French Braid

Jessica Alba showed off a Rapunzel-like side ponytail at last night's Environmental Media Awards, but it wasn't just the length that had people buzzing. Her sleek side part gave way to an intricate french braid that wrapped into the ponytail. Jessica's style is easy to pull off at home, especially with second-day hair. Here's how to do it.

1. Start by parting your hair down the middle. Pin the hair above your part to the side.
2. French braid the lower section of hair around the back of your head until you reach the opposite side. Pin it with bobby pins that are a similar color to your hair hue, like Jessica did.
3. Let down the top section of your hair. Gather it to the side so that your french braid is exposed.
4. Take a thick section of hair from the bottom of the loose section and wrap it around the rest of the hair, securing it with bobby pins.
5. Finish with a hefty dose of hair spray to keep your plait in place.

If you want healthy hair, then it's not a good idea to wash it every day. Over-cleansing strips your hair of the natural oils your scalp produces. They actually act like a natural shield for your locks, which is good if you're a fan of the blow dryer. But, unfortunately, not everyone's second-day hair looks as pristine as it does after that initial wash. So how do you reconcile? With a quick hairstyle to hide the evidence, of course! The halfway french braid is just that — a french braid that only extends halfway around your crown. Learn how to ace this elegant but easy style when you keep reading.

French braids are popular the world over, but they certainly aren't emblematic of France. It's unclear what about them, really, is so Gallic. As it turns out, "French" braids aren't French at all. So who's really responsible for the technique? The style's history is much cooler (and longer) than you might imagine. Learn how your favorite braid got its start below.

The Hunger Games won't be in theaters until March, but thanks to the movie's lead stylist, Linda Flowers, you can get Katniss Everdeen's signature undone braid right now. "The key to pulling off this style is being creative," Flowers says. "Her character is fierce yet feminine, so her hair is meant to have texture and look effortless." Ready to get just as inventive as our District 12 heroine? Keep reading for the complete step-by-step.

Here's an excerpt of a cool hair how-to from OnSugar blog Beauty & the Blog, who recently whipped up this braided updo for her 16-year-old daughter, Sage:

Sage found an image on Tumblr with a French braid done in a "S" shape. I duplicated it for her for school:

For more, be sure to check out the rest of the post. Remember: if you'd like to start your own blog, it's easy. Just create a site, write about what you love, and you could be featured right here on Bella, just like Beauty & the Blog.

There's no question that braids are here to stay, and at the grand opening of the Otarian Restaurant in NYC, Mary-Kate Olsen took a different approach to the look. What's so unusual about Mary-Kate's version is that from the front it looks like a casually loose side braid, but upon closer inspection, there's a twin braid behind it at the crown. It's effortlessly cool and pulled together all at the same time.

Get tips on re-creating this double-the-fun bohemian style when you read more.