BAZAAR Beauty School: How to DIY a Braided Updo

I'll be honest: even if I have tonnes of hair and makeup products at my disposal in the office, I still find it challenging to transform my look from day to night whenever I have to attend an after-work event. Personally, makeup is still rather manageable because all I have to do is spritz on some facial mist, refresh my makeup, add some liner, dust on some highlighter and swipe on either a red or burgundy lipstick. Hair, on the other hand, is an issue altogether.

Which is why I asked Adam Reed, Co-Founder of Percy & Reed to suggest a way women can easily change up their look if they're headed out after work, and in under ten minutes with minimal products. Here's how:

Step 1: Divide your hair into two sections.

Step 2: Braid and fasten each section at the nape of your neck using an elastic band.

Step 3: Wrap a piece of fabric (roughly about 1cm thick), over your hair line and under the braids. Adam chose a classic black velvet ribbon for an elegant look, but feel free to jazz things up with a metallic or sequinned ribbon for a fun night out. Tie two knots to fasten.

Step 4: Tie the two ends of the braids into a knot and fasten with U-shaped pins to keep them from unravelling.

Step 5: Pin one end of the ribbon at the back of your head as this helps make sure that the ribbon wraps around your hair eventually. Then, tie your plaits together to form a knot. For those with longer hair, repeat this step until all your hair is fashioned into a low bun.

Step 6: Tuck the loose ends of your plaits into the bun using U-shaped pins.

Step 7: Release the ribbon from the back of your head and tie both ends of the ribbon into a knot to tighten before tying a knot at the bottom of the bun.

Step 8: Mist hairspray liberally to hold the style in place.

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