Man Braid

A man braid is a take on the man bun. It starts out as a French braid (or two) and ends in a bun. You will need to have a fade or an undercut where your hair is a few inches/centimeters long at top, and shaved down the sides. If your hair is the same length all over, consider taking a look at the regular braiding article instead.

Steps

Doing a Basic Man Braid

1. Start with a fade or Do Undercut Hair for Men. This is where your hair is longer at top and shaved down the sides. You will need this to get the right look.
2. Gather a triangle-shaped section from your hairline. Place your thumbs to either side of your temples, right where your hair starts to get long. Push them back through your hair, angling them until they touch. Separate this section of hair from the rest. It should only be 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) deep.
3. Split the section into three equal sized sections. Hold the left section in you left hand and the right section in your right.
4. Begin a standard braid. Cross the left section over the middle one, then cross the right section over the middle one.
5. Add some hair to the left strand, then cross it over the middle one. Gather some hair from the left side of your part. Add it to the left strand. Cross the now-thicker left strand over the right one.
   • If you are having trouble with this, try crossing the left strand over first, then adding the strand to it (now in the middle).
6. Repeat the process on the right side. Gather some hair from the right side of your part. Add it to the right section, then cross it over the middle one.
7. Continue braiding in this fashion until you run out of hair. This style of braiding is also known as "French braiding." When you have no more hair to gather into your "French" braid, stop.
   • Work in small sections and keep the braid nice and tight.
8. Decide if you want a regular bun or a braided bun. If you want a regular bun, tie your hair off into a ponytail now with a clear hair elastic. If you want a braided bun, braid the rest of your hair like normal, then tie it off with a clear hair elastic.
   • To do a regular braid, simply cross the left and right strands over the middle one.
9. Twist your hair into a bun. If you left your hair as a ponytail, twist it into a rope first, then coil it into a bun. If you did a braid, simply coil it into a bun.
10. Tuck in the ends and secure the bun. Use your fingers to tuck the tail end of your ponytail/braid under the bun. Slide two or three bobby pins through the bun to help keep it together.
11. Set the style with hairspray. Again, you don't really have to do this, but your braid will last a lot longer if you do, especially if your fade/undercut was not that long to begin with.

Doing a Double Braided Bun

1. Being with a fade or Do Undercut Hair for Men. This means that your hair should be longer on top and shaved down the sides.
2. Part your hair down the center. Run the handle of a rat-tail comb through the middle of your hair, starting at your forehead and ending at your crown. Brush the left side to the left and the right side to the right.
3. Twist and clip the right side out of the way. If you don't have a hair clip, you can twist the hair into a loose bun and secure it with a hair tie.
4. Split the front of your hair into three sections. Go to the left side of your hair. Gather some hair from your hairline and slit it into three, equal-sized sections.
5. Braid the sections for two stitches. Cross the left strand over the middle one, then cross the right strand over the middle one.
6. Add some hair to the left strand, then cross it over. Gather some hair from the left side of the part, right where your hair starts to get long. Add it to the left section to make it thicker, then cross it over the middle one.
7. Repeat the process for the right strand. Gather from hair from your part. Add it to the right strand, then cross the now-thicker strand over the middle one.
   • Some people find it easier to cross the strand first, then add the hair to it.
8. Continue to braid in this fashion until you run out of hair to gather. Continue adding strands of hair to the left and right sections before crossing them over. Keep the sections as small and tight as possible. Stop when you reach the back of your undercut and you have no more hair left to gather.
   • This style of braiding is also known as "French braiding."
9. Decide whether you want a regular bun or braided bun. If you want a regular bun, tie your hair off now with a clear elastic into a ponytail. If you want braided bun, continue braiding your hair as normal until you have about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) left, then tie it off with a clear hair elastic.
10. Repeat the process on the right side of your head. This time, start by crossing the right strand over the middle one first. Finish off with a ponytail or a regular braid, depending on what you did before.
    • You don't need to tie the ponytail off, but you need to tie the braid off.
11. Coil your hair into a bun if you did two ponytails. Gather the two ponytails together into one ponytail, and secure everything with a clear elastic. Twist the large ponytail into a rope, then coil it into a bun. Secure it with two to three bobby pins.
12. Coil your hair together into a braided bun if you ended with two braids. Bring the left regular braid up to the right French braid. Tuck the end under the braid, then secure it with a bobby pin. Next, bring the right regular braid over to the left French braid. Tuck the tail out of sight, then secure it with another bobby pin.
13. Set the style with hairspray, if desired. You don't really have to do this, but it will help the braid last a lot longer.

Tips

• If you have textured or ethnic hair, consider doing a cornrow or two instead. Remember to apply you usual hydrating cream!
• Try it with a Dutch braid! Instead of crossing the left and right strands over the middle one, cross them under it instead.
• Tug on the loops forming the French braid for more volume.
• If you have black or dark brown hair, you can use a black hair elastic instead.
• If you can't find any black or clear hair elastics, you can use a mini hair tie instead.
• You can create as many French braids as you want. For a Viking style, try three!

Things You'll Need

• Rat-tail comb
• Clear, elastic hair ties
• Bobby pins (optional)
• Hairspray (optional)

Sources and Citations

See also

• Ask for the Haircut You Want
• Wear Extensions with Short Hair
• Razor Cut Your Own Hair
• Style Your Hair for a Workout
• Crinkle Hair
• Use Clip‐In Bangs
• Do Ruby Rose Hair
• Point Cut Hair
• Wear Your Hair with a Hat
• Create Corkscrew Curls

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