Return of the Plait! (To the tune of Mark Morrison)

If you've followed Pinterest for any amount of time or been to the movies in the past year you'll have noticed the re-emergence of one of the best time saviours to Mammies of little girls since time immemorial. The plait. The Sis and I, used to sport Rapunzel locks to our knees for a long time so can attest to that. The lowly plait has taken on a new dimension though, some of the most beautiful hairstyles created now are done so using plaits and braids and the movies are beginning to reflect it in a very big way. 

As Tyra would say.... 'Fierce!'

At the Snow White & The Huntsman premiere on Wednesday I couldn't help but be wowed by the hairstyles sported by the cast, Charlize especially, but even Kristen - taking the time, while fleeing through The Dark Forest, to throw in a couple of plaits was definitely dedication to being the fairest in the land. Every female cast member wore braids, some intricate, some simple but all stunning. I'll have some exclusive footage from Universal next week so you can see what I mean. It's embargoed until then so we'll have to make do with stills.

Fabulous tutorial on how to achieve this look here

There are several websites dedicated solely to the plait but my favourite has to be the Pinterest Board of PrincessHairstyles.com. Take a look at the outstanding work they do here, there's pictures, pictorials and videos with hints and tips from novice to expert braider. There's a style there for every girl, young or slightly older.

I was having the chats with D'Sis about the merits of this gorgeous grúaig style, she, more than anyone, with 4 childer under 5 knows how helpful and time saving it can be when it comes to keeping girls cool in Summer and making sure they look great going to school or on the playground, without flowing locks getting in the way of valuable playing time. My gorgeous Madser nieces Aoife & Orla have kindly modelled a couple of simple plaited looks to let you see too.

Cherry Cheat: Of course, if your hair is a little shorter, there's always the 'fake it till you make it' way to achieve this style. Plaited hair pieces or hair bands can be picked up for next to no p now in Claire's Accessories or any Hairspray siopa. Use 'em to throw your hair into a plaited bun or get creative using inspiration from sites such as Lauren Conrad's The Beauty Department.

You too could look like Charlize in minutes. Swear!

Are you a fan of the braid? Have you noticed them popping up everywhere too?