I don't know her personally, but we were members at some tribe.net group about Pennsic some 5 years ago (that's when that pic is from) and she had a beautiful photo album there. Other pictures from that era showed her with hair quite below her waist when braided.
It looks to me as if the braids start from the upper part of each side of her head, loop down and back up *behind* the base of the ponytail/braid, and then back down and up again in a larger loop. I have no idea what the ends are doing, though I'd love to know. Her hair seems to be quite thick (the dreads will help with that, I'm sure), though I wonder if the ends of her hair are as thick as the rest. Personally, if I was trying this, I'd probably make a very tiny bun with the base of the braid (perhaps just 1/2 a turn), and then pin the end of the braid under the bun. I'd never get my braids to stand out like this, though.
This doesn't help you, but should amuse. My friend (LJ user mannie711), a fellow heathen and reenactor (Herstwik, IIRC) and currently working on her PhD, recently had a similar quandary and decided to cut her long hair very sort and into a men's style depicted in the Bayeux tapestry. It's shaved in the back and eyebrow length in the front, though hers is a tad longer and more feminine than that. Looks rather like a 'Chelsea' to me. I admire her dedication to her reeacting. Come to think of it, you two would probably get on like a house on fire.
It takes a lot of hair to do something like that! A lot! And hair, if washed and not gooped, is slippery and likes to fall out of careful arrangements.
Now, speaking as someone who has done a lot of playing with hair ;) An anchoring braid or french braid that you can attach the hair too will help; but you can also use a headband (I bought a set of inkle woven garters at an event that I use as headbands when I do the 14th century braids), then the hair can be pinned or sewn to the headband which will distribute the weight better and won't come unraveled or slip like hair.
And hair, if washed and not gooped, is slippery and likes to fall out of careful arrangements.
No worries on that part. I can put my hair into a plait and I don't even need a hair tie to get it to stay in. Mine is thick and frizzy, so it's like Velcro to itself.
And I kind of miss having someone play with my hair. I've only had two friends who did that kind of thing for me, and it's really relaxing.
Let me know when you're over here - I'd love a bit of braiding practice (I haven't had hair long enough for proper braiding until I was in my late 20s).
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I wonder if extremely tight braiding adds stiffness...?
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My friend (LJ user mannie711), a fellow heathen and reenactor (Herstwik, IIRC) and currently working on her PhD, recently had a similar quandary and decided to cut her long hair very sort and into a men's style depicted in the Bayeux tapestry. It's shaved in the back and eyebrow length in the front, though hers is a tad longer and more feminine than that. Looks rather like a 'Chelsea' to me. I admire her dedication to her reeacting. Come to think of it, you two would probably get on like a house on fire.
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Now, speaking as someone who has done a lot of playing with hair ;) An anchoring braid or french braid that you can attach the hair too will help; but you can also use a headband (I bought a set of inkle woven garters at an event that I use as headbands when I do the 14th century braids), then the hair can be pinned or sewn to the headband which will distribute the weight better and won't come unraveled or slip like hair.
It looks really cool *ponder* Hmmm.....
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No worries on that part. I can put my hair into a plait and I don't even need a hair tie to get it to stay in. Mine is thick and frizzy, so it's like Velcro to itself.
And I kind of miss having someone play with my hair. I've only had two friends who did that kind of thing for me, and it's really relaxing.
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