I never thought I’d be thanking two Disney Princesses for anything.

I wasn’t brought up on Disney and the idea of girls being saved by princes was my feminist mum’s worst nightmare

Luckily Elsa and Anna saved each other, so we’re OK.

But seriously, if it wasn’t for them Braid Maidens wouldn’t exist.

When my daughter was 2 she was so taken with Frozen that being Elsa or Anna became a daily thing.

She wore their dresses to the childminder, to her ballet class, to the beach.

We had dresses in all the sizes from age 2 up to age 8. It was a looong phase, just to warn any of you just starting out on that road.

But along with the dresses, she needed THE HAIR. Elsa plaits. Anna plaits. Every. Single. Day.

I had taught myself to French Plait when I was about 10 and used to practice a lot with a friend.

But that just wasn’t cutting it. (See image above.)

The ‘Elsa’ required more skill. So I learned how to Dutch Braid from YouTube and my daughter was delighted.

She really felt like Elsa when I got a braid coming down over her shoulder..

When she was 4 and started school, the PTA asked if anyone wanted to run a school at the Christmas fair.

I had the idea to run a Frozen hair stall offering Elsa and Anna plaits. I roped in my friends Andreia, Dana and Shabnam and we did it. Thanks for going along with my (not-so) crazy plan, ladies.

Picture below: Me and my daughter at the first Christmas fair in 2016.

The kids loved ANYTHING that we did for them and left the stall feeling *very* good about themselves.

But what really struck me was the parents’ reaction to us doing the hair.
I could see them watching how we plaited.
And I heard them saying, “I wish I could do that.”

It was a lightbulb moment when I realised there was a skills gap when it came to parents being able to do these kind of styles. The idea for Braid Maidens was born.

I even ran my first class a few weeks later for some local mums in St Albans - it’s one of the first pics on my insta.

Roll on 5 years, bringing up 2 kids, working for entrepreneurs, a global pandemic and only managing Braid Maidens as a very small hobby, I finally decided to take the plunge in October 2021 and make Braid Maidens official. It was now or never.

And I am SO glad I did.

Here we are 12 months in; having taught over 550 people, braided over 230, having been on live TV, radio and in international press. As well as weekly braiding classes, private bookings, braid appointments, pamper parties and corporate events.

It’s been a whirlwind first year, more than anything I could have imagined.

I particularly love the thought of parents taking requests from their own Disney fans and being able create their own little Elsa’s and Anna’s. That’s a double whammy of joy - for them and their children.

So thank you Elsa and Anna.

And to my daughter too for loving that movie so much.

(Update: She then went on to love Sandy from Grease and now loves Pitch Perfect - not quite the same vibe.)

And, as Walt Disney himself said,

"If you can visualise it,

If you can dream it,

There’s some way to do it."

I’m with him on that.

If you’d like to fulfil your own little Elsa• and Anna’s dreams by creating their favourite styles, why not check out our in-person and online class options.

Hope to teach you/ braid you soon,

Annis x

•Insert favourite character here

Elsa and Anna changed my life.

What kind of learner are you?

Braid Maidens