Katniss’ Mockingjay Braid | Hunger Games Hairstyles

Many of you know that were are HUGE fans of The Hunger Games books and movie franchise!

We’ve been friends with Linda Flowers, the Department Head of Hair & Makeup for both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire movies ever since we first put up the Katniss braid years ago. Since Linda had a contract for Dancing With The Stars, she was unable to work on the Mockingjay movies, with Lionsgate instead hiring Camille Friend. Camille is just as talented, and her team did an amazing job trying to have the hair reflect the mood of the war-trodden State, as in the book.

Katniss’ braid in this 3rd movie isn’t supposed to be focused so much on style, as her time in the Capitol and in the Games merited. This time around, Panem is at war, with a growing rebellion movement, and the look is supposed to fully reflect that.

Things aren’t as they once were, and that’s why there is a fundamental change in the Katniss braid.

Katniss still wears a side braid, which as Linda told us is to ensure that she doesn’t snag her braid as she removes arrows from the quiver on her back. This time around, the wrapping braids from the left and right are French braids instead of Katniss’ signature Dutch braid.

To see your own photo recreations automatically featured in our CGH app, feel free to tag your own photos of this hairstyle on IG with: #CGHMockingjayBraid {There are already several braiders who have gained 1000’s of IG followers simply by having their recreations seen by our 350,000+ app users!}

For the side braid, the stitching looks very similar to a Simple braid, however it really is a chunky Reverse Fishtail. The look is also supposed to be somewhat messy and disheveled, which is the look we were going for. {The wind and rain in our trailer video shoot certainly helped with that!}

Items Needed: 19mm Curling Wand for the base curls, brush, rat-tail comb, spray bottle, 2 small hair elastics, 1-2 bobby pins, hairspray {if desired}.

Time Requirement: 7-10 minutes

Skill Level: Medium

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Begin by adding curls to the hair, for the base texture, using a 19mm curling wand…
2. Part hair slightly off to the right so that heavy side of the hair is on the person’s left, then section out a few wispy strands to frame the face on both sides…
3. Starting in front of the left-most ear pick up a section, separate it into three strands, and begin a regular French braid…
4. Add in hair as you go along, keeping the braid as close to the hairline as possible…
5. As you braid past the middle of the head, almost to right behind the right ear, stop adding in hair and continue with a few stitches of a regular braid and temporarily secure with an elastic…
6. Now, on the other side of the head, pick up the hair above the right ear, and begin a regular French braid, again, following the partline…
7. Continue this braid backwards and down until you reach the other braid…
8. With the elastic us used temporarily to secure the first braid, now secure both braids together with that same elastic as close to the back right-most corner of the head…
9. Next, with the combined section, divide it in half and begin a Reverse Fishtail braid…
10. You do this by taking a sizable strand of hair from one side and take it under the hair and add it to the section on the other side…
11. Now take a sizable strand from the left-most section, take it under that side and add it into the right section…
12. Continue with Steps #10-11 until the reverse fishtail braid is completed…
13. Secure with an elastic…
14. Now go back and cut the top elastic with a pair of scissors,to loosen the hair and allow the braid to easily sit over the shoulder…
15. Add hairspray or accessory {as desired}.

We hope you check out the rest of our Hunger Games hairstyles, and be sure come back next week for another tutorial from Mockingjay!

Happy Hairdoing!

My twins, BrooklynAndBailey, began a new YouTube series called Fab or Fail, where they try out products you have seen on TV! The first episode reviews the RoseArt Graphic Skinz Design Studio. To see how the product rated on the girls’ Fab or Fail Scale, simply click below!