I'm excited to share another hair tutorial! My friend (and hair genius) Caroline adores this gorgeous pretzel braid, which she says is easy enough for brides to do themselves. So, we met at our favorite wedding shop, and Jamie Beck took photos. Doesn't her hair look breezy and romantic?Here are Caroline's steps, if you'd like to try it out...
"I have a friend who was an Irish dancer, and she would always wear her hair in amazing elaborate braids. This one is not-too-fussy (my favorite way to wear my hair) and would look so pretty for an evening wedding or outdoor summer party."--Caroline1. Start by making two pigtails, using rubber bands. Make them a bit higher up on your head.
2. Braid both pigtails...
3. ...and secure ends with a rubber band.
4-6. Remove the top rubber bands from the pigtails.
7. Cross one braid over the other.
8. Starting with the braid that's now on top, create a sort of "C" shape and pin. It doesn't have to be precise; you just want to have a nice curved shape from the braid.
9. Make the same curved shape with the other braid and pin. Curve it up and over the top of the braid you just pinned down.
10. Ultimately, you want to get a nice sort of pretzel or knot shape from the two braids. Tuck the ends of both braids behind the knot and pin them down securely.
Voila! Isn't it gorgeous? Would you wear it to your wedding (or a summer party)? This is one of my favorite hair tutorials of all time! Please ask any questions in the comments below; the instructions are a little tricky...P.S. Seven genius hair ideas.
(Photos by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. In the step-by-step photos, Caroline is wearing an Eberjey robe. In the wedding photos, Caroline's wedding dress is by Ivy & Aster from Lovely, a gorgeous bridal boutique in the West Village. Her jewelry is from her own line, Brvtvs, and her lip color is lipstick is NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Damned.)
For sure. Love it. I have a similar style that I do on my blog, classylilsassy.com. Mine looks intricate but is so simple.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful...I think that's a great everyday hairstyle as well!
ReplyDeleteloooooooove.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful and it looks easy to do! We are going for a little summer party this Friday night and I'm totally going to wear this hairdo. Thanks, Joanna. Btw: Caroline looks stunning in that dress.
ReplyDeletei'm probably going to wear this - even though i'm not getting married any time soon. ;)
ReplyDeletelove, rach.
www.so--hi.blogspot.com
You have the prettiest friends! And that little lace jacket is so delicate and lovely.
ReplyDeletelove it!
ReplyDeletei love these posts! i'm sporting the messy bun today!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, are those rosettes?? I thought that was lace. Even prettier!
ReplyDeleteThe model is lovely but I am not liking the hairdo for something as formal as a wedding. I am not big on braid to begin with and it looks a little too messy.
ReplyDeleteI would certainly do this for my wedding! I love love love it. Saving for later :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great hairstyle, I prefer it more for day to day than for a wedding, but that's just me
ReplyDeletehttp://chicgeekery.blogspot.com/
love it! so pretty
ReplyDeleteSo very beautiful. Just lovely.
ReplyDeleteI looks quite tricky but I am going to try it out. Caroline is one hair genius, that's for sure. Great post, beautiful model, lovely dress, and stunning photos... I hope these tutorials never stop!
ReplyDeletethis is so lovely! i will give it a try (as i do with all of these lovely tutorials) and fingers crossed i'll finally have a winner that makes it outside the house! :)
ReplyDeletei'm going to try it, but i am confused about the "c shape" part.
ReplyDeletewould you consider doing videos as well in the future? sometimes it helps to see the action
That is awesome. I'd wear this hair do on a regular basis not just for a wedding!
ReplyDeleteFashionable Collections Giveaway
I LOVEEE HER HAIR, I'VE ACTUALLY TRIED SEVERAL OF THIS HAIR TURORIALS AND PPL ALWAYS COMPLIMENTS :) I ALSO LOVE HER HAIR COLOR, I TRIED DOING IT AND MY FRIEND TOTALLY MESSED UP MY HAIR SOOOOOOO BAD :'(
ReplyDeletePinning as potential wedding hair immediately.
ReplyDeleteLOVE!! It looks so easy too! I love throwing up my hair and it still looks great. My favorite of all time!
ReplyDeleteLOVE this! It actually looks easy enough to try!
ReplyDeleteOhh lovely!!
ReplyDeleteI love braids!
From Beate (Norway)
Hi Kendra! The "c" shape is just how the braid curves. It will be easier to understand once you have the actual braid in your hand. You just sort of want to make it into a nice curve, it doesn't have to be a perfect shape! Good luck!
ReplyDeletethis is gorgeous for a cute little casual wedding look!
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I love braids! This is adorable, going to give it a go! xo
ReplyDeleteI love your hair tutorials!
ReplyDeletethis is beautiful! love the hair the dress ahhh!
ReplyDeleteExtraordinarily beautiful. I agree, the looser, less structured braid is so, so stunning. And the photos are lovely! Have you seen the lookbook collection of Rodarte for Opening Ceremony? I just came across it this week. The braids worn by the models are very similar. Here's a blog post and a link to it, if you are at all interested: http://ciaraobscura.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeletep.s. Lovely Bridal always makes me gasp... what a great collection of designers they have!
I just tried this and love it. Thanks so much! It's easy and makes a simple jeans and T-shirt look a little dressed up.
ReplyDeleteEs precioso!
ReplyDeleteSaludos Da & Mer
yes, anonymous, i agree! would be perfect for a rainy saturday, too :)
ReplyDeleteOh I love it. What a sweet variation on a low chignon.
ReplyDeleteI have a pixie, but this is making me wish for long hair again. sigh.
Adorable! I really do LOVE all your hair tutorials, but can I make a friendly request? It would be nice to see some tutorials for girls who don't have long, silky straight hair! Different hair textures, lengths, etc!
ReplyDeletebeautiful, joanna!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! Makes me wish I had hair long enough to do this.
ReplyDeletecaroline is gorgeous!!! she is my internet girl crush ;-)
ReplyDeleteEs una preciosidad, un peinado magnífico!
ReplyDeleteSaludos Da & Mer
Every time I see a new hair tutorial, I wish my hair were longer. You may have just convinced me to grow it out with this post, Joanna! :)
ReplyDeleteI think that besides your husband and child that you were made for me. I've exhausted all efforts finding a stylist to do my hair for a wedding I'm attending tomorrow and this is so similar to what I wanted. You're the best!
ReplyDeleteTab
my-cliffnotes.blogspot.com
so beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteThis looks curiously simple but really gorge. I'm going try out! Thanks for the great step by step!
ReplyDeleteLindo e pratico penteado. Gostei muito.
ReplyDeletebeautiful, bravo! thanks caroline, jamie, and joanna!
ReplyDeletethis is one of my favorites so far! so beautiful and classic. i'm going to test it out later!
ReplyDeleteThese photos are lovely, and I like that the pretzel braids aren't too tight. Personally, I'm a big fan of brides who wear their hair down and flowing. I wore mine in loose curls for my recent wedding.
ReplyDeleteHow about a make up tutorial for this photo shoot? I am loving those raspberry lips!!!
ReplyDelete1. I love the tutorials, if I ever have a wedding, I would do my own 'do, I feel like I know my hair best!
ReplyDelete2. A video to accompany the photos would be sooo helpful! Though the pictures are beautiful on their own.
3. Slightly irrelevant, but which necklaces from her collection is Caroline wearing?
this is a great style to wear to look naturally beautiful - gorgeous, but not as if you have put too much effort into it.
ReplyDelete::sigh:: I don't think you need to be a 'hair genius' to work with those fabulous locks, but it would take a hair messiah to make my fine, thin shag look anything but drab. Long, straight, and flat still has its perks though, right? ....right?
ReplyDeleteI did wear a braid (the french kind) to my wedding, and I would certainly wear this gorgeous pretzel variety!
ReplyDeleteKeep the tutorials coming! Gems, every one of them.
Aw, love this hair style. I can't wait to try it out for the weekend.
ReplyDeleteoh oh thank you for this hair inspiration! I am going to try ALL of the tutorials - I am in quite a hair rut at the moment and in desperate need of some direction!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely braid!
ReplyDeleteVery, very cute, but I'm a bit confused.
ReplyDelete9. Make the same curved shape with the other braid and pin. Curve it up and over the top of the braid you just pinned down.
Do you 'curve it up and over the top. . . ' after you make the curved shape with the second braid and pin?? Or do you curve it up and over the top of the first braid and then pin? I get a bit lost somewhere when those c shapes come into play. I'd love a little clarification!
Thanks so much; really love these tutorials and have had good luck with them thus far.
wow, this is gorgeous! i must give it a try...
ReplyDeleteand i love those streaks of white the model has in her hair!
pretty, but adds a little bit of spunk
I looove your hair tutorials! Thank you for sharing, again!
ReplyDeletebreading your own hair is not the easiest think for me. but I do want to try it. thanks. xoxo
ReplyDeletehttp://hellofridaybypaik.blogspot.com/
so simple and beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteLove love love this tutorial! I was going to vet a haircut but this has convinced me to grow my hair long for the autumn. It would be perfect hairstyle for autumn dates or long walks in the evenings..
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteI've been wearing Heidi braids for the longest time now. This hairstyle would be a perfectly romantic alternative to switch things up:)
ReplyDeleteso lovely! i'm a newly engaged girl scouting out hair styles for my christmas eve wedding {oh, yeah, that's right- 4 month engagement!} . . . and this one is definitely on the list . . . so is the dress!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I can attempt that myself, but it looks very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThis is perfectly feminine! Also so intrigued by Caroline's platinum lock of hair. I'm digging that and would love to hear more!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I LOVE the hair tutorials! I have tried almost all of them that you have published and I mix them into my regular everyday hair routine. I get compliments on them and feel good about having interesting things to do with my hair instead of wearing it down all of the time.
ReplyDeleteI was pretty slow to being "girlie" so tutorials really help demystify all of this cool stuff. Thanks so much for posting!
xo
Jamie B.
your hair tutorials are seriously the best!
ReplyDeleteis it ok if i do this not for my wedding, but a night out?
ReplyDeletexo emily
Wow! I love Caroline's rings. Are they from her shop, too? I didn't see them on her site.
ReplyDeleteI actually did something similar to this for my wedding. My sister did it on the morning of our wedding and the end result was so much more relaxed and ‘me’ than anything a stylist could have done.
ReplyDeletewww.toindigo.blogspot.com
some of my very favorite of your posts. just today i wore my hair in a 'do modeled on another of these guys!
ReplyDeleteI would totally wear my hair like this on a date night with my cute husband. It's very pretty pretty!
ReplyDeleteDon Buri- the rings that I'm wearing that you can't find on the site are ones that are new designs that aren't available yet…and one is my mom's high school class ring! Stay tuned though, I'm adding a bunch of new pieces to the line that will be available next week!
ReplyDeleteBriana & Vanessa- it's actually a streak of baby blue, but it looks platinum in the photos because it was a little washed out :)
Anonymous- curve the first braid around, then pin. Then take the second braid and curve it over the other one and pin. Does that help? It doesn't have to be a perfect shape, just something curvy and pretzel like.
Whitney- you'd be surprised, my hair is actually pretty fine and limp. A good volumizing spray goes a long way!
Judy- the necklaces are new for fall, they will be available next week for purchase!
love it! Can you and Caroline show/share some of your fav makeup products and tips. I love the fresh, youthful faces that you both have in these shoots (and your photos) and I'd love to move in that direction. I don't wear much makeup except a little eyeliner, clear mascara and teeny bit of blush. I don't intend to ever wear lots of makeup but I'd love some new products and techniques to try (even as a 29 year old I'm a novice at this whole thing :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a simple way to look beautiful! Too bad I am awful with braids:(!
ReplyDeleteawww, jamie b, thank you, you are cute!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tutorial. this is very cute. i'll try to do it this weekend.
ReplyDeleteXO
I love the hair tutorials that appear here from time to time :D
ReplyDeletedammit hair, grow! I know what to do with you now.
ReplyDeletethanks joanna,
liz
http://kartepaper.blogspot.com/
I love that dress! So elegant and simply beautiful.
ReplyDeleteoooh so pretty!!!
ReplyDeleteLove it but show us curly girls some love :-).
ReplyDeleteAnnnd off to buy that lipstick!
ReplyDeleteI always love the hair tutorials you post! However, they usually don't work for me since I have extremely curly hair. By which I mean natural ringlets that either lead to strangers comparing me to early Roman statues or asking where I get my hair permed. I love braids, but they usually get lost in my curls and sometimes make my hair look like a rats nest. I would love it if you could post a hair tutorial for all us Curly Qs out there. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOkay, could she be more gorgeous????!!!!
ReplyDeleteStunningly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteTruly love this!! Who needs to work when it's Friday...off to attempt this! Much luck needed!
ReplyDeletedon't forget to kick your heels,
Sincerely A
http://tokickyourheels.blogspot.com/
Just gorgeous! I would definitely wear my hair like this for a summer party. Oh how I love Ivy & Aster gowns!
ReplyDeletegorgeous! although all of the hair tutorials deal with long hair. is there any way for caroline to incorporate shorter length hairstyles?
ReplyDeleteAdorable on the girl, but I'm afraid I would look like that Eastern European lady from Dodgeball.
ReplyDeletethat's a great everyday hairstyle as well!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! Caroline and Joanna, can you share some more makeup tips? This is exactly the kind of fresh, natural look I want for my wedding, but am having trouble finding the right products.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI love all of this, but the lipstick is especially gorgeous. I may have to buy it immediately.
ReplyDeleteI love the hair! It's simple but very pretty..
ReplyDeleteI have a blog too, i did all the hair on it. Take a look sometime!
http://sophisticuts-vn.blogspot.com/
I love these tutorials! When my hair gets long I usually get annoyed and end up chopping it off, but these easy hairstyles keep it interesting for me. I think I'll try this one for an upcoming friend's wedding.
ReplyDeleteLove it..You look great.
ReplyDeletehttp://inhalefashionandbeauty.blogspot.com/
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It's so beautiful. I really wish my hair would cooperate. I tried. I guess my hair is too thick. Sigh. It sagged down in 2 seconds flat.
ReplyDeletewhat a gorgeous up do! You make it look so easy!
ReplyDeleteI'm always trying to find pretty hairstyles for work (I'm a personal trainer) that doesn't consist of your basic ponytail. I feel and look more polished and professional but not too made-up. Thanks for the tutorials, please keep them coming!
ReplyDeletewww.spotonfitness.blogspot.com
Hi there - just checked out your jewelry shop. Sorry to tread towards the not-so-nice side of things, but I'm just a bit stunned so I have to ask: how can you charge so much for gold-filled pieces, using easily purchased readymade supplies? $150 for a necklace with a 20" gold-filled chain (which would cost not much more than $3.00) and a three-holed separator bar (which can be found on etsy for roughly 30 cents) - seriously, it's a bit ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteSimple designs are great, but not really a license to rip people off.
anonymous- normally i wouldn't comment on things like this, i know people's tastes differ and my jewelry isn't for everyone. but i feel the need to defend myself a little bit. i'm sorry if you feel that it's a rip off, but each piece is entirely made by hand, the only things that i don't produce myself are the chains and the clasps...even the jump rings are made from wire and not purchased in bulk. some of the designs are based on simple things and used as inspiration, yes, but the actual elements on my pieces are not found objects. i could easily buy things from china and just assemble them together, but i take the time to craft each element. you may think you can easily reproduce something, and that's great, you don't have to buy my stuff. but a lot of time and effort is spent making each piece and creating and maintaining a brand.
ReplyDeletea lot of the items out there in fashion are marked up tremendously. it takes a lot of work designing something and actually seeing it come to fruition and making a brand for yourself. i know you weren't trying to be particularly mean, but i felt the need to shed light on the fact that i do make each piece by hand...although to you, it may seem otherwise.
-caroline
hello
ReplyDeleteje suis toujours aussi fan de tes post !!!
if you want more hair tutorials you shuold watch this web site created by a famous french hair dresser :
http://cutbyfred.com/category/hair-tutorials/page/2/
love . load hugs for little toby
This is so feminine and pretty! I can't wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletehttp://becauseimtwentysomething.blogspot.com
J'aime beaucoup très romantique .
ReplyDeleteSéréna
Love this!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely trying this!
Gorgeous.
♥
http://gloriousdaisies.blogspot.com/
So very beautiful. Just lovely. thanks for sharing it!!
ReplyDeleteTheme Wedding
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI love the makeup you wore in this post and have been looking for a similar look to try for my wedding next spring...I know, such a long way in advance, but I'm a planner by nature. Anyways, I actually just bought the Nars lip pencil in Damned and it was really dark on me, did you mix it with anything? - or could you recommend a lighter color that would still have the fresh/pink/berry effect? Also, what blush were you wearing? Thanks so much!
HURRAY! another hair tutorial - thanks. CoJ hair tutorials rock!
ReplyDeletei love your blog so much and you look absolutely gorgeous in all your pictures! please do another blog post soon! wedding makeup artist Sydney, bridal makeup artist Sydney
ReplyDeleteVery effective piece of writing, thanks for your post.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletei shared it on my blog and even tried it out!
http://marlagrace.blogspot.com/2011/10/braided-bun.html
beauty tips that good, now put them into practice
ReplyDeleteand be more beautiful every day
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That's so beautiful! I would love to do this hairstyle everyday :)
ReplyDeleteI'm seriously horrible at doing anything with my hair. But with you beautiful photographs and easy instructions, I was able to pull the pretel braid off. Thanks so much for the tutorial. I'll be walking around town with a stylish updo!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Thank you! Thank you!