Feminine Inspiration No. 2
Feminine Inspiration No. 2
Here is a bit of feminine inspiration for you: a photographic tutorial for doing a braided chignon.
Although the text is my own, the original instructions came from a book I recommended in a previous post. My lovely model is also my youngest sister. Isn’t she cute as a button? And all that beautiful hair...
For ease and beauty, first thoroughly brush the clean hair of your subject (or, yes, with practice, yourself!).
Make a ponytail as you usually would - securing the hair at the nape of the neck with an elastic band. This band should be as thin as possible, and should not be wrapped very tightly. (It is best, when gathering the hair together, to sweep the brush evenly over the scalp. Partings in the hair will detract from the beauty of the finished style.)
Pull apart the hair at the center above the elastic band. The elastic may move down a bit, but not too much. It may take a bit of trial-and-error before you know how wide to make the opening. Different widths result in different looks.
Put your thumb and forefinger through the underside of the opening, take the base of the pony tail (beneath the elastic), and pull it through the hole. (There is no photograph of this step.) Thread the pony tail all the way through and you will create a stunning drape effect. This is a simple and beautiful alternative to a plain ponytail. You can leave it like this or continue to make an elegant braided chignon.
If you would like to continue with the the braided chignon, separate the hair into three sections. Braid each of these sections...
.. and secure them together at the bottom with a single elastic band like the first.
Take end of the braids and thread it through the opening like so...
... and secure it with bobby pins.
If you wish, a decorative clip can be effectively placed at the top of the chignon.
Voila! You now have a braided chignon that is sophisticated and feminine at once.
I do hope you have enjoyed this little tutorial. I enjoyed putting it together! If some point isn’t clear to you, please feel free to comment, and I shall do my best to resolve it. Otherwise, just comment to let me know what you think!
Photographs: Various. © Handmaidens of the Shepherd, January 2008.
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STEPHANIE said...
I’ve seen this hairstyle before, but I never knew how it was done. Thanks for the tutorial. Her hair is beautiful!
Saturday, January 12, 2008 01:46 PM
OLD TIMER said...
I think that this is a lovely hair-style, but, of course, my hair is nowhere near long enough now. It once was...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 08:13 PM
Tuesday, January 8, 2008