How to Man Braid

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A man braid, which is very similar to a man bun, starts out as a French braid (or two) and ends in a bun. You will need to have a fade or an undercut where your hair is a few inches/centimeters long at top, and shaved down the sides. If your hair is the same length all over, consider taking a look at the regular braiding article instead.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Doing a Basic Man Braid

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  1. Start with a fade or undercut . This is where your hair is longer at top and shaved down the sides. You will need this to get the right look. [1]
  2. Place your thumbs to either side of your temples, right where your hair starts to get long. Push them back through your hair, angling them until they touch. Separate this section of hair from the rest. It should only be 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) deep. [2]
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  3. Hold the left section in you left hand and the right section in your right.
  4. Cross the left section over the middle one, then cross the right section over the middle one.
    • If you don't know how to braid, see if your barber or hairstylist will help you braid your hair. Try YouTube tutorials for braiding hair. Ask a long-haired friend if you can practice on their hair, or if they can teach you how.
  5. Gather some hair from the left side of your part. Add it to the left strand. Cross the now-thicker left strand over the right one.
    • If you are having trouble with this, try crossing the left strand over first, then adding the strand to it (now in the middle). [3]
  6. Gather some hair from the right side of your part. Add it to the right section, then cross it over the middle one.
  7. This style of braiding is also known as "French braiding." When you have no more hair to gather into your "French" braid, stop.
    • Work in small sections and keep the braid nice and tight.
  8. Twist your hair into a bun . You can either braid the rest of your hair into a bun or stop the braiding at the edge of your scalp and do a regular pony-tail bun. Whatever you chose, coil your hair into a braid and then tie it off with a clear or hair-colored elastic.
  9. Use your fingers to tuck the tail end of your ponytail/braid under the bun. Slide two or three bobby pins through the bun to help keep it together.
  10. 10
    Set the style with hairspray. Again, you don't really have to do this, but your braid will last a lot longer if you do, especially if your fade/undercut was not that long to begin with. [4]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Doing a Double Braided Bun

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  1. Begin with a fade or undercut . This means that your hair should be longer on top and shaved down the sides. [5]
  2. Run the handle of a rat-tail comb through the middle of your hair, starting at your forehead and ending at your crown. Brush the left side to the left and the right side to the right. [6]
  3. If you don't have a hair clip, you can twist the hair into a loose bun and secure it with a hair tie. [7]
  4. Go to the left side of your hair. Gather some hair from your hairline and slit it into three, equal-sized sections. [8]
  5. Cross the left strand over the middle one, then cross the right strand over the middle one.
  6. Gather some hair from the left side of the part, right where your hair starts to get long. Add it to the left section to make it thicker, then cross it over the middle one.
  7. Gather from hair from your part. Add it to the right strand, then cross the now-thicker strand over the middle one.
    • Some people find it easier to cross the strand first, then add the hair to it. [9]
  8. Continue adding strands of hair to the left and right sections before crossing them over. Keep the sections as small and tight as possible. Stop when you reach the back of your undercut and you have no more hair left to gather.
    • This style of braiding is also known as "French braiding."
  9. This time, start by crossing the right strand over the middle one first. [10]
  10. Coil your hair into a bun . If you want to also have a braided bun, weave the two braids together over one another. If you want a regular bun, stop braiding once you can't French braid any longer and gather the two ponytails into one ponytail, securing everything with a clear or hair-colored elastic. Coil your hair into a bun, and secure it with two to three bobby pins. [11]
  11. You don't really have to do this, but it will help the braid last a lot longer.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What are some braid options for a man with short hair?
    Ndeye Anta Niang
    Hair Stylist & Master Braider
    Ndeye Anta Niang is a Hair Stylist, Master Braider, and Founder of AntaBraids, a traveling braiding service based in New York City. Ndeye has over 20 years of experience in African hair including braiding box braids, Senegalese twists, crochet braids, faux dread locs, goddess locs, kinky twists, and lakhass braids. Ndeye was the first female of her tribe in Africa to move to America and is now sharing her knowledge of African braids passed on from generation to generation.
    Ndeye Anta Niang
    Hair Stylist & Master Braider
    Expert Answer
    Cornrows are hard to make on short hair unless they are super small. But men with short hair can get extension cornrows, dread extensions, or box braids to style in a bun if they find a braider that can braid short hair.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Rat-tail comb
      • Clear, elastic hair ties
      • Bobby pins (optional)
      • Hairspray (optional)


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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65n9gDfOgmo
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65n9gDfOgmo
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65n9gDfOgmo
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65n9gDfOgmo
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6v8CmrhB30
      6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6v8CmrhB30
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6v8CmrhB30
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6v8CmrhB30
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6v8CmrhB30
      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6v8CmrhB30
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJnCmE3G1t8
      3. ↑ Ndeye Anta Niang. Hair Stylist & Master Braider. Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65n9gDfOgmo

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