How to Make Pippi Longstocking Braids

Costumes, Cosplay, and Props Home
How to Make Pippi Longstocking Braids

pippi_final_beauty_03.jpg
Pippi Longstocking is one of my all-time favorite Halloween costumes. I love getting to step into the role of the empowered, imaginative, and fiercely independent character. Pippi is a classic, and her look is easy to copy, both of which are important requirements for a good costume. The clothes she wore were mismatched and patchwork, accompanied, of course, by odd long socks. But her hair makes the look. Pippi’s braids stick up into the air, and they are her trademark. With some wire hidden inside, it’s an easy and silly trick to achieve.


pippi_hairstyle_01.jpg

Materials

Hairbrush
Wire
Wire cutters
Hair bands
Bobby pins
Ribbons

pippi_hairstyle_04.jpg
Step 1: Wash your hair the day before you wear the Pippi braids, but not the day of. Having slightly dirty hair helps the style hold. Brush it out well.
pippi_hairstyle_05.jpg
Step 2: Part your hair into 2 piggy tails.
pippi_hairstyle_06.jpg
Step 3: Measure out and cut a single piece of wire. Find the right length by placing the wire across the crown of your head and making sure it is as long as both pigtails. Then give yourself an extra inch or two on each end, just in case. Bend the wire to match the curve of your head.
pippi_hairstyle_07.jpg
Step 4: Undo 1 pigtail and separate into 3 sections. Braid your hair just like normal, except wrap the wire inside the braid. This means to just make sure that the wire is snug inside each weave of the braid.
pippi_hairstyle_08.jpg
Step 5: Secure the end with a hairband. Then braid the other half.
pippi_hairstyle_09.jpg
Step 6: Clip the extra wire from the end of the braids.
pippi_hairstyle_10.jpg
Step 7: Cover any obvious wire with your hair by using a bobby pin.
pippi_hairstyle_12.jpg
Step 8: Add ribbons to the ends. Cute!

98 thoughts on “How to Make Pippi Longstocking Braids

  1. hotbettie says:

    I made her costume 2 years ago and spent days watching the original dubbed versions getting it just right. I had to use a wig, since my hair was turquoise at the time, but I used the same technique in the article and it worked like a charm! if you have a facebook account, you can see my finished costume here http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2305169&op=5&o=global&view=global&subj=1350518940&id=549594277

  2. Marie {Make and Takes} says:

    This is so great. I think my hair is long enough I’m going to do this!!!

  3. Wendy Piersall says:

    I totally did this costume over the weekend and it was a HUGE hit with both kids and their parents.
    I used floral wire and just wrapped it around the base of each pony tail in the middle of the wire, and braided the two long wired ends into my hair. They stayed up and I didn’t have to hide any wire.
    On a side note, Target has a gazillion knee high and thigh high patterned socks right now – I swear it took about ten minutes for me to pick out the perfect Pippi Longstocking socks for my costume! There were like 25+ choices – pure torture because I wanted them all. :)

  4. Kim says:

    Wendy, Where did you find the floral wire? Thanks. K

  5. Mara says:

    If your hair is fine and not too heavy, I recommend using orange pipe cleaners. I’ve had great success braiding them into my hair.

  6. Anon says:

    It isn’t slightly dirty hair. It’s simply hair with more sebum that was produced. Generally, people wash their hair daily and strip their hair of natural oils that actually help them. If you’re just washing and sleeping not long after, it isn’t dirty unless you didn’t wash your pillow often enough, or if you washed your hair and put product in it before sleeping.

  7. symeona says:

    great idea never wouldnt have thought of it thanks :)

  8. Michelle says:

    Thank you so much!! Brilliant idea for my daughter for book week.

  9. Dreaply says:

    AWSOME I’m doin this for the pumpkin fest

  10. bodog88 says:

    Hello! This is my first visit to your blog!

    We are a group of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
    Your blog provided us beneficial information to work on.
    You have done a wonderful job!

  11. sbobet says:

    Hi there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok.
    I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new
    posts.

  12. A Bookish Halloween | Bas Bleu Bluestocking Salon says:

    […] Longstocking: Those trademark braids take some work, so this is better suited for an older child or […]

  13. How to Make Your Braided Hair Stick Up Straight With a Wire | Popular Question & Answer says:

    […] Helpful Resources How-To: Pippi Longstocking Braids | MAKE […]

  14. 5 costume de Halloween cu personaje de poveste | UrbanKid.ro says:

    […] Povestea cu Pippi Longstocking este una veche, cea rămas în preferințele noastre. Părul este ceva mai greu de făcut, dar avem online informații despre cum putem face asta destul de rapid. […]

  15. KidStyleFile Loves Kids Books : Book Week 2014 Costume Ideas says:

    […] Pippi Longstocking Hair Tutorial Makezine + Pippi Longstocking By Astrid Lindgren $18.65 […]

  16. 11 Stylish Halloween Costumes for Girls • LITTLE GOLD PIXEL says:

    […] There’s nothing cuter than the mischievous little girl who thinks everything is possible. A run-down on how to make the costume here, and a tutorial for the hair here. […]

  17. Kathleen O'Neil says:

    what kind of wire did you buy?

  18. 25 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes You Can Make Last Minute | deneme says:

    […] Pretty much all you need to put together a Pippi Longstocking costume are some crazy red braids and some freckles. If you have natural red hair, you can make your own Pippi braids with the help of this great Make tutorial. […]

  19. 19 Hair Ideas To Step Up Your Halloween Costume | Listminded.com says:

    […] makezine.com […]

  20. 19 Hair Ideas To Step Up Your Halloween Costume - Cariuangyuk.com says:

    […] makezine.com […]

  21. 5 Fab and Easy World Book Day Costumes for Kids says:

    […] An old pinafore or smock, with a stripy t-shirt, odd socks and some red hair dye! There is a fantastic tutorial here, on how to do Pippi-style braids.  Don’t forget the […]

  22. Google says:

    Google

    The info mentioned inside the write-up are some of the ideal obtainable.

  23. sol acres says:

    sol acres

    […]please visit the web sites we follow, including this a single, because it represents our picks from the web[…]

  24. watches says:

    watches

    […]below you will come across the link to some websites that we think it is best to visit[…]

  25. phone 6 case says:

    phone 6 case

    […]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a couple of unrelated data, nevertheless definitely really worth taking a search, whoa did 1 discover about Mid East has got far more problerms as well […]

  26. medjool dates says:

    medjool dates

    […]The data mentioned inside the write-up are several of the best out there […]

  27. ηλιακοι θερμοσιφωνες says:

    ηλιακοι θερμοσιφωνες

    […]Here is an excellent Blog You may Obtain Exciting that we Encourage You[…]

  28. http://www.menage-poly.com says:

    http://www.menage-poly.com

    […]that could be the finish of this write-up. Here you will uncover some websites that we believe you’ll enjoy, just click the hyperlinks over[…]

  29. z rock internet radio says:

    z rock internet radio

    […]one of our guests recently recommended the following website[…]

  30. miniclip games says:

    miniclip games

    […]usually posts some extremely intriguing stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]

  31. paintless dent repair says:

    paintless dent repair

    […]The details mentioned within the post are a few of the top accessible […]

  32. Sneaker cleaner says:

    Sneaker cleaner

    […]Here is an excellent Blog You may Uncover Intriguing that we Encourage You[…]

  33. malaysia virtual address says:

    malaysia virtual address

    […]although sites we backlink to beneath are considerably not associated to ours, we feel they’re basically really worth a go by means of, so have a look[…]

  34. 308 uppers says:

    308 uppers

    […]Every after in a though we pick blogs that we read. Listed beneath would be the latest web pages that we pick out […]

  35. tailing dam says:

    tailing dam

    […]Sites of interest we’ve a link to[…]

  36. window cleaning says:

    window cleaning

    […]Here are some of the web sites we advocate for our visitors[…]

  37. locksmiths perth 24 hour service says:

    locksmiths perth 24 hour service

    […]that is the end of this report. Right here you’ll obtain some web-sites that we believe you’ll value, just click the hyperlinks over[…]

  38. how do i win the lottery says:

    how do i win the lottery

    […]The data talked about inside the article are a few of the most beneficial offered […]

  39. k7x says:

    k7x

    […]one of our guests not too long ago advised the following website[…]

  40. detox herbal tea says:

    detox herbal tea

    […]Here are some of the sites we advise for our visitors[…]

  41. Buderus says:

    Buderus

    […]Here is a great Blog You may Discover Exciting that we Encourage You[…]

  42. buy guitars says:

    buy guitars

    […]usually posts some incredibly interesting stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]

  43. hajhullás elleni szerek says:

    hajhullás elleni szerek

    […]please go to the web pages we follow, which includes this one, because it represents our picks in the web[…]

  44. website says:

    website

    […]always a large fan of linking to bloggers that I love but do not get a whole lot of link adore from[…]

  45. glass fencing perth says:

    glass fencing perth

    […]that could be the end of this write-up. Right here you’ll find some sites that we feel you’ll enjoy, just click the hyperlinks over[…]

  46. picture frames says:

    picture frames

    […]always a major fan of linking to bloggers that I adore but do not get lots of link really like from[…]

  47. panel and repairs perth  says:

    panel and repairs perth 

    […]below you will locate the link to some web-sites that we consider you must visit[…]

  48. events photography perth says:

    events photography perth

    […]always a major fan of linking to bloggers that I adore but really don’t get lots of link really like from[…]

  49. Robert Shumake developer says:

    Robert Shumake developer

    […]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]

  50. superior auto institute review says:

    superior auto institute review

    […]here are some links to internet sites that we link to because we feel they’re worth visiting[…]

  51. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1YukprvtqI says:

    […]one of our visitors just lately suggested the following website[…]

  52. superior auto institute reviews says:

    superior auto institute reviews

    […]just beneath, are numerous totally not connected internet sites to ours, however, they’re surely really worth going over[…]

  53. car lease deals says:

    car lease deals

    […]the time to read or take a look at the material or web pages we’ve linked to below the[…]

  54. minecraft gratuit says:

    minecraft gratuit

    […]here are some hyperlinks to web-sites that we link to mainly because we think they’re really worth visiting[…]

  55. Legacy foods says:

    Legacy foods

    […]usually posts some extremely fascinating stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]

  56. Legacy Food Storage says:

    Legacy Food Storage

    […]usually posts some quite exciting stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]

  57. livehere says:

    livehere

    […]one of our guests lately encouraged the following website[…]

  58. Nursing Staff Agency says:

    Nursing Staff Agency

    […]always a huge fan of linking to bloggers that I enjoy but do not get a great deal of link adore from[…]

  59. testme says:

    testme

    […]very handful of internet sites that transpire to be detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly nicely worth checking out[…]

  60. testhim says:

    testhim

    […]here are some hyperlinks to internet sites that we link to due to the fact we think they are really worth visiting[…]

  61. legitimate work from home jobs says:

    legitimate work from home jobs

    […]the time to study or take a look at the subject material or web pages we have linked to below the[…]

  62. saks auto trans says:

    saks auto trans

    […]always a major fan of linking to bloggers that I appreciate but do not get a lot of link appreciate from[…]

  63. copywriting says:

    copywriting

    […]Here are a few of the web-sites we advise for our visitors[…]

  64. used mobile phones lagos says:

    used mobile phones lagos

    […]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a few unrelated data, nevertheless genuinely worth taking a search, whoa did a single find out about Mid East has got extra problerms too […]

  65. mobile phones lagos says:

    mobile phones lagos

    […]here are some hyperlinks to web-sites that we link to mainly because we assume they’re worth visiting[…]

  66. used mobile phones lagos says:

    used mobile phones lagos

    […]please stop by the web pages we stick to, such as this one, because it represents our picks in the web[…]

  67. Blue Coaster33 says:

    The Slave of the Husband

    Trying to get ahead to learning additional from you afterward!…

  68. restore says:

    restore

    […]the time to read or check out the content or internet sites we’ve linked to beneath the[…]

  69. Penny auction says:

    Penny auction

    […]usually posts some very exciting stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]

  70. Arvind Pandit says:

    Arvind Pandit

    […]usually posts some incredibly exciting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[…]

  71. entra says:

    entra

    […]always a large fan of linking to bloggers that I really like but don’t get a good deal of link appreciate from[…]

  72. Property search says:

    Property search

    […]Every after in a whilst we opt for blogs that we read. Listed below would be the newest web pages that we pick […]

  73. buy soundcloud plays says:

    buy soundcloud plays

    […]here are some links to websites that we link to mainly because we think they’re really worth visiting[…]

  74. Rental says:

    Rental

    […]check below, are some entirely unrelated internet websites to ours, having said that, they’re most trustworthy sources that we use[…]

  75. 21 Children’s Book Characters Born To Be Halloween Costumes | Gized.com says:

    […] makezine.com […]

  76. Tenant Screening says:

    Tenant Screening

    […]usually posts some pretty exciting stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]

  77. System Engineers says:

    System Engineers

    […]Sites of interest we’ve a link to[…]

  78. web design company says:

    web design company

    […]very few sites that transpire to become comprehensive beneath, from our point of view are undoubtedly nicely really worth checking out[…]

  79. Easy access to sites, websites, web pages and more. says:

    Easy access to sites, websites, web pages and more.

    […]Every as soon as in a while we decide on blogs that we read. Listed beneath would be the latest sites that we choose […]

  80. tanie projekty domów says:

    tanie projekty domów

    […]one of our visitors lately advised the following website[…]

  81. allrecipes says:

    allrecipes

    […]we like to honor several other online web-sites on the internet, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Under are some webpages really worth checking out[…]

  82. tips for pool cues says:

    tips for pool cues

    […]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a handful of unrelated information, nonetheless actually worth taking a look, whoa did a single find out about Mid East has got additional problerms also […]

  83. Las Vegas Escorts says:

    Las Vegas Escorts

    […]Sites of interest we’ve a link to[…]

  84. Sapphire Las Vegas Pool Party says:

    Sapphire Las Vegas Pool Party

    […]Sites of interest we’ve a link to[…]

  85. Maryland's Top Healthcare Recruiters says:

    Maryland’s Top Healthcare Recruiters

    […]that will be the end of this article. Right here you will discover some sites that we assume you will value, just click the links over[…]

  86. Waterproofing says:

    Waterproofing

    […]here are some hyperlinks to sites that we link to due to the fact we think they’re really worth visiting[…]

  87. Analog Recording says:

    Analog Recording

    […]always a major fan of linking to bloggers that I really like but do not get lots of link enjoy from[…]

  88. Visual Art says:

    Visual Art

    […]just beneath, are numerous completely not related websites to ours, even so, they may be surely really worth going over[…]

  89. how to make money online says:

    how to make money online

    […]we prefer to honor several other world-wide-web websites around the net, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Underneath are some webpages really worth checking out[…]

  90. apartarayos says:

    apartarayos

    […]below you’ll discover the link to some web sites that we assume it is best to visit[…]

  91. excursion in sharm says:

    excursion in sharm

    […]we like to honor numerous other net internet sites around the internet, even if they aren?t linked to us, by linking to them. Below are some webpages worth checking out[…]

  92. help with job search says:

    help with job search

    […]Here are some of the web sites we suggest for our visitors[…]

  93. FCATalk says:

    FCATalk

    […]one of our visitors not long ago proposed the following website[…]

  94. pestovani feferonek says:

    pestovani feferonek

    […]please visit the internet sites we stick to, which includes this 1, as it represents our picks from the web[…]

  95. 25 Fantastic DIY Halloween Costumes says:

    […] Pippi Longstocking is a very recognizable character to most, especially those who grew up in the 80’s and perhaps the 90’s as well. Wire is the main supply you’ll need here, along with either long hair or a wig. Find out how to make your pig tails defy gravity here. […]

  96. andrewhull says:

    […] Image Source Make: […]

  97. 10 great Halloween hair tutorials - The Pink Martini Blog says:

    […] Pippi Longstocking (via Make): […]

  98. Emily Chilton says:

    Seriously love love love this. Haha. I have always love Pippi! I may have to disassemble a wire hanger next year and dress up as her! (:

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK