Is there some kind of magic trick to do a french plait?

[christmastreewithhairyfairy]

I have had long hair for at least 2 decades, have 2 DDs with longish hair, and feel like I REALLY should know how to french/dutch plait by now. But I can't seem to learn! I have watched countless youtube videos and understand the basic concept, but when I try it on a DD it just looks crap - loose and wobbly. I have never managed to do one on myself at all, I just end up dropping all the strands.

Please say there's some kind of trick I just need to know? Has anyone else been shit at plaiting and then somehow magically learned?

I think it could be the angle at which you're getting the add-in strand from. You should be coming in straight from the side... never up into the middle from a downwards angle, if you want a tightish neat plait.

Experiment with widths and angles.

Dry shampoo if your hair is slipper and silky.
You need some grip.

Not the MN kind of grip, mind you.

Can anyone recommend a good video for doing 'bumpy' French plaits, the ones that lie on top of you get my drift!

dampish or day old hair (iyswim) is best....freshly washed dry hair is too slippy!

this is hard to explain too, but dd's hair is fine so I sometimes take a bit from half way and then plait that in, and the next bit right from the front covers over the half bit...if the pieces you plait in are too big that can end up being baggy if their hair is fine.

Have never been able to do them on my own hair but I've been practicing on DD1. Strangely I find french plaits easier to do but dutch plaits end up looking better?

Here's a recent effort..

www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Dutch-Braid
this shows the technique but the sections are IMO too big, so the plait starts lower than it should. Start with a small bit of hair near the forehead, and keep plaiting the hair into the plait so that all the hair eventually ends up braided into the plait. The plait needs to be fairly tight.

I use a water spray and smooth with a bristle brush as I go - scoop up the new piece of hair, spray a little water, smooth in with a brush then continue. You do need to keep the braid in progress nice and tight in the other hand while you do it

And now I know a bumpy French plait is a Dutch braid! Thanks, going to try it on DD's hair tomorrow for gym.