Never done a fishtail braid before? The Vintage Modern Wife breaks it down into a few steps that will take your hair from drab to fab in 5 minutes! Check out this first installment of #momhairmonday!

Even though I’m mostly home with Addie during the week, sometimes I just need to throw on some makeup and do a cute hairstyle even if I know I won’t be walking out of the house. It helps me stay sane and gives me something fun to do during her nap time. I was so excited when I had my hair in an easy fishtail braid on Periscope the other day (look me up- @mathewsbambina) and everyone was asking for a tutorial. Lucky for you guys- I’m starting a new series on Monday’s called Mom Hair Monday.

The goal of Mom Hair Monday? To give you a cute, functional hairstyle that will take you from drab to fab in 5 minutes. 5 minutes is all we have, right moms? I’ll be showing you my tried and true hairstyles that are no fuss but look like you put in a ton of effort. The first Mom Hair Monday starts NOW and is an easy fishtail braid.

What will you need for your easy fishtail braid?

2 clear hair elastics

a brush (I love the Wet Brush)

a rat tail comb

Never done a fishtail braid before? The Vintage Modern Wife breaks it down into a few steps that will take your hair from drab to fab in 5 minutes! Check out this first installment of #momhairmonday!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Use your rat tail comb to tease your hair at the crown to give a little lift to your hair. Go as simple or dramatic as you like! Then, brush and smooth your hair into a side ponytail beside your ear. Secure the ponytail with a clear hair elastic. Make sure you secure it not too loose, but not super tight.

2. Split your ponytail into 2 sections. Grabbing from the BACK, take a small section of hair from the left, go OVER the hair and add it to the right section. Then, grabbing from the back again, take a small section of hair from the right, go OVER the hair and add it to the left section. The smaller your sections, the more “fishtail”- like your hair will look.

3&4. Keep repeating this pattern, grabbing from the back, taking your small section of hair, going over the large section, and adding it to the opposite side. When you’re finished, secure your braid with a clear hair elastic very tightly.

5. Take your clear elastic at the top of your braid and either carefully cut it with a pair of scissors, or take the elastic off. This will make your hair look more loose. I like this method because I can really control the tightness of my fishtail braid when I have the elastic at the top.

6. Using the end of your rat tail comb and your fingers, gently pull out some of the sections of your braid to give it a not-so-perfect look. You can tug just a little, or go wild and really make it messy depending on where you’re headed!

So there you have it- an easy fishtail braid tutorial. I suggest practicing once or twice the night before if it’s your first try, but once you learn how to do it, I promise you’ll want to do the fishtail braid more than a typical braid or french braid. Let me know if you try it, and make sure to come back next Monday for another Mom Hair Monday hairstyle!

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