I have been blessed with a big and thick, long mane of hair! In fact when I have a ponytail it is so heavy that I find it uncomfortable - seriously, I have so much hair that hair bands buckle, snap and ping whilst I'm trying to tie it up. I did start to lose a little hair after I had my kids due to those pesky after-pregnancy hormones but I certainly won't be in need of a hair transplant - that's for sure! It's fuller than ever at the moment and can be hard to tame.
After trying many hairstyles over the years I have come to the conclusion that long hair suits me the most and is actually easier for me to care for. My hair is currently waist length and it has a very slight natural wave to it. I have managed to get away with this, tousled, beach-hair look for a while now. This is actually the result of laziness - letting it dry naturally rather than effort.
A few years ago I had a sleek bob - this needed straightening daily and I actually found it quite hard work - although I loved it at the time.
Thankfully I have the perfect hair type for a style that I will be trying to pull off this weekend at a festival. I love the look of Lagertha the shield maiden from the TV series Vikings. Essentially this involves a bit of plaiting and pinning and leaves you with a fantastic, boho warrior hair style.
The good thing about the shield maiden look is that it doesn't need to be perfect. It is best done in hair that hasn't been freshly washed so maybe wash it a day before. Plaiting/braiding your hair overnight works best to give your hair a wavy look.
I will attempt to demonstrate this in my daughter's hair - she is blonder than me - plus my roots desperately need doing. Actually she could be an extra in Vikings!
You will need some hair grips/bobby pins to help secure your hair and some small elastic hair bands and some hairspray.
Gather a section at the front of your hair and twist it so you have a small quiff and pin it into place then secure with some hairspray.
This is the trickier part, I would maybe suggest checking out a YouTube tutorial. You will need to maybe do two small french or dutch braids at the side sections of your hair, like corn rows, I find doing french plaits easier - secure these with elastics. You can add a few more braids in your hair too - fishtail and snake braids look amazing - think Khaleesi style from Game of Thrones.
If you have metal beads you can also add these for extra effects. These braided styles work really well in thick, long hair and you can adapt them to suit your style.
I am loving this look and will be trying this out in my own hair this weekend, unleashing my inner shield maiden at England's Medieval Festival.
*This is a collaborative post*
suit your style.