Braids have made a big comeback over the last few years. Where once upon a time they were associated with cowgirls or elementary school aged girls, now you would be hard pressed to find a red carpet event without at least one A-list celebrity who isn’t wearing a braided hair style. Most anyone can master the classic three piece braid but there are a few tricks can be utilized to take your braid to the next level.

Try A New Style of Braid

There are dozens of styles of braids with tutorials online in written or video form, so if you’re feeling bored with the classic three piece braid, try a new style. It’s amazing how changing the style of the braid can transform the entire vibe of your look. A messy fishtail braid can perfectly complement more formal attire while a pair of Dutch braids can give the perfect whimsical touch to a more free flowing dress or maxi skirt.

Tease for Volume

No matter the type of braid you’re going for, there is nothing that can cause a hair style to fall flat more than, well, flat hair. Tease the hair around your crown and add a few spritzes of hair spray in order to add volume. To do this, simply take a few pieces of hair closest to your face and set them aside with a bobby pin or clip. Then, take a section of hair from the top of your head and brush the hair down towards the shaft, opposite the way you normally would brush. Spray this back combed section with your favorite hair spray. Finally, take the front section that you previously set aside and brush it over the top back combed section. Ta-da! Instant volume.

Add Length and Thickness

There are some seriously enviable photos of braids permeating Pinterest and Instagram these days. You may follow the exact same directions as given in the tutorial and still not have a braid that is as thick or as long as those in the photos—even if you have long hair! The secret is that many of these braiding tutorials picture beauty bloggers or hair models who have hair extensions to add length and thickness to their braids. Even stylists who don’t normally use hair extensions will use them when doing a braid—especially for styles like a Dutch braid that wraps around the head.

Perfectly Imperfect

After slaving away at braiding the perfect hair style for your look, it might seem counter intuitive that the best finishing step is to mess it all up—but just a little! You don’t want a braid that looks too tight or too perfect because it lacks movement and visual appeal. A great way to make your braid look more natural is to give each loop a little tug to loosen it. This will make your braid wider and appear thicker. This tip is especially important for fishtail braids. You can customize the look of your fishtail braid just by how much you pull from each little loop.