15 French Braid Styles for Girls

The step diagram shows three sections taken at the crown, with each outer strand crossing over the middle and a small amount of new hair added before each cross, working down the centre of the head. This is the foundation and the technique everything else builds from. Crossing over rather than under is the entire distinction from a Dutch braid, and the result is a braid that sits flush with the hair around it rather than standing raised on the surface. That flush finish is why French braids read as softer and more traditional, and why they suit a formal occasion where a Dutch braid can look sporty. Start at the crown for a gentle line or at the front hairline if you want to contain her fringe and face-framing pieces. Add only small amounts of new hair with each cross — large additions create visible steps down the braid. Keep the additions equal on both sides, since uneven feeding is what makes a centre braid gradually pull to one side as you work down toward the nape.

The step diagram shows a centre part with a French braid worked down each side, finishing behind each ear. Two French braids are softer than two Dutch ones and a better choice when the style needs to look dressy rather than athletic. Part down the centre and clip one side away entirely while you work the other, which prevents stray strands from the far side being caught in — the most common cause of an uneven finish. Follow the curve of the skull as you work rather than braiding straight back, which keeps the braid sitting flat against the head.

The step diagram shows a French braid from the crown down to the nape, transitioning into a ponytail. This is the practical compromise between full-braid security and morning speed. The braided section contains everything at the front and top, which is where hairstyles fail first, while the ponytail below takes seconds. Use two elastics stacked at the transition rather than one, since that join takes the most strain across a day of movement.

The step diagram shows a deep side part with a French braid worked diagonally across the head and finishing over one shoulder. A diagonal French braid is more flattering than a centred one on most head shapes because the asymmetry breaks up the face. It is also easier to work than a centred braid once past the first few crossings, since the angle brings the braid into your line of sight. Start at the deep part and work diagonally, gathering hair from both sides as you travel.

The step diagram shows a French braid worked from the front hairline back to the crown only, secured there, with all the hair below left down. This gives the face-framing benefit of a braid while keeping most of the hair loose, which suits a child who objects to everything being tied back. Stop feeding in new hair once you reach the crown and secure with a small elastic. The braided section keeps her fringe and temples contained all day.

The step diagram shows a French braid worked from one temple around the perimeter of the head, with the tail tucked underneath and pinned. Because a French braid sits flush, a crown braid made this way looks more like a woven headband than a raised rope, which is a softer and more formal effect than the Dutch equivalent. Work with her head tilted toward the side you are braiding. Finish as a plain braid, tuck the tail under the crown, and pin with two crossed pins.

The step diagram shows a French braid worked down the back of the head to the nape, with the remaining length coiled into a low bun and pinned. This is the classic dressy style for a recital, a wedding, or a photograph. The braided section adds visible structure at the back of the head where a plain bun would leave nothing, and it holds considerably better because the woven section grips against the scalp. Pin the bun with pins pushed inward toward the scalp rather than downward.

The step diagram shows two French braids running down each side, gathered together into a single ponytail at the nape. This looks considerably more complex than two separate braids while being no harder to execute. Braid each side down to the nape, then gather both plus any remaining loose hair into one elastic. It is secure at the front and tidy at the back, and it sits low enough to work under a coat hood.

The step diagram shows a French braid worked horizontally across the front hairline from one temple toward the other, gathering hair from below as it travels. This is a proper braided headband rather than a separate braid pinned across, and because it gathers hair as it goes it contains the entire front section. Tilt her head toward the side you are working, which makes the angle far easier to manage. Finish behind the opposite ear and secure or pin.

The step diagram shows a completed French braid being gently widened by pulling at the outer edge of each crossing. Pancaking works on a French braid, though less dramatically than on a Dutch one, because the braid sits flush and has less room to expand. On fine hair it still makes a real difference, turning a thin sparse braid into something fuller and softer. Work from the bottom upward and stop after three or four passes, since overdoing it on a flush braid collapses it entirely.

The step diagram shows a French braid with a grosgrain ribbon incorporated as part of one outer strand. Ribbon in a French braid produces a subtler effect than in a Dutch braid, since the flush structure partly conceals it — which is exactly right for a formal occasion where a Dutch braid would show too much ribbon. Pin the ribbon at the starting point and treat it as part of one strand throughout. Grosgrain rather than satin, which slips.

The step diagram shows two side French braids brought up across the back of the head, crossed, and pinned above the opposite ears. This contains all the hair completely and produces a woven finish across the back that photographs well. Braid each side plainly, then take the left across and pin behind the right ear, and the reverse. Cross the pins in an X at each anchor point, which grips several times better than parallel pins.

The step diagram shows a French braid begun at the nape and worked as a plain braid down the length, gathering only the hair that hangs loose. This is the gentlest version, adding almost no tension at the scalp, which makes it right for a child who finds braids uncomfortable or for very fine hair. Because nothing is gathered from the crown, it does not pull at the hairline at all. It contains the length without controlling the top.

The step diagram shows two French braids running down each side, each finishing in a small low bun behind the ear. This combines the softness of French braiding with the containment of buns, and nothing is loose at any point. It suits a long day, a recital, or a swimming session. Braid each side to behind the ear, coil the remaining length into a small bun, and pin inward. The buns sit low enough to work under most headgear.

The step diagram shows the frequent errors grouped as a reference: crossing under instead of over, uneven feeding, hands held too far from the scalp, gripping too tightly, and working on dry flyaway hair. Each has a specific consequence. Crossing under gives you a Dutch braid rather than a French one. Uneven feeding makes the braid drift sideways. Holding your hands away from the scalp produces a loose braid that has already slipped by the time you reach the nape — work close. Gripping hard creates uneven tension rather than a tighter braid. And dry fine hair escapes the sections faster than you can manage it, which a ten-second mist of water fixes entirely.