How to create 3 different plaits

Creating a standard plait

• Separate the hair into 3 equal strands. Hold 2 strands in your right hand with your palm facing up. Hold the third strand in your left hand.
• Turn your right hand over so your palm is now facing down. This makes the right strand now in the middle and the middle strand on the right.
• Switch hands and hold right strand in the right hand and the middle strand and left strands in the left hand with palm facing up. Turn your left hand until your palm is facing down.
• Repeat steps 1 - 3 until there is no hair available to braid. Fasten with a hair band.

A basic plait

Creating a french plait

• Take 3 sections of hair and plait as normal to give tension
• Take a section of hair from the opposite side to which the middle piece is facing
• Pull this onto the middle piece (leaving you with 3 strands still)
• Continue the plait until you get a new middle piece 
• Take a piece of hair from the other side and pull over the middle piece

Continue doing this until there is no more hair left to plait

A french plait

Creating a fishtail plait

• Part the hair into 2 equal sections 
• Take a small strand of hair from one side and cross it over to the other side
• Repeat with the opposite side
• Continue this until there is no hair left to plait
• Do not do this too tight, and do not take strands which are too large 
• If you are finding it difficult or it is your first time, I recommend putting the hair into a ponytail first and plaiting the ponytail

My 1st attempt

My 2nd attempt

My 3rd attempt

Fishtail plaits were the only plait out of the 3 that I had never attempted before, but by the 3rd attempt I think I was beginning to get it right and it worked quite effectively. I began learning the correct size of the strands that I should be adding, how tightly I should be pulling and how much tension there should be, and just in general how to hold and create the plait.

The key thing to remember is practice makes perfect!