Plaits and Buns, Part 3- The French Plait

French Plait

We've come now to the last plait. To do a french plait you will need:

• a pin tail comb
• brush
• elastics
• sectioning clips (optional)
• hair pins / Kirby gribs (optional)

Again make sure to comb the hair properly before you start. Divide the hair in 3 equal sections and start off  the first row (you can also do the first 2 rows if you want to) like you would do with a normal plait. Then take a small section of hair from the side where your new middle section bit is coming from and take with over. Do the same to the other side and just keep doing it until you are done >don't take hair from both sides at the same time< But I decided that I will also post a how-to picture here, because I have a feeling that I am not good at explaining ^^

(source: http://motherlove.me/2014/07/10/the-beautiful-french-plait/)

Hope this is helpful.

What I should definitely remember for next time is to keep the hair tight because you can obviously see that my plait isn't tight enough. It's probably okay if you intend to do a loose french plait but I didn't. Also I should start the french plait more in the middle because I had some remaining hair in the back.

Now just some  pictures to get some more inspiration.

(source: http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy-hair-type-2/8-hot-summer-braids/)

An upside down french plait. Very nice with buns. 

 (source: http://royoyo.com/10/double-french-braid-hairstyle.html)

Jessica Alba Red Carpet Look

 (source: http://www.bridesmagazine.co.uk/hair-and-beauty/galleries/2012/03/bridal-hair-inspiration/gallery#!photo7)

 (source: http://williamlevybuzz.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/french-plait-hairstyle.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_corsets)

Miranda Kerr. Interesting here is that they used lace( you could also use ribbon, cord, etc)to connect the two french plaits and making it look like a corset.

(source: http://www.anesakajtazovic.net/french-braid-hairstyles/)

Plaits and Buns, Part 2- The Fishtail Plait

Fishtail Plait

I personally really like doing fishtail plaits, so when we did it in lesson I quite enjoyed it.

What you need:

• elastics
• pin tail comb
• and if you are not doing the whole head you maybe need sectioning clips to get the hair you don't use out off  your way

First of all brush the hair and section it in 2 parts. Remember that the sections need to be the same size! Doing a fishtail plait is quite easy because you basically just take hair from one side(take it from the outside of the section not inside) and bring it over to the other side.Then you take hair from the outside of the other section and bring it over as well. And that's what you do until you are finished. It's an easy plait BUT it can take quite long especially if you have long hair.

I found this picture and I think it describes quite well what I just said. Just for those who have to see how something is done ,to understand it. ( someone like me ^^)

(source: http://www.saschabreuer.com/blog/?p=962)

And here are my pictures

When you do fishtail plaits remember to hold the hair tight and keep the plait tight as well. Afterwards you can pull some hair sections out and make it messy. But as you can see in my pictures I started off to loosely. Also from pulling the hair sections a bit out you create more volume in the plait.

Now I will show you some picture of fishtail plaits I found on the internet which I really like or are very interesting .

Starting off with Blake Lively's Red Carpet look where she has her hair in a fishtail plait and just looks super gorgeous.  I love Blake Lively and she always looks great so what else can I say?.Just have a look at the pictures:)

(source: http://sunflowerstyleblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/29/tutorial-tuesday-6-fishtail-braid-inspired-by-blake-lively/ and http://smithandsmith.co.uk/hair-cuts-styles/festival-hair-get-the-rock-chick-look/)

 (source: http://www.saschabreuer.com/blog/?p=962)

 (source :http://intothegloss.com/2013/07/lucky-magazines-how-to-tie-a-fishtail-braid-hair-style-tutorial/)

(source : http://bridalmusings.com/2011/09/intricate-edgy-unique-fishtail-braids-for-boho-brides/)

And now some fishtail plaits that are more complicated (not all of them^^) but very interesting and amazing. I will definitely try some of these out!

 (source: http://www.hji.co.uk/hairstyle-gallery/2012-fishtail-plaits-long-hair-hairstyle/)

 (source: http://edgefashionblog.tumblr.com/post/1546529732/fishtail-plaits)

 (source: http://longhairstyleblog123.com/41232-how-to-style-fishtail-braid)

 (source: http://insignificant.be/en/party-hairstyle-the-fishtail-braid/)

 (source: http://www.mynewhair.info/hairstyle-image-search/blonde-hair/crazy-fishtail-braid/)

 (source: http://www.kissandmakeup.tv/2013/08/plaits_braids_celebrities_inspiration_hairstyle.html)

This one is not too difficult because it's basically just a fishtail plait wrapped around the head.

(source: http://www.girlsgonehair.com/tag/fishtail-braids/)

Plaits and Buns- Part 1 - The Plain Plait

Plain Plait

Just one thing before I talk about how to do a plain plait. Always comb through the hair properly to make sure you don't have any knots in it. It is really frustrating to have suddenly a big knot appearing while you are doing a plait or anything else. Secondly, always have clean sections of hair.

Let's get started. I think a plain plait is quite easy to do and I don't think there is much you can explain but I will give it a try:)

First of all you need:

• pin tail comb 
• brush
• elastics

Start with splitting up the hair in 3 equal sections. Then you take the left section and lay it over the middle section. After that you take the right section and lay it over the new middle section. Then you take the left side again and so on.Of course you don't necessarily have to start with the left side. You can also start with right. Whatever suits you the best.

Here are now some pictures I took of the plain plaits I did during lesson.

Elizabethan head coverings, Part 5- The Pillbox Hat

The Pillbox Hat

(source: http://webspace.webring.com/people/lo/oonaghsown/curves/pill_box_hats.htm)

The Pillbox Hat is a small hat that looks like a half sized Fez. The top of the hat is flat and it has no brim. It was worn mostly at the back of the head and was decorated with pearls, ribbons and jewels. Sometimes a veil was attached to the pillbox hat.

Here are some more samples on how a pillbox hat can look like.

(source: http://www.sewingcentral.com/cgi-bin/Web_store/web_store.cgi?page=lmm06.html&cart_id=56537_2042)

(source: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/570972058980468400/)

Portrait of a Lady

(source: http://webspace.webring.com/people/lo/oonaghsown/curves/pill_box_hats.htm)

Isabel de Valois, 1560, painted by Alonso Sánchez Coello

(source: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/411797959649612422/)

This portrait shows Queen Elizabeth I in "The Sieve Portrait" around 1583. It was painted by Quentin Metsys the Younger

Elizabethan head coverings, Part 4- The Attifet

The Attifet

(source: http://www.fynehats.com/blackattifets.htm)

The Attifet was almost like the French hood. The only difference was that it was heart shaped and not crescent shaped like the French hood. Lace was added as well.

(source: http://trystancraft.com/costume/2012/01/29/elizabethan-wired-caps-preview/)

This is a portrait of Mary Queen of Scots by Nicholas Hilliard in 1578

(source: http://armedandslightlydangerous.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/attifet.html)

Mary Queen of Scots

Elizabethan head coverings, Part 3- The Coif

The Coif

(source: http://dressingterpsichore.artemis.io/the-coif-question/)

The coif was a close fitting cap made of white linen. It was often used to keep the hair in place and worn under more elaborate hats. Furthermore the coif was worn by all classes but of course depending to which class you belonged to the decoration of the coif changed. The coif's during the Elizabethan era  were decorated with blackwork embroidery or lace.

(source: http://web.comhem.se/~u31138198/whitecap.html)

Portrait of a Lady by Anthonis Mor around 1555-1560

(source: http://thepragmaticcostumer.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/the-ultimate-one-pattern-piece-project-elizabethan-coif/)

Portrait of a bride by Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck

(source: http://www.wornthrough.com/2009/07/22/an-english-coif-with-embroidery/)

Coif with blackwork embroidery 

Elizabethan head covering, Part 2- The French hood

The French Hood

(source: https://bellflowercostuming.wordpress.com/tag/french-hood/)

The french hood had a crescent shaped kind of Alice band with a veil covering the back. The edges were often decorated with pearls or jewels (called bilaments/billiments). Anne Boleyn, being raised in France, was the person that primarily introduced the French hood to England.

(source: http://www.thetudorswiki.com/page/HOODS+%26+Headdresses++on+The+Tudors)

Anne Boleyn

(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_hood)

Elizabeth Seymour painted by Hans Holbein the Younger around 1540

(source: https://hathawaysofhaworth.wordpress.com/page/6/)