Hair Accessory, Method of Making and Use

Abstract

A hair accessory including a plurality of plait sections made of hair extensions configured from one or both of natural and synthetic materials, such that one or more of the plait sections includes a semi-rigid base strand, such as a wire strand. The plait sections are interwoven or twisted to form a bendable and moldable braid or bendable and moldable twisted strand, having a head end and a tail end, and include one or more attachment members for securing the hair accessory to the hair of a wearer.

1 . A hair accessory as a decorative application to the hair of a wearer having a plurality of elongated intertwined flexible plaits with an associated base or support member for each plait, said intertwined flexible plaits comprised of elongated natural and synthetic strand-like materials with the intertwined flexible plaits interwoven to form one or more braids having a head end and a tail end, attachment members for securing the one or more braids to the hair of the wearer are placed at each of the head end and tail end of the braid or interwoven braids, said base or support member being one or more semi-rigid strands or wires of matching length to the plaits intertwined with each other and together with said one or more plaits for supporting the plaits and permitting the configuring or molding of the plaits or interwoven braids into a predetermined size and shape that is secured into the hair of the wearer using the attachment members. 
     
     
         2 . The hair accessory of  claim 1 , wherein each said attachment member is selected from the group of attachment members consisting of toupee clip, toothed clip, toothed comb, barrette, and the like. 
     
     
         3 . The hair accessory of  claim 1 , wherein each said attachment member may additionally be positioned along the length of the hair accessory. 
     
     
         4 . The hair accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of plaits, in addition to the elongated natural and synthetic strand-like materials, are further comprised of one or more decorative strands intertwined into the plaits. 
     
     
         5 . The hair accessory of  claim 4 , wherein said decorative strands are selected from the group of elongated decorative strands consisting of fabric, ribbon, leather, vinyl, rubber, plastic, elastic or elasticized materials. 
     
     
         6 . A method of making a hair accessory as a decorative application to the hair of a wearer comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated hair extension composed of a plurality of one or both of natural or synthetic strand-like materials of a desired or predetermined length and one or more semi-rigid strands or wires of matching length to the natural or synthetic strand-like materials;   at a midway point of the length of the elongated hair extension and the one or more semi-rigid strands or wires folding the hair extension back over itself to form a combined extension from the two approximate halves of the hair extension forming a head end at the folded end of the combined extension;   securing the folded or head end of the combined extension by attaching a fastener around the outer surface of the folded or head end;   dividing the combined extension into one or more plait sections of generally equal thickness with at least one of the one or more semi-rigid strands being incorporated into at least one of the one or more plait sections;   interweaving a plurality of plait sections along the length of the combined extension forming a braid; and,   securing a tail end formed at the interwoven end of the combined extension completing the formation of the braid; and,   repeating each of the steps until the desired number of braids are assembled to form the hair accessory.   
     
     
         7 . The method of making a hair accessory as a decorative application to the hair of a wearer of  claim 6  comprising the additional steps of:
 applying one or both of hairspray and adhesive to hold the plait sections in position in the braid; 
 molding the hair accessory into a desired shape and size for attaching to the hair of a wearer; and, 
 applying one or more attachment members for securing the hair accessory to the hair of the wearer. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of making a hair accessory as a decorative application to the hair of a wearer of  claim 7  wherein said one or more attachment members is selected from the group of attachment members consisting of toupee clips, toothed clips, toothed combs, barrettes, and the like. 
     
     
         9 . The method of making a hair accessory as a decorative application to the hair of a wearer of  claim 6  comprising the additional step of:
 applying decorative strands to the braid by interweaving one or more decorative strands into the one or more plait sections. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of making a hair accessory as a decorative application to the hair of a wearer of  claim 9  wherein said decorative strands are selected from the group of elongated decorative strands consisting of fabric, ribbon, leather, vinyl, rubber, plastic, elastic or elasticized materials.