Alright, let me tell you about my braided bob adventure last Saturday. I was scrolling through Instagram stories when all these cool braided short hairstyles popped up. Seriously, everyone suddenly had these awesome plaits mixed into their bobs! My boring shoulder-length hair felt so blah compared to those looks.
First Attempt Disaster
Grabbed my rat-tail comb and tiny hair ties thinking, “How hard can this be?” Total mistake. Tried copying this twisted headband braid thing where it’s supposed to hug your hairline. My fingers turned into sausages trying to section the front pieces. Ended up with this crooked braid that looked like a dying caterpillar crawling above my ear. Oh, and I ripped out like six hairs getting the stupid elastic out later.
The YouTube Rescue Mission
Next morning, I hit YouTube hard. Filtered search to “short hair braids beginner” – that’s the key! Found this chill Caribbean auntie’s channel. She used two mirrors to show the back technique, life-changing! Here’s how I finally nailed it:
- Spritzed water on day-old dirty hair (slippery clean hair = braids exploding)
- Sectioned just the top layer with butterfly clips – kept the bottom loose
- Started French braiding RIGHT above my left ear
- Stopped at the crown and secured with clear micro-elastic
- Fluffed the braid to hide wonky bits (genius hack!)
Season Winners I Actually Tested
After three days of practice, here’s what actually worked on my collarbone-length bob:
- The Boho Side Plait: Single fat braid grazing one cheekbone – perfect for hiding grown-out bangs
- Double Dutch Braids: Followed that auntie’s method, stopped at nape and tucked ends under – stayed put through grocery shopping!
- Braided Ponytail Hack: Mini high ponytail with face-framing pieces braided into the base – took 90 seconds tops
Brutal Truths Learned
Texturizing spray is non-negotiable – slick hair unravels in an hour. Those tiny rubber bands? Murder to remove until I soaked ’em in conditioner first. And forehead braids? They’re cute but itch like crazy after two hours. Still worth it though!
