Adding Extensions and Curls
Brush your hair until it is free of knots and tangles. This tutorial works best with medium to long hair. Your hair color does not matter; you can do Rapunzel's hair regardless of your hair color.
Get some hair extensions for volume or length. Try to get the longest extensions you can find—about 30 inches (76 centimeters). Make sure that they match your hair color, not Rapunzel's. Make sure that you are using the weft type extensions. You can skip the extensions if you have long and thick hair. A little extra volume won't hurt, however.
Clip the extensions in. Use the handle of a rat-tail come to part your hair horizontally at about ear level. Twist and clip the top section out of the way, then clip in the longest weft to the back of your head, at an angle. Let down another layer of hair, and add another extension. Use this process to add more extension to the back and sides of your head. If you already have long hair, you don't have to use all of the extensions in the package. Use enough until you get the volume you want.
Curl your hair with a curling iron. A 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) curling iron will work the best for this, but you can also use a ¾-inch (1.91-centimeter) one instead. Curl your hair away from your face. Start from the front and work your way to the back. You don't need to make your hair super curly; something between loose curls and tight waves would be ideal. The curl will add some volume to your braid. You can also curl your hair using alternate methods, if you prefer. If your hair is already curly or wavy, you can skip this step. Always use a quality heat protectant before applying heat to your hair.
Gently comb the curls to fluff them out. Be very careful, especially if you added extensions. Comb the curls with your finger or a wide-toothed comb, and don't get too carried away. Don't touch the curls too much because your hair will become frizzy.
Creating the Braided Crown
Part your hair off to the side with the handle of a rat-tail comb. Rapunzel parts her hair to the left, but you can part your hair to the right if you prefer. Start the part above one eyebrow, and angle it towards the middle of the back of your head.
Start a regular, mini braid on the side of your head. Choose a side to start on: left or right. Gather the hair from in front of your ear, and split it into three strands. Cross the top and bottom strands under the middle one. This is just for the crown braid, which will eventually lead to the big braid. The big braid will come in the next section. If you are starting from the side that has more hair, keep your braid loose so that you don't lose the "bump" made by the part.
Do a Dutch lace braid for three stitches. A Dutch lace braid is similar to a regular Dutch braid, except that you are only adding hair to one of the strands. Here is how you do it: Gather a thin strand of hair and add it to the bottom strand. Cross the bottom strand under the middle strand. Cross the top strand under the middle strand; don't add anything to it. Do this two more times, then stop.
Finish off with a regular braid. You only need to braid enough until you can wrap the braid around the side of your head and towards the back. For most people, this will be about half-way down the strand. Secure the braid with a clear hair elastic.
Repeat the process on the other side of your head. Begin with a regular braid, then do a Dutch lace braid for three stitches, adding hair only to the bottom strand. Finish off with a regular braid, then secure it with a clear hair tie.
Secure both braids behind your head, like a half-up, half-down ponytail. Wrap both mini braids around the left and right side of your head until they meet in the center-back. Gather them together into a ponytail, and secure them with another clear hair tie. If you have any braided hair sticking out from under the hair tie, gently unravel it.
Flip the ponytail. Stick your finger up behind the two braids. Hook it around the ponytail part, then bring it back down through the gap. This is similar to creating a flipped or topsy-turvy ponytail. It will give the braided crown some nice movement.
Lightly mist the crown braid with hairspray. This will help set the style so that does not come undone during later steps.
Creating the Main Braid
Separate two thin sections from behind your ears. These sections need to extend from just behind your ears to the corner of your nape. Only gather hair from the hairline, otherwise you will make them too thick. Secure these sections with hair ties or hair clips. You don't be using these sections until later. You are doing this now so that you don't include them in the main braid.
Begin a braid where the crown braid ended. Gather the hair from the same row that the crown braid ended—about eyebrow level. Pull the hair towards the back of your head, like doing a half-up, half-down ponytail. Split it into three sections, the braid for three stitches, crossing the left and right strands under the middle one. You are including the ponytail from the crown braid in this.
Dutch braid your hair. Gather some hair into the right strand, then cross the right strand under the middle one. Gather some more hair into the left strand, then cross it under the middle one as well. Keep going until you reach the nape of your neck.
Finish off with a regular braid. About halfway through, pause, and gently tug on the outer loops of your braid to fluff it up. Continue braiding until you reach the end of your hair, then secure it with a hair tie that matches your hair color.
Fluff the Dutch braid up. Starting from the bottom of your braid, gently tug on the outer loops to loosen them. Work your way up towards your nape, then up the Dutch braid.
Lightly mist your Dutch braid with hairspray. Again, this will set your braid, and keep it from coming undone during the final part.
Adding the Accent Braids and Flowers
Undo the two thin sections from before. Remember the two sections you gathered from behind your ears earlier? Un-clip or untie those sections now. Gently comb them, if needed.
Braid each thin section separately. There is nothing special to these braids. Simply braid the left section until you reach the end, secure it with a clear hair elastic, then do the right one. You will end up with two elf-like braids.
Wrap the two mini braids around the main (Dutch) braid. Bring the left and right mini braids towards the back of your neck. Cross them under the main braid, then wrap them around to the top. Cross them over the top of the main braid, making an X. Bring them back under the braid, if possible, and cross them again. Depending on the length of your hair, you may only be able to do this once or twice. Alternatively, you could use loose extensions to bulk up the braid. You don't have to attach the extensions - just braid them into your hair.
Pull the mini braids through the main braid. When you have crisscrossed the mini braids as much as possible, hold them together, and push them through one of the stitches on your main braid.
Join the mini braids into one braid. Pull off the mini hair elastics on the mini braids first. Join the braids together to make a single strand. Split that strand into three section, and braid what's left. Secure the mini braid with a clear hair elastic. You are only braiding the two mini braids together. Leave the main (Dutch) braid alone.
Secure the mini braid to the main braid with a bobby pin. Take a thin strand of hair (it can be the mini braid itself), and wrap it around the hair tie securing the main braid. Pin the end of the strand with a bobby pin so that it does not unwind.
Tuck some flowers into your braid. You can use artificial flowers or fresh ones. If this is for a costume or cosplay, try to match the flowers to the ones in the movie as closely as possible. If this is for another occasion, match the flowers to your dress instead. Place the largest flowers on the top of the braid, and go smaller further down. Add some smaller flowers to your braided crown. If you are using fake flowers, pop them off of the stems, then push the stub through the looped part of a bobby pin.
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