Half-up braided crown

Whenever we did hair tutorials in the past, we got tons of comments requesting curly hair and short hair tutorials. So we've put together four new posts—two for curly hair and two for short hair. Thanks for the encouragement! Here, my hair-stylist friend Reagan, who has gorgeous curls, shows how to do a half-up braided crown. Here are her steps...

1. Part your hair down the middle, and gather together a large section of hair on one side. (I like to pull pieces down in the front so I have softness around my face.)
2-4. Braid the section. Start loosely at the top, working backwards in the direction that you want the braid to go (so rather than braiding straight down, you want to braid back, so the braid is at a slight slant). Secure with an elastic.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6-7. Cross the first braid behind your head so that the braid swoops down to the nape of your neck (it’s a more feminine, flattering and grown-up look than crossing it directly across the back of your head). Pin in place with bobby pins, making sure to tuck in the tail. (If your braid is quite long, you can fold the tail in half and tuck it behind the braid.)
8. Repeat on the other side.
Thank you so much, Reagan! This would be perfect for Valentine's Day or night out with friends; it's so relaxed and beautiful.

P.S. 14 more hair tutorials...

(Photos by Alpha Smoot for Cup of Jo. Styling and modeling by Reagan Baker of Hairdresser on Fire)