(Beauty)

Zoe Do: Beautiful Braids

by The Zoe Report

Confession: we have braids on the brain! A big hit on the fall runways, we are mildly obsessed with this timeless-glamour-meets-street-style look. From messy, woven chignons to Victorian-esque headbands, braids are the ultimate look for every girl who wants to feel pretty, but not overly polished. If the side-slung, flyaways at Mara Hoffman, long, thick weaves at Pucci and cornrow-bedecked updos at Etro taught us anything, it’s that this is one hairstyle that looks incredibly fresh and modern in every incarnation.

The fishtail braid—our plait of the moment—is elegance undone to per-fec-tion! If you’re looking to contrast a more refined look, i.e. to downplay the glamour of a floor-length gown, a loose, texturized fishtail is exactly what you need to infuse some downtown edge into a red-carpet worthy ensemble. Want to get the runway-to-reality translation? Rachel’s BFF and Team Zoe beauty guru, Joey Maalouf, shows us how it’s done!

For the perfect side fishtail braid, follow Joey’s steps:

  1. If you are starting with clean hair, spritz a little texturizing spray on for volume. For an unwashed mane, give yourself some added texture with a dose of dry shampoo.
  2. Collect your hair into a loose side ponytail and split it into two sections—for precision, use a styling comb. (Tip: a hair elastic will help temporarily secure your mane while you braid.)
  3. Take a small bit of hair from the outer side of right section and weave it into the opposite section on the left.
  4. Repeat on the other side. (Tip: you are going to be weaving more or less hair, depending on the thickness of your strand.) Alternate weaving back and forth until you’ve reached a comfortable place to secure your braid.
  5. For a more disheveled feel, give your braid a little tug and loosen up your look. If you’re after some added glam, secure your fishtail with a decorative hair tie.
  6. And of course, a generous application of hairspray is the only way to truly finish this style!

Whether you’re heading out for a weekend brunch or a black tie stunner, weave your way to a next level look with a beautiful braid!

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