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Shelley Gifford liked to braid—but two years ago, through social media, she stumbled on a whole new world of creativity.
In 2014, she found accounts where moms had posted pictures of hairstyles created for their daughters. Having a little girl herself, she decided to follow suit.
Growing up I always loved braiding, I would take any opportunity to braid family and friends hair.
— Shelley Gifford
“Growing up I always loved braiding, I would take any opportunity to braid family and friends hair,” she told Epoch Times over email.
However, this was basically her only experience in hair styling.
“Back then, I only ever knew how to French and Dutch braid, I wasn’t aware that so many other braids existed,” she said.
And so she learned—a lot.
Courtesy of Shelley Gifford/Pretty Little Braids
“I started following other hair and braiding accounts: asking questions and continuously watching video tutorials. I also attended braiding and up-do workshops, anything to advance my skills,” she said.
Soon enough the results began to show.
Courtesy of Shelley Gifford/Pretty Little Braids
Her daughter, Grace, 6, has been modeling her creations, sporting a new hairstyle almost every day.
Courtesy of Shelley Gifford/Pretty Little Braids
“I like trying to be creative with my braiding,” Gifford said. “Sometimes it seems more like art than an everyday hairstyle which I find fun and unique and then sometimes I may just recreate a great style that I have found on the Internet from fellow braiders.”
