the hunt | milkmaid braid

It's market week here in LA and that, for me, means to dress a little more cute than usual for work each day.  So this morning after I got out of the shower, I decided I wanted to try my hand at the milkmaid braid...a pretty opposite style from my typical wild, unkempt hair that gets left down more often than not.

The Goal:  a slightly messy version like Mary Kate's here...

Step 1:  part hair down the middle from the crown of the head to the nape of the neck

Step 2:  run some molding paste or mousse through your hair.  I didn't have either of these, specifically...so I used my guy's Surf Hair Texture Paste by Garnier Fructis...it worked well, but i had to hairspray it more later to get flyaways down.

Step 3:  braid each side of your part separately.  Make sure you don't make the braid too tight to your scalp at the start of it, or it won't bend upward very well.  You can start them low to come up as a 'headband' style...or a bit higher to get a different design like a crown.  (I chose the headband look, since I have bangs)

Step 4:  secure the braids by bobby pinning them, first at the ends of the braids, then anywhere along the braid that feels a bit loose.

Step 5:  hairspray that milkmaid braid so it stays in place...and, voila!  You'll be looking Dutch in no time.

There are other styles you can try to freshen the look up:

Try more than 2 braids criss-crossing around your head for more texture:

Leave a bit of hair in the back to braid into a bun:

Tie in fabric, flowers, or jewelry for a pop of color: