Braided Crown Updo

I found this updo for my senior prom this year and I absolutely loved it. It was my third prom, and I wanted to do something completely different and more personal to my hair. When I found this picture, I had no idea how to create the look because you can't find a picture of the back of the hair. I ended up with a small bun at the back, and I was very happy with the similarity between the picture and the finished product. For those of you who would like to skip the experimenting, I will provide the steps to successfully create this look.

Step 1: Curl your hair to give it some volume and texture. Loose curls work best... use a 1 1/2 inch curling iron for best results.

Step 2: Part your hair deeply to one side. You will be braiding both sides separately, but the deeper part gives the front the crown effect. 

Step 3: Begin by taking 3 small strands of hair from the deep part and braid them together. Keep adding hair from the top and bottom as you normally would a french braid. Make sure you add loose strands from the top. This look is very messy, so the looser the better.

Step 4: Once you have french braided all the way to your ear, stop taking sections from the bottom of your braid, and only add pieces when you can take them from the top. This will give your braid definition. (continue loosely)

Step 5: Once your reach the back of your head, braid the extra hair normally and secure with a hair tie.

Step 6: Repeat the same process with the other side of your hair. Make sure that you keep a level hand when you are braiding both sides, the higher up the braid is on you head, the more likely your braid will look like the picture.

Step 7: Once both sides are braided, take the braids and tie them together in a knot. You can do this multiple times depending on the length of your hair. Take the knots and pin them close to the head because you don't want the bun to be very noticeable. 

Step 8: To finish the look, be creative. Take a comb with a pointed end and pull some pieces gently from the braid to add texture and depth. The messier the better. If you have short pieces of hair in the front, pull them out completely. Just be careful not to pull too hard and be cautious not to mess up your work. 

Hope this helps! Comment if you have any questions or need further instruction.