Hair Tutorial: Easy 2-Strand Braid

by Hillary

I am not a morning person. It doesn't matter how early I set my alarm or how much I prepare the night before, my mornings are rushed and difficult. I hate always relying on a ponytail to tame my unruly half-curly / half-straight (but never nice and wavy) hair so I learned a few (quick! foolproof!) hair tricks to make me feel put together. 

This is what I'm faced with if I forgo the hair dryer in favour of making coffee:

Not exactly office ready. The 2-strand braid takes me only a couple minutes to do but is polished enough for my professional office. 

Start by parting your hair where you normally would. Separate a chunk of hair at the top into two strands. The strands shouldn't be too big (maybe an inch-ish?)

Cross the front piece either over or under the back piece. It doesn't matter which way you go, it just matters that you continue to cross the same way for the entire braid. I'm bad at staying consistent so I try to assign a hand at the start of my braid and repeat it every time I cross my strands ("right hand over, right hand over.")

After each cross, add strands of surrounding hair to each of your main strands, exactly like you would if you were french braiding your hair. 

Braid down and around the back of your head and secure with a jaunty side pony or a sloppy bun. 

The resulting braid is messy in a polished way. It's office boho, or at least that's what I tell myself. I reckon I can get away with less than perfect hair at the office if it looks intentional. 

Who's got quick hair fixes to share? 

Comments

[Nicole]

I have the WORST hair. I cannot blow dry it straight, instead it's a huge puffy mess. I then have to straighten it, which is a more acceptable huge puffy mess.

I try to only wash it every other day, and usually the second day it's half oily/half huge puffy mess. That's when I wear it up or in an intentionally messy bun. I cannot do prim and proper ballet buns because they fall out. I USED to be able to, but apparently my hair decided to revolt and not allow it any longer.

I am exactly the same in the mornings though. My body will get up a half hour before my alarm and set it back 15 minutes. I cannot stop myself. I'm trying to look for different ways to wear it instead of the messy bun, poofy (not intentionally poofy) ponytail, or down and "straightened," but in an efficient way. I may try this style tomorrow!

[Swistle]

I completely rely on the Messy French Twist: low ponytail (no elastic, just holding it in a ponytail), twist up toward the ceiling, use a claw clip to keep it there. I used to wear that to work and feel like it looked perfectly right with a lab coat, but I also think it looks right with jeans and being at home. And it takes about 30 seconds from wet hair to done.

[ahmielyn]

I do a modified version of this style. I twist the hair down one side of my head, then down he other, effectively making two low pony tails, then tie those up in a messy bun at the base of my head. I also find that twisting 2 times before I pick up more hair helps keep the whole thing a bit tighter and makes the twist more defined.

[Steph]

Thank you for posting this! I have to straighten my hair, which curls and frizzes in the heat, so I love styles that are up and out of my face! I always try and do those cute, fancy braids on Pinterest but they never work. I just did this, it actually worked, and I love it :) Pinning this now!