We declared 2012 the year of the fancy ponytail, but we still have a thing for braids and so do these celebs! Two of our fave blondes, Kaley Cuoco and Dianna Agron, pulled out all the glam stops at the SAG awards. Instead of loading up on accessories, they sported braided headbands in the front with even more going on in the back!
So grab a few hair products, elastics and a lot of bobby pins, cause we’re about to tell you how to snag the look yourself!
Kaley was totes channeling Cinderella with that blue ball gown and braided headband. It looks simple from the front, but you’ll need a lot of bobby pins to keep everything in place.
Give it a try:
1. Apply a volumizing mousse and scrunch a bit as you blow dry. Spritz hairspray on bobby pins and let them dry for a little extra grip.
2. Part hair in the middle and section off bangs, (or the first inch of hair above the forehead), and set them aside for now.
3. Grab a two-inch section of hair from about an inch behind your ear, loosely braid it for the headband and secure with an elastic. Leave the braid aside for now. (If the braid isn’t long enough to wrap around your head, make an identical braid on the other side.)
4. Gather the hair from the crown, (except your sectioned-off bangs and a strand of hair above each ear), twist once and pin it at the base of your crown with two bobby pins crossed like an X. Pull the hair a little loose on top to add a bit of extra volume.
5. Wrap the braid around the front of your head like a headband so it meets your sectioned-off bangs. Keep it in place by pinning underneath the braid. (If you have two braids, make them meet and overlap in the middle. Hide both braids’ hair elastics by tucking the ends underneath the opposite braid and pinning in place.)
6. Pull the rest of your hair, including the hair hanging from the pinned crown section, into a low ponytail. Make sure to pull the pieces above your ears back too, covering the base of your braid. Pin the tail of your braid underneath the base of your ponytail. (If it won’t reach that far, just pin it underneath some other strands.)
7. Take medium sections of the ponytail, twist and pin in random places around the ponytail, hiding the pins underneath the hair’s surface. Don’t worry about it looking too neat. Finish with hairspray and make sure all the pins are in place.
Dianna’s look is also princess-y, but in a cool, rebellious way. Note that it requires fishtail braiding skills. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a friend help with the braiding. 
Give it a try:
1. Also use mousse for this ‘do and blow dry with hands to create extra texture. Spritz wave-enhancing spray through hair and blow dry a little bit more. Use the bobby pin hairspray trick for this ‘do too.
2. Take a one-inch section of hair above your left ear and make a fishtail braid.
3. Leave the rest of the hair loose and wrap the braid around the front like a headband. Secure with a bobby pin hidden under some of the loose strands.
4. Make three other loose fishtail braids with the rest of your hair. But don’t make them look too neat. Take a section from the crown for one braid, then split the rest of the hair at the bottom into a left and right braid. Secure with elastics.
5. Twist the braids around your head in random directions, focusing on securing the braids and ends into strands underneath. Make sure all the elastics and bobby pins are hidden under strands of hair. Finish with hairspray.
6. If it looks a little too neat, pull loose a few strands here and there, concentrating around the ears.
Do you dig these braided updos as much as we do? Whose look will you try? Tell us below!
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totally adorable
that hairstyle is so cute!