Yes, that "Mr. Rogers' -- he of the "neighborhood" -- taught me how to divide my hair into three sections, take the left section and pull it into the middle, and repeat with the right. I was 5-years-old and could hardly tie my shoes, but I could do a mean braid. Thank you PBS.
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From then on, I started braiding everything I could get my hands on. All of my Barbies had golden blonde braids (that revealed ugly plastic bald spots on their heads) and every kid in my class had a custom-braided friendship bracelet -- whether they wanted it or not.
My knack for plaiting has served me well throughout the years and now that braids have become some of the hottest styles on the red carpet, I'm happy that it's a skill I honed early on because, let's face it, some of those styles can be intimidating to attempt.
Whether you missed that seminal episode of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," or just need a refresher course to catch you up to snuff, check out the easy how-tos below to recreate the 7 braided looks I can't get enough of:
Level: Easy
Best for: Any length, straight or wavy hair
Step 1: Start a French braid on one side of your head near your temple. Start braiding like you normally would until you're about three inches away from your temple. (See how to do a French braid in this video tutorial.)
Step 2: Grab a section of hair from above your braid and bring that section into the middle of the braid.
Step 3: Pick up a piece from the bottom section of the braid, but before you pull it across to the middle, drop half of the new bottom section (that originally came from the top of your hair) out of your hands.
Step 4: Pick up a new section of hair from underneath your braid so you have three sections again.
Step 5: Repeat steps 2 through 4 until you've reached the other side of your head (try to angle the braid as you go so it ends up near your ear). Make sure you are holding each section of hair tightly as you braid.
Level: Easy
Best for: Long, wavy, or curly hair
Step 1: Imagine your hair separated into four quarters. Grab 2-inch sections from the top, left, and right sides; then pull them back toward the crown of your head to see how the hair best lays against your head. This is the direction in which you'll want to braid it.
Step 2: Starting 1 inch from your hairline, braid each side back and secure with a clear elastic.
Step 3: Cross the braids in the back and tuck the ends under to form a "wreath." Secure ends with bobby pins.
Step 4 (optional): For a more glamorous look, wrap the rest of your hair into a bun.
Step 5: Control flyaways by setting with strong-hold hairspray.
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Level: Easy
Best for: Long, wavy, or curly hair
Step 1: Make a side ponytail at the nape of your neck.
Step 2: Separate it into two sections, leaving out a long 1-inch piece underneath.
Step 3: Take the 1-inch piece and wrap it in a figure 8 pattern around each of the two ponytail sections.
Step 4: Each time you pull the 1-inch piece through the middle, add a bit of hair from the ponytails (similar to how a French braiding technique). This keeps you from running out of hair to wrap around the ponytails.
Step 5: Secure with a clear elastic and shape the braid with your fingers.
Step 6: Set with strong-hold hairspray.
Level: Intermediate
Best for: Any length, straight or wavy hair
Step 1: If you have time, spray your hair with heat protectant and curl all of it with a double-rod curling iron (try the Nalu waver, $179.99). This will give you structured waves sans the frizz.
Step 2: Part hair in the center and identify where you would normally section your hair if you were putting it half up. That's where you'll want to do the braid.
Step 3: On one side of your head, do a tiny side braid starting about an inch from your hairline and moving back toward the center of your head.
Step 4: Pin the braid in place underneath the hair in the back.
Step 5 (optional): Repeat on the other side.
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Level: Intermediate (only because you have to braid sideways!)
Best for: Any length, straight or wavy hair
Step 1: Make a slight side part.
Step 2: Do a tiny (and we mean tiny!) French braid from the scalp down the side of your head. (If it's going awry, start over. This time, find and work with the section of hair that falls naturally where you want the braid. Braid in that direction.)
Step 3: Pin the braid in place a few inches above your ear.
Level: Intermediate
Best for: Long, thick, wavy, or straight hair
Step 1: Tease hair and lightly smooth it out at the crown for height, if necessary.
Step 2: Split hair in two sections, left and right.
Step 3: On each side, reverse French braid the entire section until you get to the spot behind your ear.
Step 4: Switch from a French braid to a regular braid and finish braiding each section away from your head. Secure each side with a clear elastic.
Step 5: Wrap one braid from left to right at the nape of your neck, securing with large hair pins (available at a beauty supply store) or bobby pins as you go. Coil the opposite braid underneath it and secure into a bun.
Step 6: If desired, leave out a few pieces around your face and curl them with a curling iron for a soft, romantic touch.
Step 7: Set with strong-hold hairspray.
Level: Difficult
Best for: Long, wavy, thick hair
Step 1: If you have time, curl all your hair with a double-barrel curling iron.
Step 2: Gather hair behind your left ear.
Step 3: Loosely braid your hair toward the nape of your neck and over your right shoulder. (You can start with a French braid, then switch to a regular braid once you've started braiding away from your head.) Set the braid itself with strong-hold hairspray.
Step 4: Secure with a clear elastic and pull out a few chunks to give it that girly, imperfect look.
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