Easy ways to wear braids

Coming up with new ways to wear your hair can be hard at times as we're not all naturally gifted in styling our own locks. Plaits or braids have always been a great way to keep hair under control with minimal fuss, and while Dutch braids might look like their more complicated relative they're actually quite straightforward.

The finish is basically an inside out French braid, you simply plait strands under rather than over each other. The plait then looks like it's on top of your head.

There are a number of ways that you can wear a Dutch braid, not just in the classic straight down the back of your head style. One twist would be to style it across your head into a side braid. Start it roughly over one of your eyes, depending which side of your head you want the braid to come down.

Take a one or two inch section of hair and split it into three. Begin your Dutch braid by bringing the right section under the middle, and the left section under the right. Then add some hair to the middle piece and bring it under. Repeat and continue adding hair close to your hairline and secure at the end with clear elastic.

You could also try a bun. Start by splitting your hair all the way down the middle and Dutch braid your hair on both sides. Overlap both sections and tie together firmly. Overlap the remaining braids one more time and tie above the lower braid.

Then tuck in the ends and your hair elastics behind For shorter styles, the best way to incorporate a Dutch braid into your look is to plait one across the front of your hair.

Start by putting your hair into a deep side part and then separating a one-two inch section of hair along your hairline. You can clip or tie the rest of your hair out of the way. Begin with a small section by your part and split it into three. Form a Dutch braid that follows your hairline, like before bringing the left section under the middle then the left under the right.

Continue to add hair into to your braid by combining more strands with the left and right sides as you braid under into the middle. Continue to your ear and then pin underneath the rest of your tresses.