The Katniss Braid | Hunger Games Hairstyles

, , , , , , , , , , , | Mindy McKnight | January 26, 2012 | 150 Comments

From time to time, we like to film super-fun hairstyles that we know that many of our fans will love. Today is one of those days!

My girls and I have read The Hunger Games series, were quickly drawn in to the story lines, and we absolutely love them! With the movie coming out on March 23, 2012, we have received quite a few requests from fans asking us to show some of the styles used in the movie.

Katniss Braid | Hunger Games Hairstyles

Luckily for us, there are trailers and movie posters already available online that give us a tiny glimpse of a few scenes, in anticipation of the movie.

Today we are going to demonstrate Katniss’ Diagonal Dutch Braid hairstyle. {We also want to give a huge thanks to Lindsey, an extremely loyal fan, for emailing us the best shot of the hairstyle in the movie poster below!

Katniss' Braid Hairstyle | Hunger Games

This style uses an exact Dutch Braid starting on the front of the right side of the head and braiding back across the head in a diagonal direction until you can finish off the hair in a simple braid over the left shoulder.  This hairstyle reminds me of a style that Angelina Jolie would wear!

{In the tutorial below, I show you the Katniss style but do not actually go into the details how to do the braiding. If you want to see exactly how to do this, please click our Same-Side Dutch Braid Hairstyle link.}

Portrait view of woman modeling the Katniss Braid Hairstyle | Hunger Games

Back view of the Katniss Braid Hairstyle | Hunger Games

It is important to note that this braid is intended to look messy, as Katniss was wearing this hairstyle in the arena during the games.

You will also note that I used a few hair extensions to add length to the braid, since my hair is short.  It worked well because my own hair acted as layers, which were perfect as some fell out in the hairstyle… just like in Katniss’ braid!

Side view of the Katniss Braid Hairstyle | Hunger Games

I know this will be a very popular braid, especially once the movie comes out on March 23, so you can help make this braid a viral sensation by referring it to all your girl friends on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc! That way millions of girls everywhere will wear this hairstyle to the theaters to see the movie! I know for sure that we will!

Please a comment and let me know if you plan to go see the movie, and don’t forget to share!

Big hugs!

Items Needed: Brush, 1 hairband, 1-2 bobby pins, hairspray {if desired}

Time Requirement: 5 minutes

Skill Level:  Medium

Happy Hairdoing!

* Note from Mindy: Don’t forget to follow us on BlogLovin, a new easy-to-use blog reader!

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Comments

  1. Wow, 4 years since this post. My 13 year old still wears this braid and with different variations of it. She still gets tons of compliments on it too.

    Reply

  2. Hi Mindy,
    I love this hairstyle but I always have trouble getting all of it in at the end so it doesn’t fall out over my ear. Katniss always has it tucked in in very tight . Do you have any advice?. P.S. Love your tutorials by the way!

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  5. I just wached the video and I’m todes team Gale! I love Leim! And of course his big bro that played Thor.

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  6. Uug! I hate atocorect. I was tryin to say, I was just wonderin what Katniss’s reaping and her braid she used in the games

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  7. Omg! I love ur hair styles. I’m righting a THG fanfic and I came to ur site to find hair styles. I love them. I’m just wondered what Katniss’s reaping and reaping braids at called I’m thinkin if usin them at some point.

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  13. I love your tutorials especially your primrose braids they’re always good. Can you do some more hunger games hairstyles.

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  14. I’ve never seen the hunger games before, and i don’t plan to, but i love the hairstyles. Mindy, you can really rock a katniss braid!

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  15. I’m only 9 years old and discovered your website recently. You are like my idol! Because of you I want to be a hairstylist! By the way, I’m totally team Peeta because of the fact that they were gonna die together if ” the voice” haddent of stopped them from eating the berries. Plus, he’s soooooooo romantic. Lastly, announcing his love for Katniss in front of everyone was proof that he was brave, courageous and deffinately knew how to win a women’s heart!

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  16. Love it! I do it every day for school,even though I’m not a Hunger Games fan (I’m Harry Potter definitely)

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  22. Team peeta an Johanna!!!!! The best characers of the series and catching fire is the best book. Gale is okay but it his fault prim dies and I hate katniss because she is mean to peeta and Johanna and she is always moody. It’s her fault finnick dies (who is awesome) so I only like the way she dresses and her hair

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  23. Team Peeta and I love your website! Thanks for putting these Hunger Games how to videos up my friends and I love them!!!!!

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  25. I love it, but the problem is I couldn’t understand it properly, can you PRETTY PLEASE also write the steps as you’ve done in one of your waterfall braid. My computer is very slow so I’m not even able to watch the video.

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  27. I love the katniss braid sooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!! I watched this video a while ago and I loved it,and so every time I was about to go play any kind of sporti didthe katniss braid. And I do it alot for wednesday night chuch.

    Thank you so much for all the styles, I do them on my sister and on myself all the time. Thanks for the awsome hairstyle!!! I love the pancake braid to.

    Love you

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  28. I absolutely love the hairstyle!! Although, I don’t know how to French or Dutch braid my own hair which makes me really sad. my hair is roughly 1ft and a half long, and it is incredibly thick. I own all of the books, and I own the movie and LOVE IT!!!!! (: I have always wanted to learn how to do the katniss braid, but I can’t. I will keep trying though!! Thanks for all of your cute hairstyle ideas!!!! (:

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  31. love the movie and all the books used to do my hair in a simple braid down the back last year it got kinda boring happy to find a new kind of braid to use… thanks for posting them

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  33. OMG! i was so upset i couldnt see the midnight premier… but i was in Disney world so i didnt think bout it but i still said happy hunger games in the morning! and Im Team Finnick

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  34. I know A LOT of hunger games hairstyles. I can send one to you mindy by email. A tutorial on it. It is really easy! 🙂

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  36. Jk it’s really cute that was my lil sister sorry if I offended any of you it’s I really cute and I did it on myself

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  38. Omg. I literly freaked out when I saw this tutorial!!!!! I LOVE The Hunger games<3<3<3 me and my friends did this style on each other's hair and i went to the movies with the hairstyle i got ALOT of compliments.(: Thanks Mindy and girls(;

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  42. My 4 year old had here hair like this today,her’s freinds grandma always comments how lovely her hair is styled,thanks for the fab ideas,only wished her hair was longer.

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  43. I did this hairstyle at school the other day, and my friend behind me goes “Oh my gosh! How did you do that??” I said that i learned it from u 🙂 then, she asked me to do her hair like that, and i did, and it looked ok. I’m not the best at doing other people’s hair…

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  44. Love this hair style my friend has done my hair like this but I could not figure it out thanks P.S. love the hunger games can uyou do foxface’s and I am Soooooooooo for team peeta srry for u people that hate teams thx for the help

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  45. This is so cool and i do this so much to my hair now! Thank You so much!

    P.S. TEAM PEETA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  46. I love this hairstyle (and all of your other hairstyles that you put out). You are very talented and thank you for sharing with us. Totally team Peeta BTW.

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  47. its really bothering me how long ur braid is because of the extensions. i wish my hair was naturally that long. loved it

    TEAM FINNICK

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  49. So darn adorable, can’t wait 2 try it. I saw the movie the first thing midnight premiere!

    go team toast! girl on fire and boy with the bread LOL

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  52. i love this hairdo! i brade this one every morning!
    but i have a probleme….my hair is shorter, and i don’t know how to finish it…it looks weird like this….is there a tutorial for this braid with shorter hair?

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  54. This hairstyle turned out SOOOOO cute on my little sister and she got lots of complements on it. I was able to do this hairstyle in 2 minutes IN THE CAR! And it turned out AWESOME!!!!!!

    Thank you SO MUCH Mindy!

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  55. Omg! I just found this website and love it! Thanks so much! I absolutely loooovvve the Hunger Games!! If anyone has a link to the official map of panem can you list it below?? Katniss is my idol and only 588 days till catching fire! And if you haven’t read the books….read them! And if you have….read them again!!!!!!!!!!!(: oh and BTW team Peeta!!!!!<3
    Thanks!!(: love you all!

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  61. Thanks Roxanne, I’m sure no one minded that you totally spoiled the end of the books :/

    Thanks for the hair tutorial, I’ve been trying to make this braid work, but I think I just need more practice. Going a day without washing my hair helps, but for some reason, I can’t get it straight. I just tried it again and it goes from just above my left ear, across the crown of my head, zig-zags a little, and ends just above my right ear. *sigh* it doesn’t look a thing like it should, but I kind of like it anyways, my hair’s just below my shoulders so I just made a messy side bun at the end ><

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  63. you need to reAD THE BOOK 100X BETTER THEN THE MOVIE AND AFTER YOU FINISH THE SERIES i PROMISE U WILL BE TEAM PEETA

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  67. I absolutley love this one! I thought it was just a braid but, now that I know its a french braid, I can do it! 🙂 Thank you so much!
    #Team Peeta (Not to spoil anything but, they do end up together.!) <3

    Reply

  69. I am 12 and all my friends are jelous of katniss and her looks/hair and now that i wear it i get compliments from people i dont even know! THANKS UR VEDIO IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HELPED ME:)

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  70. I went and saw the Hunger Games today and wore this hairstyle. Afterward I got lots of complements on it and people just loved it. Suprisingly there were only 3 of us wearing the braid (me and two of my friends) 😉

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  71. I have shoulder length. Any other way? and I can never get my french baids tights enough, And it is always lose. Please help me!

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  75. Love this hairstyle, especially works on me cuz i got really long hair. I just saw the movie, AMAZING! by the way, i am totally TEAM GALE!

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  76. OMG I LOVE THIS HAIRSTYLE!!!!!!! i AM SEEING THE MOVIE THIS WEEKEND! SOOOOO EXCITED! 🙂

    ps: i have hair that falls just at my shoulders. Is there anyway to make it work for me?

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  77. I am the same age as your twins and I LOVE your hairstyles. I especially like to practice them on my younger cousins since I don’t have a younger sister! I LOVE this braid. I am TOATALLY wearing this to School before the movie and at the movie!!! You are seriously talented at hairstyles and I am glad you share your passion with others on your website. Thanks for the hair ideas.. Ps totally team PEETA!!

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  79. I loooooooovvvvvvvveeeeee this hairstyle but i can’t exactly do the ending braid very well do you think you could do another tutorial and do the ending braid a little more clearer possibly? If you can that would be awesome and I also llllooooovvvveeee the Primrose hairstyle. Love your website and thanks.

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  80. thanks for the tutorial! i’ve become obsessed with this braid, I try it everyday!
    p.s. I’m team Peeta<3 real.

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  82. I am a little older (42) so I don’t usually wear braids but I loved this one so much that I did it on myself for work and everyone loved it. I can’t wait until my 4 yr old has longer hair so I can start doing all your great styles on her!

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  83. Doing this braid on my 10 yr. old for the movie opening, so excited to see it, and most definitely a household of TEAM PEETA fans!

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  85. While I wait for my hair to grow, how do I finish this with shoulder/collarbone length hair? I can’t seem to grasp how. And TEAM PEETA!

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  87. Im so happy I got the book for my birthday on the 4th started it that night and im halfway through. Anyway, my friend and I want to go see the movie together. I might do this on both of us if I can! My friend’s hair might be too short, but oh well.

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  89. I love all your hairstyles!!!!! I’m only 13 and I can do pretty much all of these styles!!!!! and I’m team gale:)

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  90. Variation – My hubby loves this braid on me and suggested his own twist which turned out gorgeous: after completing the braid & tying off, wrap the end of it into a rosette/flat circle and pin in place against head behind your ear on the side the braid finished on. It’s very elegant looking. I also added a black jeweled spin pin to the rosette. My hubby jokes that he claims creative rights to this creation. LOL. 😛

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  91. Oh and I’m going to see the movie at MIDNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TEAM PEETA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  92. I love this hairstyle!!!!! It’s so cute!!!! I’m 12 and I can’t wait to wear this braid I’m about to do it on myself right now!!!!!

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  93. TEAM PEETA!!!!!!I LOVE The Hunger Games!!! My friends and I are going to the premiere (which is one of my friend’s birthday), we’re soo excited! We’re all wearing our hair in the Katniss braid, a green shirt, skinny jeans, black jackets, and boots!!!

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  94. Love this one! My older daughter is a big Hunger Games fan and so looking forward to seeing the movie! I did this style on her hair today for school-play pictures … she has very thick, long hair … this was super easy, super fast, and super cute!
    Thanks for this blog! I have 2 daughters and they (and I) are in LOVE with your hair styles! So many styles that I can do in just minutes before they run for the bus!

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  97. I’ve been dying to get my hands on that book but the library has 63 holds on it. Book will probably be finished in like 3 days. I’m going to try this on myself, if you can to it I can too. wish me luck!

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  100. Love this tutorial. Also, We cannot wait for the movie to come out! I’m like you, will decide which team after I see the movie.
    Absolutely love your blog/website/tutorials and you have an amazing beautiful family!! May you continue to be richly blessed!
    I would also like to see a tutorial on how to put extensions in.

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  101. I would also like to see how you use the extensions. I never thought about using them before, but I can see their usefulness now with your last two tuts.
    thanks!
    amy

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  103. I love it but could you show it with short hair? And I don’t really know who’s team I am on but oh well so I really really really really LOVE the Hunger Games books and excited for the movie, and braid.

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  104. I love this!!! BTW, 201*2* not 2011. (when the movie comes out) I have fallen in love with THG series and have read each book over 3 times. Can’t say which team I’m on, that’s to unfair and I hate that it’s going to turn out like twilight.
    Thanks!

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  105. I LOVE the Hunger Games! Based on the books, I <3 Gale, but I adore Josh Hutcherson (Peeta in the movie) so it might be a close call 🙂

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  106. 1st, Prim – wow. This movie is the 1st I’ve heard of any of it, so … 😛
    Anyway, I (31) wanted to share that today I tried another variation by twisting instead of dutch braiding and it turned out awesome. It also helped the end of my hair stay around over the front of my shoulder better than the braid as my hair is just shoulder length. I added more intrigue by lace-braiding my bangs; I’m not sure if I’ll wear the combo in public, though. 😉

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  107. Can you please do another video on how to finish off the braid with shorter hair? It would be greatly appreciated! P.S. Team Peeta! :]

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  109. Can you do a tutorial on putting in hair extensions? I think they look awesome and I want to know how to use them. Thanks!

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  110. well apparently you haven’t read mockingjay because you will hate gale by the end of the book. For those of you who don’t know, Mockingjay is the third book of the series. Or if you didn’t read well enough you wouldn’t know that it is gales fault about the ‘silver parachute’ incident. (I won’t say more than that for those who haven’t read the book.)But if you recall, when Gale was talking to that old guy from the 75 hunger games(I forgot his name) he made that plan to kill them. And to help out some of the readers on why? coin did that, It was because she wanted to make peeta kill ‘you know who’ she didn’t know katnis was alive. And gale probably didn’t know ‘she'(person I can’t name for spoilers) would be the target, BUT IT WAS HIS FAULT AND HE WAS THE MASTERMIND!!!!

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  111. This is going to be confusing but here I go. Team Gale in the first book, Team Peeta in the second book, and in the first half of the third Team Gale and in the last half Team Peeta (not exactly half). I am a very indecisive person

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  114. I’ve (31) always loved Dutch French braids. Thanks for the variation! My husband actually complimented me on it saying he liked how the braid starts on the side. He’s a sweet guy but not much of one for dishing out comliments, so this was a big unexpected score. Thanks! 😛

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  115. It kind of looks like in the picture that Katniss started her braid on the left. Would that make a difference? Gotta go with Gale!

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  116. I love this ‘do. I think the Hunger Games is an amazing book, but I will not go see the movie. It will give me nightmares. Team Gale forever and ever!

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  117. I didn’t answer the all important question of Team Peeta or Team Gayle. I have always been a fan of Peeta. I like his quiet strength and his longtime admiration/love of Katniss.

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  119. Thank you for posting this! I never would have thought that I could do this on myself, but I am sporting a Katniss braid today.

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  120. Hi!! im a teen but i LOVE these hairstyles i do them on myself and my cousins sometimes my mom. im totally going to wear this to see the movies!!! and i havent decided on the team bc im for like both of them right but we’ll see after the movie… hope to see more hairstyles!! 😉

    Reply

  121. Hi!! Im only a teenager but i love your hairstyles and i do them on myself and my lil sis very often!!! I especially love this do and will be wearing when i go see the movies!!! Im gonna have to go with team peeta(: will there be more hunger games hairstyles soon?…i hope so

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  124. Wow, my hair is short, but I am DEFINITELY doing this on my friend’s long hair when we go to see the movie. Thanks again!

    Reply

  127. I LOVE this braid!! I wear a hairstyle off this website probably once a week and I can’t tell you how many compliments I get at work!! I have told so many people about this website!!! You make it so easy to learn these styles – before I discovered your site I couldn’t even french braid!!! You are awesome!! Thank you!

    Reply

  128. Totally live this!! My part’s on the opposite side, so I’ll have to play with this, but I can definitely do it on my daughters. I rooted for Team Peeta.

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  131. Just started Mockingjay last night. I will most definitely be seeing The Hunger Games on day one! Long time fan! My 4 year old, Paisley, rocks variations of your creations daily!

    Reply

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