How to Do a Fishtail Braid - Step by Step for Beginners

LifestyleEasy8:107 steps

By ShowMeStepByStepPublished May 15, 2026Updated May 18, 2026

Based on a video by Kayley Melissa.

The fishtail braid looks fancier than it actually is. It only uses two sections of hair, not three, and the whole braid runs on one repeating four-beat rhythm: pierce, grab, slide, reset. Once that rhythm clicks, you can do this anywhere with no mirror.

This tutorial breaks down the finger mechanics in detail because that is where most fishtail tutorials go wrong - they show you the moves at full speed and leave you guessing what each hand is doing. We slow everything down. If you have already worked through our three-braid starter guide or our French braid walkthrough, this is the natural next style to add to your rotation.

The video comes from Kayley Melissa, who runs a long-standing braiding tutorial channel. She demos on her own hair, sectioned to one side so you can clearly see every cross. Skip ahead in the video using the timestamps if you want to jump straight to a specific step.

Step-by-Step Guide

Split Your Hair Into Two Sections

2:13

Brush your hair smooth and pull it over one shoulder so you can see what you are doing. Split it into two equal sections at the back of your head. Hold each section like a flag pole - wrap your whole hand around it and keep your hands as high as you can, right against the base of where the braid will form. That is the entire structure of this braid: two sections, that's it.

Watch this prep moment at 2:13 in the video.

Tip

If your hair is freshly washed and slippery, a light spritz of water or a small amount of texture spray gives the strands enough grip to hold position while you work.

Products used in this step

Detangling hair brush

Dry texture spray

Pierce the Outside of the Left Section

2:55

Working on the left side first, pierce the outside of the left section with your index finger. The 'outside' is the edge farthest from the center of the braid - imagine a target and you are aiming at the outer ring, not the bullseye. Slide your finger in from the front to separate a small thin strand from the rest of the section.

Smaller strands give you a tighter, more defined fishtail. Bigger strands give you a chunky, looser look. Either works, but stay consistent so the pattern looks even all the way down. Watch this move at 2:55.

Tip

If your index finger feels awkward, try piercing with your thumb from behind the section instead. Whichever feels more natural is the right choice for your hands.

Grab the Strand With Your Other Hand

3:20

Reach over with your right hand and grab that small strand you just separated. Pull it across into the right section so it joins up with the hair you are already holding on that side. The little piece is leaving its old home on the left and moving in with the right.

Keep your grip firm on both sections so the strand stays exactly where you put it. If you let go, the strand slips back and you have to start the pass over. See the grab demo at 3:20.

Products used in this step

Sectioning hair clips

Slide Down and Reset

3:45

Slide your left hand down along the section to set the crossover tight against the base of the braid. This is the move that locks the pattern in - if you skip it, the braid loosens and unravels. Once you slide, bring both hands back up like flag poles touching the base. You just finished one full pass on the left side.

Watch the slide-and-reset moment at 3:45. Pierce, grab, slide, reset - that is the whole braid.

Repeat on the Right Side

4:00

Now mirror everything on the right side. Pierce the outside edge of the right section, grab the strand with your left hand, pull it across into the left section, slide your right hand down, and reset. That gives you two complete passes - one from each side - and you should already see the start of the herringbone pattern at the top of the braid.

Watch the right-side pass at 4:00.

Tip

If you are getting confused about which hand is supposed to do what, just remember: the hand piercing is always on the section the strand is leaving. The hand grabbing is always on the section the strand is moving to.

Keep Alternating Down the Length

6:52

Keep going - pierce, grab, slide, reset, alternating sides all the way down. The strands you pull should stay small and consistent. As you work, the woven herringbone pattern that defines a fishtail will start to show clearly. The lower you get, the harder it is to keep tension, so move your hands down the braid as you go and keep them close to the cross point.

This is the slow part. A fishtail takes longer than a regular three-strand braid because every pass moves less hair. Stick with it - the finished look is worth it. See the long stretch of braiding at 6:52.

Secure and Pancake the Braid

6:35

When you reach the ends, secure the braid with a clear elastic. For the soft, full look most people want from a fishtail, gently tug small loops outward from each side of the braid. This is called pancaking and it makes the braid look thicker and more relaxed without changing the structure. A light mist of flexible-hold hairspray locks the shape so the pancaked loops do not slip back tight.

Watch the finish demo at 6:35.

Tip

Pull the loops gently and only a little at a time. If you tug too hard you will pop the braid apart and have to redo the bottom few passes.

Products used in this step

Clear elastic hair bands

Flexible hold hairspray

Products Used

Detangling hair brushDry texture spraySectioning hair clipsClear elastic hair bandsFlexible hold hairspray

Your Guide

Kayley Melissa

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