Back to school hairstyles – Criss cross braids tutorial
Here’s a fun hairstyle tutorial that’s great for girls to wear to school. The criss-cross braids add a fun twist to a pretty pigtail style.
The great thing about this hairstyle tutorial is that it’s quick and easy to do, and it will stay in all day while they play.
Meet my beautiful niece and her gorgeous long hair! I don’t get to see her as often as I would like as she lives interstate. Last time I saw her I asked if she would let me play with her hair and she said yes (what a sweetheart!) and so I’ve got a couple of hair tutorials to share that we shot together.
Did you like people playing with your hair when you were young? How about now?
I loved it as a kid but now, not so much. While I love getting my hair done in a salon, I rarely have anyone play with my hair. I’m kind of funny about people touching my hair when it’s curly. I’m not angry and I won’t really freak out, but I don’t want people rubbing my hair and frizzing up my curls. When my hair is straight I love touching my hair but keep your hands out of the curls.
Am I being weird or do you feel the same about people touching your hair?
Anyway, back to my lovely niece who let me play with her hair.
It’s back-to-school time in Australia. Our school calendar runs the same as a calendar year. Summer holidays are over and it’s back to the daily routine.
I created this fun and easy style for her to wear to school. She has to wear a hat and this criss-cross braid sits comfortably underneath. It also prevents her hair from becoming tangled. Plus I just think it looks pretty.
Check out the tutorial below and let me know what you think.
Back to school hairstyles – Criss cross braids tutorial
What you need:
- 2 small hair elastics
- 2 regular (or small) hair elastics
Step-by-step hairstyle tutorial:
- Start by making a middle part. Separate the hair into two equal sections. I didn’t worry about being too neat but be as neat or as messy as you like.
- Take a section from above the left ear to the middle part – this will be your first criss-cross braid. Split the section into three and braid. Cross the right section over the middle and the left over the right. Keep crossing the hair over until you reach the end. Secure the end with a small hair elastic.
- Repeat on the right to create your second braid. Take a section from above the right ear to the middle part and make a basic braid. Secure the end with a small hair elastic.
- Cross the braids over and now we’ll do the pigtail braids. Incorporate the right braid into the middle section of the left pigtail. So that the braids sit better, I like to cross the left section into the middle first. Keep braiding and tie the end with a hair elastic.
- Repeat with the right pigtail braid. Include the left braid into the middle section and braid until the end. Cross the right section over first so that the braid sits flat. Secure the end with your hair elastic.
- Stretch your braids out so you can see the criss cross braids. I don’t like to make girls’ braids too loose as you want them to stay in all day while they run around and have fun. They’ll make it messy in their own way.
Styling Tips
- Brush your hair before you braid so you don’t get any knots or tangles.
- Angle your braids – as you braid the criss-cross top sections, angle your braids in the direction your want them to sit. This will avoid any weird sections poking out later.
- For the pigtails – as I wrote in my step-by-step, cross the outer sections of the braid over first (ie. the left section of the left braid and the right section of the right braid) so that the hair sits better.
- Hair elastics – depending on your hair, you can remove the hair elastics holding the ends of the criss-cross braids as your include them in the pigtail braids. That way you’ll only need two elastics to do this style.
What was your favourite hairstyle to wear to school?
If you try this style I’d love to see a photo. Tag me #hairromance on Instagram or post it to my Facebook page!
For more back-to-school hair ideas, you might also like my Bubble Ponytail tutorial.
