A French Braid or chignon (sometimes spelled as “charles”) is a very trendy popular form of formal hair style. The origin of the word “chignon,” from the French word chignon, means half-crest. Originally, this type of haircut was worn by nobility and the clergy. Today, chignons are commonly used by men and women who desire a stylish, edgier hairstyle with a nice texture. But in general, chignons are good looks for any age.
Step 1 – Work on the top edge of the chignon, starting at the bottom edge and working upwards. Gently pinch the underside of the knot and gently brush through to smoothen the hair. (If you want to avoid a messy look, you can just leave the knot alone and work from the scalp to the ends.) Secure the end of your chignon by adding a small elastic to the middle of the section you are working with now.
Step 2 – Now work on the fringe part of your chignons. You can start by creating loops by wrapping a yarn tightly around itself and then untwisting the yarn so that it is loose enough to wrap itself around itself again. You can also create loops by wrapping a single yarn tightly around itself and then tying off the end so that it forms a loop. These loops will become the ends of your chignons.
Step 3 – Work on the hair at the bottom part of your chignons. This is the part you don’t see when you are working. Work on smooth hair first and then blend the loose strands together into one smooth mass. Wrap the mass with the rest of your hair and secure with elastic bands or bobby pins.
For the last step just take your styling scissors and cut out small wedges out of the bottom of your chignons. These wedges will be your guide while you continue with the rest of the hair. Take the section of hair you just cut out and gently brush through it so that you do not get pieces stuck in your brush. Secure with elastic bands or bobby pins and you are done! !
Before you let your hair air dry you may want to super tight elastic bands or bobby pins around your chignons to keep them in place. I find these to be quite helpful when they are wet. I hope you have had a great time learning how to do a French braid. Bon Voyage!