French Braid

The French braid is the classic three-strand braid that picks up additional sections of hair as it works down the head, creating a single continuous braid that lies flat against the scalp. It's been around in some form for at least four thousand years (Greek funerary art shows it) but the 'French' branding is firmly 19th-century European. The shape is the same on a six-year-old's school morning and a runway show.

Works on every face shape and every texture, on hair from shoulder-length down. Coily and curly hair benefit because the braid stretches and elongates the curl; straight hair gets the cleanest line; wavy hair sits in between. The classic French goes straight down the back of the head, but the same technique braids on either side, into a crown, or as the start of an updo.

Five minutes once you know it, maybe ten if you're learning — pick up sections from the temples as you weave down, keep tension even. No special products. The French braid is the foundation other braids build on — Dutch braids, milkmaid, halo, fishtail, waterfall — all use variations of the same picking-up motion. Best on second-day hair (slightly textured base holds tension better than freshly washed). For everyday wear, leave a few face-framing pieces out at the temples and slightly loosen the braid after braiding for a softer, less geometric look.