Met Gala Inspired Janelle Monae Hair Tutorial

Was your breath taken away when you saw Janelle Monae’s Met Gala look? This tutorial will give you the breakdown for how you can achieve this super stylish braided hawk.

What you will need:

2 packs of braiding hair (that match your texture)

Bobby pins

Clips

Comb

Instructions

#1 Start Out With Stretched hair

Janelle’s style was sleek so to re-create this look you will want to style blow dried and pressed hair. Alternatively if you do not want to use heat here are other ways that you can stretch your hair out:

Read: How to Straighten Your Hair Without Heat

You can then mold your hair using a pomade for smoothing.

#2 Divide your Hair Into Three Sections 

This hairstyle includes two side braids on the sides of your hair and one jumbo braid going down the middle.

#3 Plait the two sides

You can choose to cornrow both sides, flat twist or two strand flat twists the sides. Which one you use choose is totally up to you. Be creative!

#4 Section off the front part of the middle section 

Section off the front portion of the mid section that you have left. Then clip and secure this away for now.

#5 Cornrow the hair in the mid section excluding the hair you sectioned away

Begin the cornrow with your real hair then gradually add in the braiding hair as you go along, try not to braid too tightly because your goal is to create a full messy braid. As you braid downward be sure to braid the two tail ends of the braids that you have on the side of your hair. Pull and fluff out the hair for fullness, pinning in place to your liking, then secure this braid away for now (don’t braid all the way down to the ends yet).

#6 Braid the front section of your hair forward

Add the braiding hair to the front section braiding this section forward. Pull the braid backward, pin into place and fluff. Once you have this section the way you like it, you can braid this section all the way down to the ends. Blend this braid into the other braid from this section by tucking it under and securing with bobby pins.

#7 Complete the style

Braid the back section you have left all the way down to the ends, once you have everything the way you like it and then secure with an elastic band. You can fluff any sections that need it. This style is meant to have texture so don’t be afraid if it isn’t totally perfect!