How to Milkmaid Braid Your Hair

Co-authored by Ndeye Anta Niang

Last Updated: April 2, 2024 Approved

A milkmaid braid is a beautiful way to wear your hair up. This hairstyle is basically two braids that are wrapped on top of your head. You can choose different kinds of braids to change up the look. While it may look very complicated, it's actually very easy to pull this hairstyle off.

Easiest Way to Do a Milkmaid Braid

Part your hair down the middle and gather a section of hair on each side of your head. Braid each section and secure each one with an elastic. Pull the first braid up, lay it across the top of your head, and pin it behind your ear with bobby pins. Do the same with the other braid, then use hairspray to set the look.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Prepping and Parting Your Hair

Download Article

1
Prep hair for styling. Brush your hair to get rid of any knots and tangles.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Ndeye Anta Niang
Hair Stylist & Master Braider

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.} If your hair is frizzy, you may also want to apply an anti-frizz cream or serum before your start styling.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Make sure your styling product is evenly distributed throughout your hair before you move on to the next step.
- Deep conditioning your hair before you braid it will make it easier to work with.^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Ndeye Anta Niang
  Hair Stylist & Master Braider
  
  Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
2
Create a center part. This hairstyle looks best with a perfectly straight center part all the way from your forehead to the nape of your neck. Use the pointy end of a rat-tail comb to trace your part and separate the strands.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If you don't have a rat-tail comb, you can also use a pencil or a pair of blunt scissors to separate your part.
- Double check that you have the same amount of hair on both sides.
Advertisement
3
Decide if you want to leave any hair outside of the braids. This hairstyle can be done in two different ways: you can braid all of your hair or you can leave a small amount of hair outside of the braids in the front to frame your face. The choice is entirely up to you.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Braiding all of your hair will result in a sleeker, more polished look, while leaving some strands out will result in a looser, flowier look.
- If you have short bangs, you will probably need to leave them outside of your braids.
4
Consider securing your hair with elastics. Once your hair is parted, you will have to decide if you want to use elastic ties at the base of your braids. If you do use them, they will be visible in the finished hairstyle, so use small ties that are either clear or the same color as your hair.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Using elastic ties will make it easier to braid your hair, so you may want to try it if you're new to braiding.
- If you don't want to use elastic ties at the base of your braids, you may still wish to secure one side of your hair with a tie while you work on braiding the other side. This will keep it out of the way so you don't accidentally mess up your perfect center part.
- You could also consider cutting the elastics once your style is complete. This allows you to begin your braid better and makes it easier to grip your braid. Then, once you finish, simply snip the elastics so that they won't be visible.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Braiding Your Hair

Download Article

1
Decide how tight you want your braid to be. No matter which type of braid you decide to use for this hairstyle, you can choose to make your braid either very tight or a little looser. If you want your finished hairstyle to look very polished, try to make your braids tight, but if you want it to be a little messier and more casual, make them looser.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- You can always loosen you braids up a little later on, but you can't make them tighter without redoing them.
2
Use a classic braid. You can use any kind of braid you want with this hairstyle, but a classic three-strand braid is the most popular. This is also one of the easiest braids to create.
- Start your classic braid by dividing the piece of hair that you want to braid into three equal sections. Use your fingers to keep these sections separated as you work.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
- Cross the left-most section of hair over the center section so that it is now between the two other sections. Then cross the rightmost section over the center section. Each time you cross a section over, it will become the center section.
- Continue following this pattern until you reach the bottom of the braid. Then use an elastic hair tie to secure the braid in place and move on to your next braid.
3
Consider a fishtail braid. A fishtail braid is similar to a French braid, but it has one extra step.^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Ndeye Anta Niang
Hair Stylist & Master Braider

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.} For an interesting twist to this look, you can braid each section of your hair into fishtail braids instead of classic three-strand braids. These braids may look complicated, but they're really quite easy.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- To start your fishtail braid, divide the portion of hair that you want to braid into two halves. Use one of your index fingers to keep the two halves divided.
- Next begin braiding by taking a very small section from the outside of one half and crossing it over to join the other half. Alternate back and forth, taking a small section from the outside of each half, until you reach the bottom of your braid.
- Secure the end with a small elastic hair tie to keep the braid in place, and then move on to your second braid.
4
Try a rope braid. Another simple way to change up the look of this style is to use a rope braid. This is a simple braid that actually involves more twisting than braiding.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Get started by diving the section of hair that you want to braid into two equal halves. Hold each half in one hand.
- Next start twisting both of the strands individually. This will be easier to do if you are holding each section at the very bottom.
- Once each piece is twisted, started twisting them around each other by wrapping one section on top of the other, then underneath and around. Continue doing this until you reach the end of the hair, and then secure with an elastic band. When you're done, move on to your second braid.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing the Up-Do

Download Article

1
Secure the braids on top of your head. Once you've finished both braids, take one and place it across the top of your head, securing it behind your opposite ear with bobby pins. Then do the same with the opposite braid, placing it just behind the first one and securing it behind the opposite ear.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- You can experiment with how close to your forehead you want the braids.
- Once your braids are secured on top of your head, you may decide that you want them a little looser. If so, use your fingers to gently pull the outer loops a bit until you have the look you want. There's no need to take the braid off of the top of your head to do this.
2
Hide the ends of the braids. When securing your braids, do your best to hide the elastic bands and the ends of your hair that aren't braided. You can do this by gently tucking each end under the opposite braid.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- You may want to use a few extra bobby pins to keep the ends in place.
3
Style the front of your hair. If you chose to leave a few strands of hair outside of your braids, you can style them however you like.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- Loose waves look excellent with this kind of look. You can achieve this by spraying the loose strands with a heat protector, then gently wrapping your hair around a curling iron or straightening iron, and then spraying it with hairspray.
4
Finish with hair spray. To keep your hairstyle in place and prevent flyaways, spray on a bit of hairspray when you're done styling. Now you'll have a stylish braided look that will look amazing all day long.^{[15]
X
Research source}

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do you do an upside-down braid?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

You can create an inverted braid by crossing the outer strands of a French braid under the center strand instead of over. You can also braid the hair from the nape toward the hairline, creating a reverse flow.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 5 Helpful 4
Question

How many types of braids are there?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

There are many types of braids, but they are all based on a few techniques. If you can master a plait, French braid, cornrow, four-strand, five-strand, fishtail, and rope braid, you can braid anything!

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 9
Question

What is a milkmaid braid?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

A milkmaid braid is a style of braid with a neat center part that wraps around the head. It is made by creating two pigtail braids and then wrapping them up and around, crossing them over the top of the head.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 4

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

To check if your hair is long enough, try putting it into low pigtails. If the end of each pigtail can't reach over your head and come near the opposite ear, your hair isn't quite long enough.

Thanks
Helpful 15 Not Helpful 2
If you end up with a bump in one of your braids, just use a bobby pin to hold it down.

Thanks
Helpful 8 Not Helpful 1
You need to have long hair for this style. Your tips should come to about the middle of your back.

Thanks
Helpful 8 Not Helpful 6