Dutch Braid Tuck Updo

This updo is perfect for lazy days, or any time you need something super quick to get you out the door. It as easy as french braiding your hair, and can also be done on any texture of hair whether you’ve blow dried, air dried, or whatever else.

Start with whatever hair texture you’ve currently got going on. I happened to have a loosely curled, day old blow out.

Here are the tools you’ll need:

• Bobby pins
• Straight pins

Step 1: Section Your Hair

Grab your hair from temple width back about half way to the crown of your head (Mean Girls tee shirt optional). 

Step 2: Start Braiding

If you learned a regular french braid in grade school, a Dutch braid is exactly the same, but opposite. Instead of braiding over and down in to the braid, you’ll be braiding under and up. This pattern leaves the braid looking like it’s laying on top of your head, rather than tucked in to the knots.

If you’re a Dutch braid virgin, check out the pattern diagram below from our friends at Wikimedia.

Step 3: Tie, Tuck, and Pin

Once you’ve gotten to the end of your head, continue the braid for a few turns before tying a loop at the end with a hair tie. Make a part at the base of your scalp, tuck the end of the braid under itself, and criss cross two bobby pins to secure your hair in to place. Once the bobby pins are secure, take one or two hair pins to finish things off.

Optional Step 4: Got Layers?

If you’ve got layers, like I do, you might end up with a hair or two popping out of place. This is a lot more likely to happen with straight or straightened hair than wavy or curly hair. Grab the misplaced layer and a bobby pin, and pin that unruly little pain in the ass along the braid section it should have been a part of.

All done! Go check out your new awesome style in the mirror. If you want a little bit of a messier look, pull on the pieces of the braid a little to give it a more imperfect look.