Three Hot Summer Hairstyles

Thanks to celebrities like The Hills' Lauren Conrad, braided hairstyles are all the rage this summer and a lot of girls are dying to get the look. If you're looking for something new, fun and a little different to do with your hair, why not give one of these 3 great super easy styles a try?

Materials needed: wide-toothed comb, elastic hair bands, small bobby pins (for both securing and for tucking away and hiding stray strands of hair), floral hair accessories, and last but most importantly - the ability to braid!

One - Side French: Part your hair diagonally to one side. Starting at your hairline, start french braiding around the side of your head. For a more casual look, keep the braid loose. When you reach the back of your neck, either complete the braid all the way to the ends of your hair, or pull the rest of the hair off to one side and wrap it into a bun. Secure with an elastic band or bobby pins. For an added flare, add a colorful floral pin to the bun or base of the ponytail.

Two - On the Side: Begin by combing out your hair. Then, pull the top half up and secure it into a smooth ponytail with a clear elastic, leaving the bottom half loose. Now, take a small section of loose hair from each side of your head and create two small braids, making them as tight or as loose as you like. Pull the bottom half of your hair, braids and all, up to meet the top half and secure all of the hair into a ponytail. To really give this style an extra kick, add a simple headband - I find that the double-stranded ones look great when I create this style on myself or on friends!

Three - Classy Half-Updo: Once again separate the top half of your hair from the bottom, securing the bottom half this time with a clip/elastic (just to keep it out of the way for now). Now for the fun part: start braiding the top half! You can have fun with this by doing just a few small basic braids, or 1-3 french braids or even some fishtail braids - the choice is yours! Once the top half is braided, pull the bottom half of your hair up to meet the top half and twist it all into a neat bun. Secure with a clear elastic band, or finish the look with a cute floral accessory!