Most of us do not have the patience to grow our hair very long.  However, if you are one of the few who do, then you also know that styling long hair can be a real pain.  You cannot over stress your long hair or you will end up having to cut it off.  Which is why many women who do grow their hair long end up wearing it in a bun most of the time. But what is the point of having it if you can’t show it off?  So instead of hurting your lovely long hair with curling irons and flatirons, or hiding it in a simple bun, you need to find hairstyles that both show your hair to its best advantage and don’t require heat and other forms of hair torture.  This year the hot look for longer hair is The Fishbone, Fishtail or Herringbone Braid.

Unlike the pigtails and braids of our childhood, the fishbone braid is a stylish and sophisticated look.  One of the great things about this very pretty and unusual braid is how versatile it is.  You can choose to pull all of your hair into one long tight braid, you can do two braids for a cute pigtailed look or you can use the braid as an elegant finish for any number of up-dos.  You can wear it tightly plaited or more loosely woven.  However you decide to style your hair, this complicated-looking braid adds a touch of the unusual, and more than a little touch of elegance to your look.  It is popping up on the red carpet everywhere this year, and getting a lot of attention.  If you want to know how to do it, click here for more detailed instructions on the basics of the fishbone, fishtail or herringbone braid)

For example, one braided hairdo that is currently a hit on the red carpets is the side

fishtail braid, as in this picture of Ashley Greene in her loose fishtail braids. Sexy and tousled and yes still elegant at the same time.

A very different application of the fishtail braid is in the very pretty updo sported by Diana Agron. Here, instead of the usual French braid, she opted for the Fishbone, giving a fairly standard

up-do a unique twist.

 

This is actually one of the few Herringbone braid styles that do not require particularly long hair, since you are braiding along the crown of the head – even shoulder-length hair is long enough! And as you can see, it is an elegant, upscale way to wear your hair.

To duplicate her look, just separate out a three-inch band of hair along the hairline at the forehead, going from ear to ear. This is the section you are going to braid, starting above one ear.

 

For women with longer hair, a classic way to wear the fishbone or herringbone braid is

shown here, where it is more of a casual and beachy look, pulling all of the hair off the face, and creating a particularly lovely profile. One reason I mention that it takes long hair to do this braid is that it has to be at least long enough for a decent ponytail, as that is what you start weaving from in this particular hairstyle.

However my absolute favorite fishbone or herringbone braid look is this one, where colorfully dipdyed locks is woven together in a lovely braid. Whether you choose one accent color (for example Rhianna usually chooses red) or several, the bright colors accent the braid brilliantly, and the braid enhances the look of the colors in your hair, making this a particularly great style for 2012.

[SFBSB]