zag. side. simple. fish-bone. fish-tail. box. cornrow. german. breadbasket. inside out. dutch. herring-bone. classic. crown. headband. hairline, mexican. basic 3 stand. 4 strand. 5 stand. square. lace. twist. rope. perimeter. flat 4 stand. combination. rose stem. cascade. accent. long hair knot, arwyn. eowyn. legolas. loose.
Learning to braid has become a process that is delightfully more complex then I had imagined. Growing up, learning how to French braid was not only about as complex as it got, but it was almost a right of passage for many young girls like myself, and it could be celebrated again and again beneath forts made of blankets or under giant Maple trees in the summer time. It was an accomplishment, that at the tender age of Ten, demonstrated your impressive and envyible talents and dedication to beautiful hair. For some, daughters learn from their mothers, who learned from their mothers. For others, little sisters learn from big sisters. Or for most, we learn on the playground during recess in the 5th grade. It's a lovely tradition shared amongst girls and women. French braiding my Grandmother's hair was a badge of honor that I wore plastered ear to ear as she would wear it throughout the day, as if it were the most elegant thing she had ever had done to her hair. I was proud of my French braids and of my ability to adorn even my own head with the flawless masterpiece. Then... well, the 90's came along, and French braids, along with so many other braiding techniques seemed to float away from the fashion mainstream, taking with them secrets of lure. Going into beauty school I had almost forgotten about them. Focused so much on cutting hair, I was not prepared for the flash flood of memories, elegance, femininity, wonder, beauty, tradition, history and nostalgia that would submerge me when I realized that braids are not lost. They are in fact, coming back with a beautiful, whimsical, wonderful vengeance.
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