Frida Kahlo Hair Tutorial – Easy Braided Updo • The Dapper Dahlia

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Today marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, and I’m starting the celebration with a Frida Kahlo hair tutorial to honor the Mexican artist. This easy braided updo is inspired by the hairstyles Kahlo often wore with flowers picked from her own garden.

Frida Kahlo was born on July 6, 1907 in Mexico City and died July 13, 1954 in her hometown. I’ve always been intrigued by Kahlo’s self portraits, and had the opportunity to see some of her paintings and personal belongings at a museum exhibit in my city not long ago. After seeing her work in books, on television and in online articles for all of my life, it was really amazing to finally experience them in person.

Kahlo often wore her hair in traditional styles, braided with scarves and accentuated with flowers. This is a beautiful style that I’ve attempted to recreate. Read on for step-by-step instructions and to watch the video tutorial.

To get the full look, visit my post on the makeup products Frida Kahlo wore. The painter also expressed herself through cosmetics and clothing, and was known for her striking appearance and bold makeup. She famously accentuated her eyebrows and loved bright blush and red lipstick.

Frida Kahlo Braided Hairstyle

This is an easy updo that’s appropriate for any time of year. You can swap out the flowers to suit the season. It could also work as a last-minute Halloween costume for a Halloween at home party. Here’s how to create this Frida Kahlo-inspired hairstyle:

1. Make a center part

Use the pointed end of a teasing brush or a comb to make a center part. Brush your hair to smooth out the top.

2. Make pigtails

Use hair elastics to make pigtails. If your hair is longer like mine you can make low pigtails, but if you have short to medium hair you may want to create pigtails that start more toward the middle of your head, so the braids reach across the top of your head.

3. Braid your pigtails

Next, braid your pigtails, keeping a tight braid. Then secure the ends with hair elastics.

4. Massage braids

To give your braids more volume, gently massage the braids slightly pulling outward. Repeat once or twice more until you have the volume you want.

5. Pull braids up and over and pin into place

Pull one of the braided pigtails up and over the top of your head. Use bobby pins to pin the ends down flat against the side of your head.

Then bring the other braid up and over and pin into place. You can bring it in front or behind the first braid on your head, depending on how far back the first one is situated. I find it easier to pull the second braid in front because it’s easier to see and secure.

Lastly, use bobby pins to secure the back strands of your braid to your head.

6. Add flowers

An essential step to recreating the Frida Kahlo look is to add flowers to the center of your updo. You can find faux flower clips on Etsy or at accessory stores, or make your own using items from the craft store. In the photo I wear two large faux dahlia hair clips I purchased on Etsy (dahlias are native to Mexico and part of the inspiration behind the name of my blog).

You can also use real flowers if you don’t have faux flower hair accessories. An article by The New Yorker explains what plants grew in Frida Kahlo’s garden at her home known as La Casa Azul in Mexico City. Kahlo often wore the garden’s gardenias, dahlias and bougainvillea in her hair. Any kind of flowers will work, though. Wear what you like!

Complete the look with beaded jewelry and a colorful wrap.