Thankfully, trend forecaster, hair stylist and presenter Tom Smith has come up with an innovative way to easily create a French plait.

“First, we’re going to start by taking an asymmetric section […] and put a ponytail in using the smallest band you can find,” explains Smith. “Then, we’re going to twist it under – you might have had your mum do this when you were a kid but we’re going to bring it back and repeat this three times in total.

“So, one at the top, the second one just behind the ears and the third one gathers all the rest of the hair up, and we’re going to twist each one through before connecting into the next. Those bands are going to hold things in place so you can pull the hair out to detail and add extra volume. And there you go – you get the impression of a French plait without that challenging fingerwork.”

How to do a modern French plait the easy way, thanks to two simple tweaks