Tips and tricks to braiding long hair by a professional

Here at LongHairGuys.net we do believe that women have a lot to teach us dudes on living life as a long-haired individual. In fact, any time that I have a male customer at our hair salon show some interest in growing his mane long, the first thing that I tell him is to ask any of his female family members about the experience of having long hair. Of course, if he happens to have a long-haired male in his family, then that male would also be a great person to ask, but the vast majority of women have had long hair from a very early age, hence they tend to know all the ins-and-outs of having long hair.

So, sure thing, it’s with braiding hair that many ladies are quite good (without having to even be a hair stylist), so we’ve decided to publish our interview with Katie Williams, a professional hair stylist who specializes in braiding hair and who tells us some nifty tricks that will be of use to you if you ever decide to braid your lustrous locks!

Is my hair long enough to braid?

Whatever you can gather into a ponytail, we can gather into a braid. The most difficult hair to braid is the thick, short, layered style (often accompanied by the client saying “I just got my hair cut last week!”). We can almost always get a pretty braid into hair that is at least chin-length, and sometime even as short as the earlobe.

Long men’s hair is exactly the same as long women’s hair, so the braiding process and how we approach the braiding of the hair is the same for men as it is for women.

What’s the longest hair you’ve ever braided?

This is a photo of Alexa Davis, a filmmaker from San Francisco in California and whose hair reaches to the floor. She has graciously allowed me to braid her hair on several occasions; each style takes several hours, but it takes patience to work with hair that long.

Does it hurt to get your hair braided or get a thick braid?

I’ve had many clients reminisce about how their mother or great-aunt would yank their hair into tight French braids when they were children. However, I myself have an extremely sensitive scalp, and am told that I have very gentle hands. The braids don’t have to hurt to be secure, and I’ll take the extra time to make sure that your braid will stay in firmly without causing headaches or problems.

Should I wash my hair just before getting it braided?

The unexpected answer to that question is “no”. It turns out that freshly-washed hair is much more fly-away and problematic than hair that is one or two days unwashed. The natural oils condition your hair and help it stay in the braid securely. However, if you find that you must shampoo before your braid, go ahead… We’ll make it work out just fine.

Can you braid wet hair?

Yes, although I’m extra-careful with it, as wet hair is much more likely to stretch and break than dry hair. Sometimes, if the hair is fine and we’re in the wind, we’ll sprinkle a few drops to help tame the wispy hair strands.

Do your hands hurt after a long day of braiding?

Honestly, my hands and arms are fine with long braiding sessions – it’s my feet that will ache at the end of the day.

Can you braid just about anything?

I have sometimes been astonished at the things people have asked me to braid, but almost always there’s been a way to do some sort of weave in whatever they’ve put before me. A list of things that I’ve been asked to braid includes: wigs, dogs, a sheaf of wheat, horses’ manes and tails, dolls, several sprigs of lavender, a bowstring, a rope of garlic, a long-haired cat, beards, sideburns, mustaches, belts, and bread. I’ve even braided two people together!

With the popularity of long hair for men, I’ve become more and more interested in braiding long hairstyles for men since you can incorporate braids into many long men’s hairstyles, with the braids (whether just one or several) adding a handsome edge to the hairstyle itself.

What’s the furthest you’ve traveled to do a braid?

In the spring of 2000, I was contacted by a bride in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Not only did she fly me out for the wedding (I braided about a dozen people before and after the ceremony), she invited me to sing as a Renaissance wench during the reception. I’ve flown to a few other weddings, too, and am willing to drive throughout Northern California to serve my clients.

What’s the most strands you can braid?

The most number of strands I can braid with no assistance is nine. If I use a hair clip or an assistant, I can weave a wide swath of hair over 30 strands wide – but these braids often take several hours to complete.

Do you use hairspray or hair styling gel?

I have found that most other braiders who do nine or more strands use hair gel by the gallon. However, I am not a licensed cosmetologist in the state of California, and so I cannot use chemicals on my clients’ hair (I can braid legally, though). I do carry spray and gel for clients to use themselves, once their style is complete. With this said, I prefer a natural hairstyle and approach to braiding hair, whether it is for women or whether it is for men.

Can you cut my hair or add extensions?

Only a licensed cosmetologist can do those things. Sorry, I’m only a braider!

Do you do cornrows?

I am very slow compared to the shops that do cornrows hairstyles professionally, so I do not offer this service.

Do you do hair wraps or “thread dreads”?

I don’t do those colorful hair ornaments, but I can recommend several professional hair wrappers in my area.

Do you have a daughter? I bet she’s got beautiful hair every day!

Funny enough, my daughter inherited my tender head, and she often turns down my offer of a braid. Remember the saying, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes”? Well, the braider’s children have no braids!

How did you learn to do this?

In 1988, I was asked to sit as a hair model in a braiding class at the local university. As the students practiced braiding on my waist-length hair, I listened to the teacher coaching them. I learned how to braid there, and when the teacher left after a year, I took over the class. That winter, I began braiding at renaissance fairs and music festivals. My clients would ask me if I knew how to do a particular braid, and if I didn’t know, I’d find someone to show me.

Do you do other kinds of weaving?

I don’t do any loom weaving, although I was given an antique wooden floor loom as a gift (I intend to set it up and try it out someday when I have the space). I’ve done some bead work and a little quilting. But the thing that reflects the braiding the most is the hobby of juggling – did you know that in the basic cascade juggling pattern, the balls describe a path that would form a braid? Now that’s something you don’t get to hear every day!